How to Implant False Memories on Friends

It’s counterintuitive to believe that humans often create detailed memories about life experiences that may never have occurred. Memory is different through every individual’s perceptions and can often be distorted before being cognitively stored. The common misconception that memory is “common sense,” has been proven inaccurate countless times by the research conducted by professional psychologist, trained in the study of the brain. Is it possible for humans to believe false memories? And if so, are we consciously aware when memories are being cognitively distorted?

In The Demon-Haunted World, astrophysicist Carl Sagan, argued that implanting false memories in people is possible, and even, relatively simple by following the correct steps. We believe memory begins with our personal experience. What someone tells us happened could never have the same reality for us as what we ourselves lived through. But Sagan insists there’s a technique for making people believe that they actually experienced things they’ve never lived through. Sagan broke down the manipulative process in four steps: 1. select one of your mates, 2. fabricate a memory, 3. prepare, and 4. set your plan in motion.

The first step, is to select a person to conduct the experiment on. It is suggested to select a test subject that you have known for at least five years, and have shared experiences together. It would seem odd to try and persuade a test subject of a specific memory, without a previous relationship with the individual first, as an amateur experimenter. Although, trained psychologist often are able to convince strangers of these fake memories during an experiment, with descriptive background stories. Sagan’s research indicates that selecting a friend who is “prone to suggestion,” or “vulnerable,” may increase test results.

The second step is to fabricate a memory. The fictional memory shouldn’t be something that might engender intense feelings of emotion. It’s essential to remember ethics in any experiment. Also, since the test subject is a friend, it’s important not to damage that friendship because of a test. Therefore, creating a traumatic event that has never occurred, wouldn’t be appropriate or ethical conduct. Studies have shown that it’s easier to make people recall small, detailed memories, rather than more complex ones. We tend to remember events more vividly when strong emotions were involved. Therefore, creating a false memory of a life-changing event wouldn’t be productive for the experiment. The test subject would most likely feel skeptical and unconvinced as a result of this dramatic, fake memory. A recommended memory to implement on a friend would be a childhood memory.

The third step is to prepare. It is important to create an in depth, background story of the false memory the experimenter is trying to convince the test subject of experiencing. The friend may ask questions about the false event while contemplating if the event actually occurred or not, so it’s important to be prepared with specific answers to make the memory more believable.

In 2002, psychologists exposed twenty subjects to a computer-generated photo of a hot air balloon. The researchers met with the test subjects separately and interviewed them on three different occasions. In each interview, the subjects were reintroduced to the hot air balloon photograph and asked to remember experiencing that event as a child. In the beginning of the experiment, the subjects didn’t recall experiencing the hot air balloon ride. The psychologists implemented a fake background story about the “experience” and reassured the test subjects that they’ve been on an air balloon ride before. At the end of the experiment, the results were astounding. At the study’s conclusion, fifty percent of participants said they at least somewhat, remembered the experience. Some participants actually described the balloon ride in great detail and how much fun they had, even though the memory didn’t exist. (Wade, Garry, Read, and Lindsay 2).

The fourth and final step, is to set your plan in motion. The use of peer pressure and phrases like, “You don’t remember that?” and “I clearly remember you being there with me… how could you not remember that?” pressures the subject to think harder about the false memory. As a result, the person may unconsciously create interesting so-called “memories” that never existed.

“Perhaps what we actually remember is a set of memory fragments stitched onto a fabric of our own devising. If we sew clearly enough, we have made ourselves a memorable story to recall,” says Carl Sagan.

Carl Sagan emphasizes that it’s very possible to recall false memories, considering much of what we remember is constructed, not recalled. Humans tend to remember stories, rather than small, facts about a particular event. Therefore, the process of manipulating a person to believe a false event, can be achievable.

Work Cited

Pomeroy, Steven. “How to Instill False Memories.” Scientific American. Scientific American, 19 Feb. 2013. Web. 1 Mar. 2015. <http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/2013/02/19/how-to-instill-false-memories/&gt;.

Wade, Kimberley, Maryanne Garry, J. Read, and D. Lindsay. “A Picture Is worth a Thousand Lies: Using False Photographs to Create False Childhood Memories.” Psychonomic Bulletin & Review. Web. 1 Mar. 2015. <http://download.springer.com/static/pdf/264/art%3A10.3758%2FBF03196318.pdf?auth66=1425275066_e4831af63d431920dd09db47f3b1d311&ext=.pdf&gt;.