A new research carried out at the University of Sydney has raised doubts over the reliability of our Memories. The study says that even though every one seems to be fond of their memories, these can’t be trusted as the recollections are not always accurate. While discussing a past event to some other person, people generally add misinformation in their narration.

Dr. Helen Paterson, the lead author of the study, says that people unknowingly contaminate memories while discussing. This study shows why the same incident is recollected in different ways by different people.

A process termed as memory conformity, people can correct their memories by remembering and discussing an event together. If not for this discussion, they would be having different remembrances of the same event. A group of individuals can come together for sharing the same, inaccurate memory of an event.

The study involved 64 students who watched a crime film that lasted for 3 minutes and each of them discussed it later with another co-witness. This co-witness, unknown to the students had actually watched a little different version of the crime film.

After a week, each of these students was interviewed for about 45 minutes. 42% of them reported minimum 1 wrong information which they had adopted while discussing with the co-witness. On being quizzed, they replied that this was the way they remembered the film.

Ms Paterson said that the study revealed that at times people find difficulty in distinguishing between false and genuine memories of any event. The result of this study also suggests the police to avoid inaccuracy by separating witnesses before interrogation or interview. Leading questions, suggestive and repetitive interviewing techniques can have an adverse effect on the witness’ memory.

These findings are similar to another study carried out in UK’S University of Hull which says that one in every five students showed signs of false memory. 1600 students were surveyed and among these 320 students recalled typical fictional memories. The research also found that almost 20% of Australians when quizzed recall and relate memories of their childhood though these events never actually happened.

Source:

The Sunday Telegraph