It Is Just Harder to Construct Memories for False Autobiographical Events

Abstract

SummaryBrewin and Andrews (2016) review studies using three research paradigms—imagination inflation, false feedback, and memory implantation—and the prevalence rate for false memories differs widely across paradigms. Vast differences also result depending on the scheme used to code the recall data. Framing memory as a constructive process reveals many of the similarities between cognitive processes involved in memory for true and false events, similarities that account for why memories are far less likely to result for false events than true events. Memories for false events are just not as easy to construct and plant as has been suggested elsewhere. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.