Pseudomemories: Lecture: Memory Factory

In this video a preeminent memory expert, Elizabeth Loftus, starts her lecture describing false memories depicted by people in the public eye (Brian Williams and Hillary Clinton) and in courts with recollections that convict and jail innocent people,
She focuses on the "misinformation effect"early in her presentation. Then examines the impact of emotion and misinformation. She examines court cases and discusses rapists and wrongful convictions (28 minutes), soldiers and harsh interrogations (34 minutes). Misinformation is everywhere and if confabulates and confuses and contaminates real memory.
She then addresses "repressed memories" which are very rich false memories (40 minutes). Using experiments false memories were implanted being lost in a mall, demonic possession, almost drowning and accidents of various types. Planting or nurturing false memories can be done in a variety of ways including:
Imagination
Dream Interpretation
Hypnosis
Exposure to other memories (group therapy)
False Information
Doctored photographs
Conservatives and Liberals showed an ability to fall for doctored photos that support their political persuasion.
Consequences of false memories (52 minutes). Excellent discussion of how food preferences can be influenced by misinformation.
Detecting true vs. false memories is addressed (59 minutes). The of detection methods comparing true and false memories confirm that distinguishing between true and false memories is not presently obtainable.
Even studies of highly intelligent and high autobiographical memory subjects are vulnerable disinformation that alters of memory and accuracy.
Concluding statements:

"Just because memory is expressed with

confidence, detail, and emotion,

doesn't mean that it's true."

"Memory like Liberty is a fragile thing."

Question and Answers:
At 1:18 she discusses impact of therapist as an authority figure that impacts the memory and recollection of events.

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WARNING:

If you are seeking help for personal struggles and a therapist, counselor or friend says that "recovering childhood memories can help you get better" then IMMEDIATELY get up from your chair (or off the couch), run to the door, open it and flee. Hundreds of thousands have lost families, years of productive living and squandered immense wealth with tragedy inducing therapy that produces horrid false memories, splinters families, isolates the client and is documented to cause decline in mental health.

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"A TRUE SURVIVOR" SPEAKS OUT!

This is an effort to Break the Cycle of Shame

and Save Others from Similar Tragedy!

Pseudo memories initially seem very real (especially if medicated or entranced). Those who claim "repressed memories" will typically isolate themselves from those who truly know the accused and speak the truth. When (and if) the accuser eventually realizes falsehoods were articulated isolation may continue out of shame. Accused innocents may hide the embarrassing accusations in order to protect their reputation or reconnect. Counselors separate from clients who no longer are dependent and seek to avoid lawsuit by claiming neutrality. So then a "therapy" that nurtures the creation of falsehoods that are related as truth is empowered, through ignorance, to repeat the tragic cycle that destroys more innocent lives and families.

This site contains true stories of brave people including those misled by "do it yourself therapy books", accusers duped by bad therapy, innocents who endured horrid false accusations (many innocents lose careers, are imprisoned or impaled by grief); and those who watched in horror as the damage was done to lives and families.

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State collected data, insurance studies, lawsuit payouts and asset seizures have largely ended the use of "regression therapies" by insured therapists and established institutions since the 1990's. Courtrooms now require scientific validation and have ceased allowing the false information generated by "recovered memory therapies." "Do It Yourself Therapy" books and well meaning friends are the usual perpetrators of "recovered memory" techniques.

Those untrained in the psychological sciences often misunderstand or are misinformed about what is now common knowledge among professionals that practice ethical competent counseling.

Needlessly fractured families along with innocent people who are defamed and even imprisoned only add to the evidence of how destructive this therapy is.