GRST 501
Thesis Statement: False memories form because the brain’s ability to encode and retrieve
memories weakens.
Outline:
I. Introduction
A. It is common for a majority of individuals to believe they have a reasonably good
memory.
B. Recent research has aided in explaining how shaky human memory can be.
Individuals are incredibly susceptible to mistakes and inaccuracies.
C. False memories form because the brain’s ability to encode and retrieve memories
weakens.
II. Individuals with remarkable memory are still vulnerable to making things up without
realizing it.
A. Elizabeth Loftus was able to influence 25% of her participants to trust a false
memory.
B. A study revealed that 50% of participants could be led to trust a scenario simply
by showing manipulated pictorial ‘evidence.’
III. False memories can have severe consequences
A. A false memory communicated during a testimony could have an advantage
against an innocent person being convicted of a crime
B. Sometimes individuals see things that aren’t there, or witness an event, yet not
have an obvious view of everything that happened.
IV. Poor encoding
A. If an individual is preoccupied, they are less likely to pay mind to specifics
B. When information is not fully encoded, the individual is more prone to have
trouble retrieving or remembering something.
V. Confabulation can lead to inaccurate or false memories
A. Research shows negative events can cause false memories or inaccurate
recollection to occur.
B. There are multiple reasons as to why false memories may occur; do individuals
tend to ‘lie’ more when they are unable to retrieve what has already been improperly
encoded? For example, confabulation.
VI. Conclusion
A. There are multiple reasons as to why false memories may occur, however the
main reason can be attributed to a properly working encoding and retrieval process in the
brain, which can ultimately trigger byproduct reasons, such as lying.
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B. False memories form because the brain’s ability to convert, process, and deliver
information weakens.
Annotated Bibliography
Brook. (2021). A false memory trap: Verbatim vs gist memories on trial. Alternative Law
Journal., 46(4), 293–298. https://doi.org/10.1177/1037969X211009969
This journal article explores a recent court case study in which the court jury deemed
verbatim memories to carry more power and influence than gist memories do, despite the
research that indicates otherwise. This study accurate, relevant, and recent. Therefore,
this study can be used for this paper. This study is relevant because it discusses and
evaluates the two different types of memory that can affect accuracy.
Chamberlain, Bowman, C. R., & Dennis, N. A. (2022). Age-related differences in encoding-
retrieval similarity and their relationship to false memory. Neurobiology of Aging., 113,
15–27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2022.01.011
This journal article explores a recent study in which researchers considered the aging
population to have encoding errors due to confabulation, contributing to false memory.
This study is accurate, relevant, and recent. Therefore, this study can be used for this
paper. This study is relevant because it discusses one of the reasons as to false memories
may occur, and is easily misconstrued for lying.
Gudjonsson. (2018). The psychology of false confessions : forty years of science and practice.
Wiley.
This journal article explores the consequences of false memories, such as recounting a
false memory can have the ultimate advantage over an innocent individual facing a
criminal charge and conviction. This study is accurate, relevant, and recent. Therefore,
this study can be used for this paper. This study is relevant because it discusses how
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easily an individual’s memory can be influenced, which can lead to false memories and
confessions.
Otgaar, Howe, M. L., Mangiulli, I., & Bücken, C. (2020). The impact of false denials on
forgetting and false memory. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2020.104322
This journal article explores a study in which negative events can cause an altering in
how memory is remembered. This study is accurate, relevant, and recent. Therefore, this
study can be used for this paper. This study is relevant because it discusses how survivors
of trauma have been taught to ineffectively deal with trauma, thus defying the natural
encoding and retrieval process, and the portrayal of false memories.
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