Memory & retrieval · Memory Bias · Entry 164
Suggestibility – when you ‘remember’ things just because someone suggested them
Did someone ask, ‘Do you remember getting lost in a store as a child?’ and now you’re convinced it happened? That’s Suggestibility – the tendency to mistake others’ suggestions for real memories.
Where it can show up
- Criminal investigations – witnesses ‘remember’ details of a crime that never happened due to leading questions.
- Childhood memories – a child is told they loved a certain toy, and over time, they truly believe it.
- Medicine & therapy – under hypnosis or improper therapy, patients may ‘recall’ events that never actually occurred.
A practical countermeasure
- Be skeptical of ‘recovered’ details – especially if someone suggested them first.
- Separate facts from suggestion – if you don’t clearly remember something, consider that it may have been ‘planted.’
- Analyze how the memory formed – is it truly your own experience or a reaction to someone’s words?
