Did you know that up to 1 in 2 people may not be able to tell false memories from real ones? There are instances in which people discover information that they have believed for years is actually not true, and it can be very disorienting. What is even stranger is that there are times where multiple people all misremember the same information, and this is known as the Mandela Effect.

Learning that information you have believed for years can be frightening, but it may help to know that it is very common and there are steps you can take to prevent it.  Many times false memories are the result of source memory errors. This is when a person forgets the true origin of their memory and can mistake primed sources for personal beliefs. False memories can also be a result of conformity, where a person believes the opinions of a larger group in order to fit in. Conformity is actually one of the most widely accepted explanations behind the Mandela Effect as well as false memories. 

In order to prevent false memories and the Mandela Effect, it is important to critically analyze your memories and beliefs to ensure you are not conforming to larger groups. It can also help to create documentation of events so you do not confuse dates and details. To learn more about how the Mandela Effect and false memories affect our memories, take a look at the infographic below:

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