Memory shapes us. Our beliefs, thoughts, fears, rationalities – all are shaped by our past experiences in the form of memory. Memories anchor us to the past and help us make sense of the present. Conversely, our current experiences also shape the memories of our past, and new information can warp our perception of things we have experienced. So, what happens when our memories are manipulated? We can be convinced that our memories are wrong, or worse, that we have experienced events that have never even taken place. False memories can be used as a powerful tool of control. In the hands of an abuser, a cult leader, or even an overzealous but untrained therapist, false memories can shatter an individual’s understanding of everything around them, sowing distrust in their family, friends – even in their own minds – leaving them highly susceptible to undue influence and manipulation.

False memory refers to the phenomenon where we recollect events that never occurred, or we might remember them differently from how they happened. False memories are more common than you may realize! Since our experiences and knowledge frame memories, we constantly compile new information that reshapes our memories. One mainstream example of false memory is the “Mandela Effect,” in which millions of people falsely remember Nelson Mandela dying in prison in the 1980s when, in reality, he was released from prison, served as South Africa’s President, and did not die until 2013. The term “Mandela Effect” is now used colloquially to describe these shared false memories.

While memory distortions can occur spontaneously due to false perceptions, biases, or conflations, they can also be deliberately implanted through suggestion, coercion, or manipulation. A false memory can feel........

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