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TED Talk 5: Chapter 7 How Reliable Is Your Memory - Elizabeth Loftus

Elizabeth Loftus describes how easily memories can be influenced and misinformation can distort what we remember. She discusses a study where participants remembered cars hitting each other at different speeds depending on whether the question used "hit" or "smashed." Loftus suggests that imagination, dreams, hypnosis, exposure to false information, and suggestion can lead to the development of false memories. She argues that memory resembles Wikipedia in how open it is to manipulation and change.

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204 views1 page

TED Talk 5: Chapter 7 How Reliable Is Your Memory - Elizabeth Loftus

Elizabeth Loftus describes how easily memories can be influenced and misinformation can distort what we remember. She discusses a study where participants remembered cars hitting each other at different speeds depending on whether the question used "hit" or "smashed." Loftus suggests that imagination, dreams, hypnosis, exposure to false information, and suggestion can lead to the development of false memories. She argues that memory resembles Wikipedia in how open it is to manipulation and change.

Uploaded by

D-Rebel
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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TED Talk 5: Chapter 7

How reliable is your memory – Elizabeth Loftus

Answer the following questions independently and in your own words.

1. What is the main point of the TED talk?


To describe how easily memory can be influenced and how misinformation can lead to different
outcomes. She wants us to realize that it is possible to implant desirable memories to better
results in a person.
2. Do you agree with the speaker? Why or why not? Be specific
I agree to the fact that it would be a nice idea. We tend to use our memories as a base of
operations for activities in the future. Bad experience with food will make you less likely to eat
or even want to be around it. So, in a sense if you could base a memory that allowed for
healthy eating or better attitude it could be helpful and beneficial. The problem I have is the
ethic side. Although parents do sometimes lie to their kids, like with Santa Claus, it’s our
individual and personal experiences that make us who we are. It would be nice to have nice
memories, but the bad ones also help shape our personalities not always positively but always
in a growth perspective. I think forming new memories is better than changing old ones.
3. Describe the results of the hit/smashed car accident study.
If they were asked the question how fast the car was going when it hit, they would say a
reasonable speed like 34mph. When the word hit was exchanged for smashed people said the
car was going faster like 45mph and although there were no broken glass people believed that
they had saw some.
4. How can misinformation influence a memory? What does misinformation look like?
Misinformation can distort, contaminate, or change memories. Misinformation has many forms
such as media coverage about event we experienced or if we talk to other witnesses.
5. What forms of psychotherapy does Elizabeth Loftus suggest can lead to the
development of false memories?
Imagination, dream interpretation, hypnosis, exposure to false information and suggestion
6. Why did ethics board approve these studies (false memory) even though they might
cause the participants discomfort?
The temporary discomfort that subjects may feel is outweighed by the importance of the
problem of abusing memory.
7. How was Elizabeth Loftus’ personal life influenced by her research on false memories?
She was criticized and threatened. She was even sued when she wrote a book in which she
didn’t mention whom she was talking about
8. What popular website does Elizabeth Loftus argue memory most resembles? Why?
Wikipedia
9. How does this relate to material covered in Chapter 7?
It relates back to when we’re talking about reconsolidation. When memories are retrieved, they
help us make new decisions based on past experiences that we remember. This video talks
about altering the encoding process so that during reconsolidation we retrieve more positive
memories that could benefit us.

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