A true false memory

Following my review of Peter Jennings’ “Seeing is Believing” UFO special, I was pleased too see that James Randi broadly agreed with my assessment of the show. He gave it an "okay rating”, and congratulated ABC on “having called in adequate representation in the form of real scientists”.

Randi comments on how the eyewitnesses featured on the show were unshakeable in their certainty about what they'd reported, and unable to imagine that they could be mistaken. As a professional conjuror, Randi is an expert on how people are fooled, and how they fool themselves, and gave some examples from his own experience.

His first example was of his escape act from a sealed coffin in a swimming pool.  The director of the TV show covering the stunt, afterwards recounted the episode, and described how Randi had been handcuffed and then tied into a straitjacket before being placed in the coffin. He specifically remembered the clicking of the handcuff ratchets, and the heaving actions of those who had strapped Randi into the jacket. However, Randi states that no straitjackets or handcuffs were ever involved in this stunt.

The director insisted his memory was correct, and to settle the dispute arranged a viewing of the actual film made of the stunt. Randi recounts:

Of course, no handcuffs nor straitjacket showed up. As we watched, (the director) became increasingly agitated, and was astonished that his memory could have played him so falsely, he being an experienced and intelligent observer. We finally worked out that he had recalled another set of appearances by me that he'd seen, and he'd melded them all together. It was very difficult for him to have to admit that he'd not only so badly mis-related the event, but had also persisted in his error despite the clear logic I'd offered him of the impossibility of his account. His faith that his memory truly represented the actual event had overwhelmed any common sense that he could have applied to the situation. Most importantly: if that kinescope of the show had not been available, he would have — I'm sure — continued to maintain his delusions. And the fact that he'd gladly agreed to view the film when I made the suggestion, showed his honest error in giving his account!

I can relate to that “melding of memories” phenomenon: it happened to me just over a year ago. Around midday one day, I walked into town, taking an unusual route under the freeway by the bus terminal – a route I had never taken before. I was surprised to find a hobbyist / professional camera store next to the greyhound terminal, right under the freeway. I remembered thinking it was in a bit of a dodgy area. I wandered in and took a quick look around.

A few months later, I needed to get some 35mm slide film, and so I went to where I remembered seeing the camera store. I found the greyhound terminal, but no camera store. I figured, maybe I had confused the street, maybe it was the next street, still under the freeway, and walked one street over. No luck. I spent about half an hour looking for this store. I then stopped to think carefully, and figured the route I must have taken home that day. I followed that route, and found the camera store. Here’s the thing: it was three streets over, and over 300 yards from the freeway underpass. Nowhere near the bus terminal. Nowhere near the freeway. Somehow I had melded the unfamiliar memories of the bus terminus with the unfamiliar memory of the camera shop. And the funny thing is, I still remember the camera store being under the freeway even now, although I know it’s not there. (I do also now remember where it really is, by the way.)  If I hadn’t tried to find it again, I would still be sure it was under the freeway.

Of course, that’s just an anecdote. It doesn’t prove that those who swear they saw alien spacecraft had false memories. But it does show the imprecise nature of memories: they are not like a tape being played back. And unlike Randi’s film director, or me, the people who say they saw ETs have no chance to revisit what they saw, to check it out. They can not be sure if they had a false memory or not, and neither can anyone else, which is why their testimony is not considered to be good scientific data.

I am sure about my false memory, though. At least, I think I am.

Comments

[Paul]

I thought there were two very interesting things about Randi's anecdote. The first was that even after Randi had pointed out that it is physically impossible to place someone into a straight jacket and handcuffs at the same time, the director insisted that his memory was correct. The second was the fact that the memory was relatively fresh, only a few months had passed since the incident. I must remember to bookmark that commentary so I can forward it to people who don't understand the unreliability of personal, anecdotal evidence.

[Skeptico]

Yes, false memories can be created straight away, they are not necessarily related to the amount of time that passes after the event. Randi knows that: conjurors are in the business of creating instant false memories.