The past is a social construction

Hartmut Blank, Eva Walther, Simon D. Isemann

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter (peer-reviewed)peer-review

Abstract

Our memories shape how we think about the past, how we plan for the future, and how we think about ourselves. Yet our memories are also constantly being reinvented: we often remember our experiences differently from how they truly happened, and can even remember experiences that never happened at all.

False and Distorted Memories provides an overview of recent and ongoing developments in the science of false memory. World-leading researchers unpick questions about flawed recollections, discussing issues as varied as the reliability of highly emotional memories, why we sometimes begin to remember fictional experiences that we have deliberately fabricated, and what happens when we stop believing our memories. Each chapter demonstrates how memory science has furthered our understanding of these important questions, by exploring theoretical ideas and psychological research methods that underpin their investigations.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationFalse and Distorted Memories
EditorsRobert A. Nash, James Ost
PublisherPsychology Press
Pages55-71
Number of pages17
ISBN (Print)978-1138832022
Publication statusPublished - 2017

Publication series

NameCurrent issues in memory

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'The past is a social construction'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this