The Nature of False Memories

False memories are memories of events or details that a person believes to be true but actually did not happen or are distorted versions of real experiences. They occur because our brains reconstruct memories each time we recall them, which can introduce errors influenced by suggestions, beliefs, or imagination. Factors like social pressures, new information, or emotional states can lead to the formation of these inaccurate memories. While they feel real to the person, false memories highlight how memory is not a perfect record, but rather a dynamic and malleable process subject to inaccuracies.