Implanting a 'false memory' into the subject: a psychological investigation

Implanting a “false memory” into the subject: a psychological investigation
Introduction
False memory has been studies by psychologists since the 1970s. The rationale for this is that one can create or recreate a memory on the subject and that this becomes more effective when one ages for a number of interferences (proactive and retroactive) (Loftus and Pickrell, 1995: 720) may have happened in one’s memories. The researcher employed the common “false memory” research method of “getting lost [in the mall]”. The design is basically an approximation of the previous design employed by Elizabeth Loftus (1994. 1995, 1997).
Participants to the study
The target participant for this research is basically composed of adults aged 18-40 years old. The participants came from varying walks of life that are randomly selected and recruited by the researcher within the community. There are university-level students, clerks, and professionals among others. There are a total of twenty (20) adults, six males and fourteen females, participated in this study.
Methodology
In this study, the researcher mailed the randomly selected participants with a booklet four-page booklet containing the cover letter for the study and the instructions for completing all the phases of the study. The cover letter also included the schedules for the individual interviews. The booklet contained three short stories from the participant’s childhood which were taken from accounts of their relatives. All three stories were about the participant going to the mall/store with relative/s. Two of the stories were true and the false one was always located in the middle for all booklets. The stories were written in a five-sentence paragraph at the top of the page. The rest of the page is left blank so that the participant can record his/her recollections of the said event.
The relatives of the participants were interviewed in order to gather the short stories about them when they were between four to six years old. The stories must not include painful memories which are difficult for the participants to remember. Moreover, the stories should only be about shopping trips to malls or large department stores where the participant could have allegedly gotten lost. Then, the researcher crafted a false story about the participant getting lost in the malls.
There are certain ethical and methodological concerns that need to be considered in this study. The first includes the identity of the participants. In this case, the informed consent of the participants was sought. Only after they agreed that their relatives were interviewed. In this case, their anonymity and privacy were carefully considered and protected.
Results and Discussion
During the interview, which was held at the University and some conducted by phone, the participants were reminded of the three stories. They were asked to provide details for each story that they remember, ...