Essay Question: Can you trust your memory?

 Details of task: Our memory isn’t always accurate. False memories’ occur when we recall events that did not actually happen, or
memories for real events are distorted in some way. These inaccurate recollections are usually harmless, and often go unnoticed. Have
you ever put your keys down and later come back to where you left them, but they are no longer there? You have a strong memory of
leaving them on the table, but today they have ended up in your coat pocket. You might try to blame it on your partner, or your
kleptomaniac cat, but in fact you have fallen prey to a false memory. Sometimes, however, false memories can have severe
consequences, for example during eye-witness testimony at a criminal trial. Seemingly small details can then have significantly greater
meaning. In this essay, I’d like you to explore the cognitive underpinnings of false memory. How might such a lapse occur? Also discuss
how study of false memory might help us understand the basics of our normal memory processes. Finally, consider the practical/applied
impact of false memories by picking one field where false memories are particularly worrisome (e.g., criminal investigations; psychiatrist
interviews; aged care) and discussing the implications.