Podcast Summary
The Infallibility of Our Memories is a Myth: Our memories can be influenced and altered by various factors, leading to false recollections.
Our memories are not always accurate. This was highlighted in a conversation between Kai Ryssdal and Steven Dubner on Freakonomics Radio, where they discussed the false memory they had shared about seeing Alex Rodriguez hit home runs during batting practice. This error in memory was later echoed in Hillary Clinton's reminiscences about her time as Secretary of State, where she recalled landing under sniper fire, an event that did not occur. Psychologist Elizabeth Loftus was brought in to discuss the phenomenon of false memories and how they can be influenced by various factors, including suggestion and the passing of time. It's a reminder that our memories are not infallible and should be approached with some skepticism.
Power of False Memories and Partisanship: A study by Elizabeth Loftus at UC Irvine revealed that half of participants falsely remembered non-existent political events, emphasizing the power of false memories and the impact of partisanship on memory.
Even with education, experience, and high intelligence, people can have false memories. A study conducted by psych professor Elizabeth Loftus at UC Irvine, involving 5,000 participants, showed that about half of them claimed to remember false political events, such as a photograph of George Bush with Roger Clemens during Hurricane Katrina or Obama shaking hands with Ahmadinejad. Amazingly, some participants even provided vivid details and emotions about these non-existent events. This study highlights the power of false memories and how deeply partisan we are as a society. In a follow-up study, Loftus and her team found that Democrats and Republicans remembered different fake events very differently, emphasizing the impact of partisanship on memory.
Partisan bias influences beliefs about objective facts: Despite political divisions, researchers suggest using manipulated images or situations to create the illusion of bipartisanship as a potential solution to address partisan bias and make progress on contentious issues.
Partisan bias significantly influences people's beliefs, even when it comes to seemingly objective facts. For instance, during the Obama administration, Democrats were more likely to believe that he had shaken hands with Iran's President Ahmadinejad, while Republicans held the opposite belief. This finding highlights the deep political divisions in the US and the challenges in addressing issues in Washington. However, researchers suggest a potential solution: using manipulated images or situations to create the illusion of bipartisanship. For instance, a doctored photograph of Obama and House Speaker John Boehner appearing friendly could help bridge the gap. Another area where partisan bias is prominent is gun control. Economist Steve Levitt, a co-author of Freakonomics, argues that most new gun legislation won't be effective because it only addresses new guns, leaving the existing stock of guns untouched. In summary, understanding and addressing partisan bias is crucial for finding common ground and making progress on contentious issues.
