So I started to wonder:
- Is this really an effect or a theory that can be tested?
- What is the reason for its name?
- How is it possible that so many people are wrong?
Countless questions come to mind, so I started to investigate further.
First let's start by giving some examples
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Curious George: I loved these cartoons, how do you remember? Did he have a tail or not?
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Monopoly Game: Many people claim that the game's mascot (Rich Uncle Pennybags) wears a monocle. Is this true?
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Pikachu: It is an electric-type Pokémon introduced in the first generation. Does its tail really have that black stripe?
There are many examples that I would not give to put in this post
The Mandela effect is a psychological phenomenon that refers to the experience of remembering events incorrectly, where a significant group of people share the same erroneous memory.
Psychological Mechanisms
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Confabulation: This is a memory bias defined as the production of fabricated, distorted, or misinterpreted memories
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Collective Memory: The influence of the group can reinforce erroneous memories. When several people share the same incorrect memory, it is socially validated
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Alterations in Memory Processing: The human brain does not store memories as a precise recording; instead, it reconstructs memories from fragments of information. This can lead to significant distortions, especially when it comes to complex or emotionally charged events
Origin of the term
In 2013, when Nelson Mandela's death from a severe lung infection was announced internationally, thousands of people from different parts of the world revealed that they were convinced that Mandela had died during his time in prison in the 1980s.
Fiona Broome, an American blogger who investigates paranormal events, was the first to comment and investigate this event even years before his death. In 2009, she coined the term "the Mandela effect" through a well-known blog article in which she commented for the first time on the popular belief that the activist had died, when in fact he was still alive.
These observations aroused a lot of curiosity and, since then, Broome began to collaborate with scientists who provided different theories and perspectives on the cause of this effect on collective memory.
Through these investigations, they discovered that the Mandela effect occurred with many other facts, events and situations, turning it from an isolated case into a recognized phenomenon.
Source: https://www.nationalgeographic.com.es/ciencia/efecto-mandela-intrigante-fenomeno-memoria_20385
How does the Mandela effect affect our perception of reality?
Awareness of the Mandela Effect invites critical reflection on how we perceive and share information. Recognizing that our memories can be fallible leads us to take a more skeptical stance towards claims about past events. This is especially relevant in a world where misinformation can spread rapidly through social media. By questioning our memories and seeking objective evidence, we can improve our understanding of reality and avoid falling into cognitive traps.
In short, the Mandela Effect is not only a psychologically fascinating phenomenon, but it also highlights the complexity of human memory and its impact on our perception of the world.
related: The Mandela effect is an intriguing memory phenomenon #338141