Dr Linda Henkel

Dr. Linda Henkel, a Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences, dives into the fascinating world of false memories. She explains how our brains craft memories like a constantly edited Wikipedia page, leading to misremembered events. Discover why relying on external cues can help enhance memory and how dreams and real-life experiences can be indistinguishable to the brain. The discussion also highlights intriguing implications for New Year’s resolutions, showing how our memory errors might influence our goals for the year ahead.

Dr. Linda Henkel, a cognitive psychologist specializing in memory and false memories, joins the hosts to explore the intriguing world of memory. They discuss how false memories shape identity and why some feel incredibly vivid. Linda shares insights on repressed memories, the potential impact of suggestive therapy, and the vulnerability to false recollections. The conversation also touches on unique cases from research, like the lost-in-mall study, and the implications for legal systems regarding eyewitness reliability.

Dr. Linda Henkel, a Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences, dives into the intriguing world of false memories. She explains how vivid but incorrect recollections can form through plausible imagination and the brain's source monitoring errors. Discussion covers how quickly these memories can develop and why some individuals are more susceptible to them. Henkel also shares practical tips to enhance memory accuracy, like collaborating with a friend and taking notes, while emphasizing the importance of accepting the fallibility of our memories.