A neurobiological account of false memories

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterProfessional

Abstract

This chapter discusses human functional neuroimaging findings about how the brain creates true and false memories. These studies have shown that different brain systems contribute to the creation and retrieval of false memories, including systems for sensory perception, executive functioning and cognitive control, and the medial temporal lobe, which has long been associated with episodic and autobiographical memory formation. Many neuroimaging findings provide support for an associative account of false memories, which proposes that false memories arise from associating unrelated mental experiences in memory. At the same time, other neuroimaging findings suggest that false memory creation may depend on states of brain activity during memory encoding. Finally, the chapter briefly provides cautionary notes about using functional neuroimaging as a tool to assess private mental states in individual cases in the courtroom.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationFinding the truth in the courtroom
Subtitle of host publicationDealing with deception, lies and memories
PublisherOxford University Press
Chapter5
Pages75-99
ISBN (Print)9780190612016
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2017

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