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The False Memory Experiment: Elizabeth Loftus

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The False Memory Experiment “One of the field’s most innovative female experimental psychologists, Loftus invented a rather alarming and philosophically profound experiment designed to test the text of our remembrances so as to determine whether to call them fictions or to call them facts”(Slater 181). Elizabeth Loftus is a well known psychologist, even though many dislike her and her studies. Loftus researches the human memory. She believes that memory is unreliable and elastic, due to the fact that she also believes one’s mind can create false memories. In many cases of child abuse, Loftus believes that the accused are innocent due to outsiders implanting the ideas into the “victim’s” mind. In order to prove that memories can be manipulated …show more content…

Henry had severe seizures growing up and later had his hippocampus removed. The hippocampus is a part of the brain that helps store long-term memories. After the procedure, Henry could not retain any new memories due to the procedure. However, he could recognize his mother’s face, which means he was able to recall his long-term memory. Given this information, it was believed that the hippocampus played a role in creating new memories. First, Kandel wanted to discover how the brain stores memories. He thought he could discover more about memory if he studied how nerve cells communicate with each other. Kandel then gathered slug neurons to allow the cells to communicate. The training resulted in synapses growing stronger and behavior becoming engraved. The experiment created a pathway for communication between the two neurons. Significantly, he was one of the first to have a primitive memory model. Then, Kandel decided to experiment to discover how short-term memory converted into long-term memory. This time, he made connections with the slug’s neurons and then blocked a molecule to demonstrate a conversation could be disrupted. This resulted in Eric Kandel discovering CREB and CREB repressor. Personally, the only unethical issue I have with this experiment is the fact that slugs were used. Then again, we must experiment on something. Without the use of animals, we wouldn’t be as far into science as we are

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