False memories More than 5000 Slate magazine readers were asked whether they remembered various world events—three real, and one of five randomly selected false events (Frenda et al., 2013). For example, when asked if they recalled U.S. President Barack Obama’s shaking hands with Iran’s former president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, 26 percent recalled the event—despite it never having happened. (Ahmadinejad’s head was put into another photo.)

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