Critique and Real-World Applications of Memory Research – Examining Methodology and Implications for Professional Settings
Critique of the Experiment: “Make My Memory: How Advertising Can Change Our Memories of the Past”
The study “Make My Memory: How Advertising Can Change Our Memories of the Past” by Braun, Ellis, and Loftus (2001) investigates false memories implanted through advertising. While this research offers valuable insights, it has methodological concerns.
Methodology Critique
Sample Size and Diversity
The study’s sample size was relatively small and lacked diversity, which limits the generalizability of the findings. If the participants do not represent the broader population, the conclusions drawn may not apply universally.
Experimental Controls
There were insufficient controls to ensure all participants were equally susceptible to suggestion. Differences in individual susceptibility can confound the results, making it difficult to attribute changes in memory solely to the advertising intervention (Tiokhin et al., 2019).
Long-Term Effects
The study did not track the longevity of the implanted memories. Without long-term follow-up, it is unclear if the false memories persist over time, affecting the real-world applicability of the findings (Arce et al., 2023).
Interpretation of Results
Causality vs. Correlation
The study implies causality between advertising and false memories, but other factors might influence memory formation. Overemphasizing advertising’s role without considering other variables can lead to misleading conclusions.
Generalization to Real-World Settings
Laboratory settings do not perfectly mimic real-world environments where multiple information sources influence memory. Findings might overestimate advertising’s impact in more complex, real-world scenarios.
Real-World Applications
Consumer Protection
Regulators can use these findings to develop policies ensuring advertisements do not implant false memories, enhancing market trust and integrity (Goering et al., 2021).
Legal System
Understanding memory’s fallibility is crucial for evaluating eyewitness testimony, potentially leading to more accurate judicial outcomes.
Educational and Training Programs
Incorporating these findings into professional training can promote ethical practices and minimize unintentional memory manipulation (Andersson et al., 2022).
Strengths and Weaknesses in Human Memory
Strengths
As acknowledged in the study, human memory has obvious advantages that should be noted. One of the major assets it posits is flexibility, which enhances learning and integration of the new information in the system. This system also possesses associative capabilities, which are essential in solving problems and decision-making. These strengths make memory versatile equipment in different professional fields as it helps people to transform themselves with new information gathered and make good decisions.
Weaknesses
However, the study also reveals several limitations of memory in people. One relatively evident demerit is suggestibility, which results in the creation of false memories. This susceptibility is especially dangerous where details are crucial, like in cases of court trials and eyewitness accounts. Another drawback is that memory is reconstructive in nature and this implies that memory could be biased by other factors and, therefore, its credibility decreases over time. It is, therefore, important for anyone, especially legal professionals and psychologists, to understand these weaknesses, as they often require accurate recall of memory.
Conclusion
Despite methodological limitations, Braun et al.’s (2001) findings on memory malleability have significant real-world applications. By understanding memory strengths and weaknesses, professionals can develop better practices and policies to enhance memory accuracy and protect against manipulation.
References
Andersson, H., Svensson, A., Frank, C., Rantala, A., Holmberg, M., & Bremer, A. (2022). Ethics education to support ethical competence learning in healthcare: An integrative systematic review. BMC Medical Ethics, 23(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-022-00766-z
Arce, R., Selaya, A., Sanmarco, J., & Fariña, F. (2023). Implanting rich autobiographical false memories: Meta-analysis for forensic practice and judicial judgment making. International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology, 23(4), 100386. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijchp.2023.100386
Braun, K. A., Ellis, R., & Loftus, E. F. (2001). Make my memory: How advertising can change our memories of the past. Psychology & Marketing, 19(1), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.1000
Goering, S., Klein, E., Specker Sullivan, L., Wexler, A., Agüera y Arcas, B., Bi, G., Carmena, J. M., Fins, J. J., Friesen, P., Gallant, J., Huggins, J. E., Kellmeyer, P., Marblestone, A., Mitchell, C., Parens, E., Pham, M., Rubel, A., Sadato, N., Teicher, M., & Wasserman, D. (2021). Recommendations for responsible development and application of neurotechnologies. Neuroethics, 14(3), 365–386. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12152-021-09468-6
Tiokhin, L., Hackman, J., Munira, S., Jesmin, K., & Hruschka, D. (2019). Generalizability is not optional: insights from a cross-cultural study of social discounting. Royal Society Open Science, 6(2), 181386. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.181386
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Question 
PROMPT: Select one of the optional articles featured in the module resources and provide a brief critique of the experiment and its application to the real world. You should be sure to discuss any problems with the methodology of the experiment or any problems with the interpretations of the results.
Critique and Real-World Applications of Memory Research – Examining Methodology and Implications for Professional Settings
Additionally, consider how the findings of the study can be applied to real-world issues. How could findings from the experiment be applied to develop policies or procedures to improve human memory in different professional settings? What strengths or weaknesses in human memory do the experiments highlight that would be important for professional disciplines?