Short Term Memory Fallible, Too

It has long been known that long term memory is fallible, producing false memories and confabulation. Now recent research, described in last week’s New Scientist magazine, shows short term memory is fallible too. 

The research showed that short term memory is affected by expectation. So,  in certain circumstances, you may remember seeing what you expected to see rather than what was actually there, even just seconds after seeing it. This may be, at least partly, how misperception works, though that appears to involve the mechanisms of perception itself as well. 

Anomaly research relies heavily on witness memory. It now seems that even memories written down at the time of the witnessed event, such as on a ghost vigil, may not be accurate. However, like misperception, it may be possible to investigate such sightings by close examination of the scene of the incident (see here). 

PS: Some informative articles failed to move from the old ASSAP website to the new one. These will be of interest to paranormal researchers. They are now being collected at another, rather basic, website so they are available once again. More articles are being added. See www.xenonormal.info to view them.