The Memory Illusion
Why You May Not Be Who You Think You Are
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Narrated by:
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Siri Steinmo
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By:
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Julia Shaw
About this listen
Think you have a good memory? Think again.
Memories are our most cherished possessions. We rely on them every day of our lives. They make us who we are. And yet the truth is they are far from being the accurate records of the past we like to think they are. True, we can all admit to having suffered occasional memory lapses, such as entering a room and immediately forgetting why or suddenly being unable to recall the name of someone we've met dozens of times. But what if we have the potential for more profound errors of memory, even verging on outright fabrication and self-deception?
In The Memory Illusion, forensic psychologist and memory expert Dr Julia Shaw uses the latest research to show the astonishing variety of ways in which our brains can indeed be led astray. She shows why we can sometimes misappropriate other people's memories, subsequently believing them to be our own. She explains how police officers can imprison an innocent man for life on the basis of 300 denials and just one confession. She demonstrates the way radically false memories can be deliberately implanted, leading people to believe that they brutally murdered a loved one or were abducted by aliens. And she reveals how, in spite of all this, we can improve our memory through simple awareness of its fallibility.
Fascinating and unnerving in equal measure, The Memory Illusion offers a unique insight into the human brain, challenging you to question how much you can ever truly know about yourself.
Dr Julia Shaw is a psychology lecturer and memory researcher at the University of Bedfordshire and is one of only a handful of experts in the world who actively conduct research on complex memory errors related to emotional personal events - so-called 'false memories'. Dr Shaw has published research articles in various international academic journals, written textbook chapters, and presented at many international conferences. She is also heavily involved in teaching classes on memory at the undergraduate and graduate levels, for which she has won two teaching excellence awards.
Besides her teaching and research, she has delivered general business and police-training workshops, has given guest lectures at universities around the world, has evaluated offender diversion programs and works with the UK police to advise on historical sexual and physical abuse cases. She has also been featured as an expert on TV and radio and in UK and international newspapers.
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You are a mind reader, born with an extraordinary ability to understand what others think, feel, believe, want, and know. It's a sixth sense you use every day, in every personal and professional relationship you have. At its best, this ability allows you to achieve the most important goal in almost any life: connecting, deeply and intimately and honestly, to other human beings. At its worst, it is a source of misunderstanding and unnecessary conflict, leading to damaged relationships and broken dreams. How good are you at knowing the minds of others?
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Finally gave up - no real point
- By Thomas on 05-12-14
By: Nicholas Epley
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Riveted
- The Science of Why Jokes Make Us Laugh, Movies Make Us Cry, and Religion Makes Us Feel One with the Universe
- By: Jim Davies
- Narrated by: Matthew Josdal
- Length: 9 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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Professor Jim Davies's fascinating and highly accessible book, Riveted, reveals the evolutionary underpinnings of why we find things compelling. Drawing on work from philosophy, anthropology, religious studies, psychology, economics, computer science, and biology, Davies offers a comprehensive explanation to show that in spite of the differences between the many things that we find compelling, they have similar effects on our minds and brains.
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Fun and excellent listen!
- By Alejandro Franco on 04-13-18
By: Jim Davies
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Suspicious Minds
- How Culture Shapes Madness
- By: Joel Gold, Ian Gold
- Narrated by: Joel Gold, Ian Gold
- Length: 9 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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Mr. A. was admitted to Dr. Joel Gold’s inpatient unit at Bellevue Hospital in 2002. He was, he said, being filmed constantly, and his life was being broadcast around the world "like The Truman Show" - the 1998 film depicting a man who is unknowingly living out his life as the star of a popular soap opera. Over the next few years, Gold saw a number of patients suffering from what he and his brother, Dr. Ian Gold, began calling the "Truman Show Delusion," launching them on a quest to understand the nature of this particular phenomenon and the nature of madness itself.
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Intriguing
- By L. K. on 04-18-16
By: Joel Gold, and others
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Ungifted
- Intelligence Redefined
- By: Scott Barry Kaufman
- Narrated by: Walter Dixon
- Length: 11 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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In Ungifted, cognitive psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman - who was relegated to special education as a child - sets out to show that the way we interpret traditional metrics of intelligence is misguided. Kaufman explores the latest research in genetics and neuroscience, as well as evolutionary, developmental, social, positive, and cognitive psychology, to challenge the conventional wisdom about the childhood predictors of adult success. He reveals that there are many paths to greatness, and argues for a more holistic approach to achievement that takes into account each young person’s personal goals, individual psychology, and developmental trajectory.
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Great content for the intellectually curious
- By ZestyFresh on 08-11-17
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Brain Rules (Updated and Expanded)
- 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School
- By: John Medina
- Narrated by: John Medina
- Length: 8 hrs
- Unabridged
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In the New York Times bestseller Brain Rules, Dr. John Medina, a molecular biologist, shares his lifelong interest in how the brain sciences might influence the way we teach our children and the way we work. In each chapter, he describes a brain rule - what scientists know for sure about how our brains work - and then offers transformative ideas for our daily lives. Medina’s fascinating stories and infectious sense of humor breathe life into brain science.
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Dear Publishers . . .
- By Bekah on 04-06-17
By: John Medina
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A User's Guide to the Brain
- Perception, Attention, and the Four Theaters of the Brain
- By: John J. Ratey
- Narrated by: Eric Martin
- Length: 16 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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John Ratey, best-selling author and clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, lucidly explains the human brain's workings, and paves the way for a better understanding of how the brain affects who we are. Ratey provides insight into the basic structure and chemistry of the brain, and demonstrates how its systems shape our perceptions, emotions, and behavior. By giving us a greater understanding of how the brain responds to the guidance of its user, he provides us with knowledge that can enable us to improve our lives.
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Great book, mediocre narration
- By Dr. B on 09-25-18
By: John J. Ratey
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Permanent Present Tense
- The Unforgettable Life of the Amnesic Patient, H.M.
- By: Suzanne Corkin
- Narrated by: Pam Ward
- Length: 13 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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Permanent Present Tense tells the incredible story of Henry Gustav Molaison, known only as H. M. until his death in 2008. In 1953, at the age of 27, Molaison underwent a dangerous "psychosurgical" procedure intended to alleviate his debilitating epilepsy. The surgery went horribly wrong, and when Molaison awoke he was unable to store new experiences. For the rest of his life, he would be trapped in the moment. But Molaison’s tragedy would prove a gift to humanity.
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Read Luke Dittrich's "Patient H.M." first...
- By Douglas on 11-07-16
By: Suzanne Corkin
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The Bilingual Brain
- And What It Tells Us About the Science of Language
- By: Albert Costa, John W. Schwieter - translator
- Narrated by: Luis Soto
- Length: 6 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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How do two languages coexist in the same brain? Why is it possible to forget a language? What are the advantages and challenges of being bilingual? Over half of the world's population is bilingual, and yet this fascinating, complex ability is understood by few. In The Bilingual Brain, leading expert Albert Costa explores the science of language through a wide range of cutting-edge studies and examples from South Korea to Spain and Canada.
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Brains make language and language makes brains
- By Andy P. on 08-25-20
By: Albert Costa, and others
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Mastermind
- How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes
- By: Maria Konnikova
- Narrated by: Karen Saltus
- Length: 10 hrs
- Unabridged
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No fictional character is more renowned for his powers of thought and observation than Sherlock Holmes. But is his extraordinary intellect merely a gift of fiction, or can we learn to cultivate these abilities ourselves, to improve our lives at work and at home? We can, says psychologist and journalist Maria Konnikova, and in Mastermind she shows us how. Beginning with the "brain attic", Konnikova unpacks the mental strategies that lead to clearer thinking and deeper insights.
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Mindless: How to Regurgitate Useless Information
- By CC on 02-12-13
By: Maria Konnikova
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The Mind Club
- Who Thinks, What Feels, and Why It Matters
- By: Daniel M. Wegner, Kurt Gray
- Narrated by: David Marantz
- Length: 9 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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Nothing seems more real than the minds of other people. When you consider what your boss is thinking or whether your spouse is happy, you are admitting them into the "mind club". It's easy to assume other humans can think and feel, but what about a cow, a computer, a corporation? What kinds of minds do they have? Daniel M. Wegner and Kurt Gray are award-winning psychologists who have discovered that minds - while incredibly important - are a matter of perception.
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Who is the self in me? Am I part of something bigger?
- By Philomath on 03-24-16
By: Daniel M. Wegner, and others
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The Premonition Code
- The Science of Precognition: How Sensing the Future Can Change Your Life
- By: Theresa Cheung, Julia Mossbridge
- Narrated by: Sherry Baines
- Length: 7 hrs
- Unabridged
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Best-selling author Theresa Cheung joins forces with cognitive neuroscientist Julia Mossbridge, PhD, Director of the Innovation Lab at The Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS), to reveal revolutionary new research showing that sensing the future is possible. They also provide practical tools and techniques you can use to develop your own powers of precognition.
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not what I thought.
- By Customer 101 on 04-25-19
By: Theresa Cheung, and others
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How the Body Knows Its Mind
- The Surprising Power of the Physical Environment to Influence How You Think and Feel
- By: Sian Beilock
- Narrated by: Coleen Marlo
- Length: 6 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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An award-winning scientist offers a groundbreaking new understanding of the mind-body connection and its profound impact on everything from advertising to romance. The human body is not just a passive device carrying out messages sent by the brain but rather an integral part of how we think and make decisions.
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The New Science Of The Mind Body Connection!
- By Dianne on 04-06-15
By: Sian Beilock
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When Brains Dream
- Exploring the Science and Mystery of Sleep
- By: Antonio Zadra, Robert Stickgold
- Narrated by: Bob Souer
- Length: 9 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Written by two world-renowned sleep and dream researchers, When Brains Dream debunks common myths while acknowledging the mysteries that persist around both the science and experience of dreaming.
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Should be "next-up" on your reading list!
- By Paul Coca on 02-21-22
By: Antonio Zadra, and others
What listeners say about The Memory Illusion
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- bpjammin
- 12-19-16
I forgot what I wanted to say...
Oh yeah, if you have not previously read about scientific research concerning memory, this is a good overview of the extant research. If you are familiar with the research, this adds nothing new.
As to her goal to make me doubt my existence as I recall it, I wasn’t convinced. Especially since I can and have documented key memories and have friends, family and acquaintances that have helped verify my recollections. Those memories which I can’t document I regard as suspect, but they are not critical to my day to day existence.
On the other hand, she makes many good points about the unreliability of undocumented, unsubstantiated memories. I too have implanted memories in people’s minds and manipulated their cognitive biases and think everyone could benefit from knowing how this can happen and that it can and does happen to them.
The narrator mispronounces several common scientific words or, is an American accent pronouncing British pronunciations, not sure. I got over it as the book wore on.
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5 people found this helpful
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- mrsmuggy
- 12-23-16
Better than syfi.
fascinating , amusing, and frightening. understandable for my puny brain; i think ? a must listen.
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- Shelly Dee
- 12-19-16
As Mark Twain Said ...
Mark Twain said ... "It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so." (I "remember" a variation of this. Ha.)
Loved this updated book on memory which validates and amazes at the same time. A tad long and scientific in some parts, but overall excellent. Although the narrator was also upbeat and easy to listen to I cringed every time (and there were many) when she pronounced "process" with the 2nd variation and a long "o." Must be the Canadian / UK influence, though I did not detect any other words that didn't sound middle America. Ethnocentric, I know.
As an aside, if you are British and reading this you will probably think I've placed the period after the quotes above in the wrong place -- but not so in American English.
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- Johan Borg
- 09-16-18
Very compelling
As a devote listener to the You Are Not So Smart podcast, I have heard about a lot of the concepts discussed here. Despite this I truly enjoyed Julie Shaw exploring these things in a clear and compelling way, without feeling too basic. She continously summarizes the concepts which I am grateful for, since it doesn't really matter if I catch myself not paying attention. I can be sure the writer will use more than one analogy or that she'll summarize the conclusion of the research she's currently talking about. The reason for my 4/5 rating is that I would like Shaw to delve deeper into the memory illusions in the justice system as this is where false memories have the most serious consequences. And sometimes it feels like she's just stacking interesting research relating to memory science without a coherent story. But overall, I highly recommend it!
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- Zenifi
- 12-06-16
Don't take your own memories at face value
Would you consider the audio edition of The Memory Illusion to be better than the print version?
I did not read this book, I only listened to it, twice in fact. I enjoyed it fully both times. Dr. Julia Shaw's scientific research does prove that you can't trust your own memories. Which makes some sides completed one sided during criminal investigations...
What was one of the most memorable moments of The Memory Illusion?
Everything with self examples.
Have you listened to any of Siri Steinmo’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
I have not.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
Yes, I was moved by the fact that you can't blindly trust your own memories, or trust those that tell you that they know your memories, or what happened to you during a certain time or moment in life. Even their memories of that situation can be completely skewed which will in turn skew yours. Just like it most lines of business, you should document everything with proof.
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16 people found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 12-20-18
Very useful book
Fascinating facts from memory science and their interpretation by Julia Shaw just makes sense. the knowledge I learned from this book is useful in my everyday life right away. thanks!
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- Jovan
- 11-09-17
Enlightening and Thought Provoking
This deep dive into the neuroscience of memory and our overestimation of its solidity and veracity is very well-written and accessible. Even the chapter isolated as “science heavy” so the reader can skip it, is pretty straightforward in regards to terminology and understandability. Additionally, Dr. Shaw usually makes a point of highlighting topics that are new or do not have as much solid research behind them as other major elements covered in the book, which I appreciated.
As with some pop science books I have read, there may have been some overstatement of the “groundbreaking/revolutionary” or “definitive” nature of a few studies, but that only makes me curious enough to look them up and learn more, which I think a good pop science book should do.
Definitely an enlightening and thought provoking exploration of memory—a concept we place so much value and faith in that we stake people’s lives, reputations and freedom on it, but which can be regularly unreliable and easily manipulated.
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- btolman
- 05-02-17
Great Book!
If you interact with people, you need this book. While rooted in academia, it is fully of information useful for anyone.
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- Phebe
- 06-27-17
Too much lying for me
I've listened to several of the recent crop of popularized neuropsychology books, but this is the last one I plan to buy. All of them, including this one, are a catalog of human experiments in which the psychologists lie, and trick, and lie some more to their subjects, manipulating them and making fools of them mercilessly. There is a serious moral issue against this sort of research. The psychologists pretend it is all to advance "knowledge," but it is actually to advance the psychologists' careers and incomes and tenure by misusing and deceiving people who trust them. I realized about chapter 6 that I would not care to know anyone who lies for a living in this way, so enough of reading the books they write.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Matt Gambill
- 07-19-17
Interesting
I was intrigued by the author's work and how memories work. It was fascinating/frightening to realize how inaccurate memories can be, especially in light of how they are used to convict people.
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