False memories are socially contagious

Some of the findings discussed in this article may account for the spread
of miracle stories, such as wonder tales about gurus, avatars, visions.

(Grim) This can also account for how socially destructive false memory
syndrome led to children being pressured by over eager therapists to make accusations of ritual abuse or molestation.

Families were destroyed. People's lives were distroyed.

[www.bbc.com]

(Note)

For an eye opening history of how exorcism and satanic panic became a social
contagion in the mid 20th century, get and read sociologist Michael Cuneo's
book, American Exorcism.

[www.google.com]

To be human is to be influence-able - New Understanding

Corboy: One thing that may keep us trapped in abusive relationships or ignore
warning signs is that we share so many many memories-and the emotions tied to those memories-- with the abusive person. Shared history.

One very common characteristic of abusive persons and groups is that they
isolate us in such a way that we share many of our most powerful memories
with the abusive person or group - and with no one else. Exit the
abusive relationship and yes, you will find liberty, but short term,
you have the pain of being sole custodian to memories that are highly potent.

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No mind is an island, after all – and despite the errors that other people may bring, our memories benefit from their input. This ties into the concept of ‘the extended mind’ – the increasing recognition that our environment plays a crucial role in our thoughts. “We tend to think of the mind as something that’s beneath the surface of skin but really so much of our actions are scaffolded by external artefacts and practices,” says Hirst.

This tendency for human groups to shape a commonly held recollection of key
events, by altering, inventing or suppressing memories while enhancing memories
appears to be a valuable means of human socialization and long term survival
for a group.

But like all that makes us human and humane, this is a characteristic that
can be used against us by exploitative persons and groups.

Which is why Cult Education Institute and other groups like it have come
into existence.

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Iannone asked subjects to rate statements such as “my best friend and I can remind each other of things we know” and questioned them about the quality of the friendship.

Sure enough, she found that the longest, strongest and most trusting friendships seemed to be built around these shared, interconnected memory systems. Iannone suspects that we may choose to build our memory around our friendship; if you know your friend is around for restaurant recommendations, you may opt never to read good food guides yourself. “Is it possible that you don't develop knowledge in an area your best friend has a lot of knowledge in?”

Even the aspects of social influence that may at first seem like a disadvantage – such as the retrieval-induced forgetting and the contagious false memories – may provide some unexpected benefits, by sculpting our recollections so that we all remember the same details.

“For me, one of the things that promotes sociality is common understanding of the past,” says Hirst. “All memories shape our identity, and collective memories may shape our collective identities.”

We are not the sole authors of our autobiography – and we may all be stronger for that fact.