Ads can influence ’smart’ false memories

It is commonly believed that false memories - recollections that are factually incorrect - occur because something goes wrong in the brain. However, recent research shows that some false memories are formed by overthinking rather than deficient processing. In a new study, Cornell researchers examined how advertising can result in these "smart" false memories, where consumers who have a propensity to think more about decisions produce more false memories than those who process information at a more superficial level. The study was published in the January/February issue of the Journal of Advertising. "I've been researching false memories for 15 or 20 years. The assumption is always that false memories happen because something goes wrong - some deficiency in processing. The research shows that is not necessarily true," said co-author Kathy LaTour, associate professor of services marketing at the School of Hotel Administration (SHA).