8. Senses

Knowledge Question: If our senses are sometimes unreliable, does this mean that eyewitness testimony is an unreliable source of evidence? (Methods & Tools)

On what criteria can a historian evaluate the reliability of their sources? (Methods & Tools)

Eyewitness statement - How do you do?

Psychologist Elizabeth Loftus studies memories. More precisely, she studies false memories, when people either remember things that didn't happen or remember them differently from the way they really were. It's more common than you might think, and Loftus shares some startling stories and statistics, and raises some important ethical questions we should all remember to consider.

Is your memory just an illusion? | Julia Shaw | TEDxPortoHow can you be sure that any particular memory is true? Julia Shaw takes you on an adventure into the weird world of memory hacking. She shows that through a combination of perceptual flaws, brain biases, and social influences, your memories can be easily influenced. Armed with science, she explores how even some of your most cherished and emotional memories might be nothing but fiction. By the end, she’ll have you wondering whether you actually are who you think you are, or whether your autobiography is just a compelling illusion. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Page updated

Report abuse