The Mandela Effect is a phenomenon where a large group of people remember an event or detail differently from how it actually occurred. This effect is named after Nelson Mandela, who died in 2013, but a lot of people incorrectly remember him dying in prison in the 1980s. This collective misremembering is known as the Mandela Effect.
To take up an example, let’s recall the famous quote from Snow White, “Mirror, Mirror on the Wall”. But what if I tell you that the actual quote is “Magic mirror on the wall”? The majority of you will find it hard to believe but it is in fact true and millions of people actually misquote and misrecall this line.
Another such example is The Monopoly Man in the board game, Monopoly. A lot of us recall him wearing a monocle but in reality he has never worn a monocle!
Thus memories are not always accurate and they can be influenced by various factors such as suggestion, misinformation, and cognitive biases. Why does it happen?
Firstly, as human beings, we don’t have a perfect memory. It is further influenced by various factors. When a piece of information is presented in a certain way, our brains may fill in gaps or change details, leading to false memories.
Our brains also have certain biases that affect how we perceive and recall information. For example, Confirmation bias can cause us to remember details that align with our existing beliefs, even if they are incorrect.
Media and socialisation can further contribute to the formation of shared false memories. If a misconception is widely circulated or portrayed in movies, shows or books, it can become ingrained in the collective consciousness. This is particularly common in situations where individuals trust the source of the information or where the misinformation is repeated frequently.
It is a difficult task to prevent the mandela effect especially with the increase in communication among people in different parts of the globe. Some ways through which we can reduce the extent of this effect are: checking the facts and sources before accepting it as the truth; critically analyse and question the information before accepting it and raise awareness about the mandela effect.
While they do not completely remove the Mandela effect, they play a significant role in reducing it!
Photo by Ashim D’Silva on Unsplash
Psyche Trail 
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