# 52. Manipulation of Memory ## 52.1. Definition We all suffer from various memory biases where our recollections are unreliable or subject to external manipulation. The manipulation of memory is a technique whereby a manipulator takes advantage of the various common heuristic errors and biases in the memory of a victim. As George Orwell remarked in his book 1984, "He who controls the past, controls the future. He who controls the present, controls the past." The manipulation of memory is vital in many other forms of controlling activity, whether it is control of the individual, a group or a whole nation. This is a politically important concept because our perceptions of the past may alter our attitudes and actions in the future. ## 52.2. Persistence Medium - Long. This method shows a high level of persistence. This, coupled with the fact that the victim's memory can be used as a platform to endorse other manipulative acts, makes this a particularly potent form of control. ## 52.3. Accessibility Low to High. ## 52.4. Conditions/Opportunity/Effectiveness Manipulation of memory is important because it allows a manipulator to set the backdrop for other forms of manipulation. Certain events can be air-brushed away and new events or impressions added. Memory is not a static phenomenon; a memory changes every time it is recalled. The changes to our memories occur because of the experiences we have in the meantime. Manipulating a victim's memories is a technique that is widely available to us all. After all, how often have we sat around with old friends remembering childhood scenes of idyllic happiness when we all know that it really wasn't always that happy? All kinds of psychological memory biases alter our memories and can be used to trigger alterations in our recollections Manipulation of memory is also quite effective and long lasting because, as far as the victim is concerned, he remembers what happened "perfectly". In fact the only perfect thing one can say about memory is that it is perfectly unreliable. ## 52.5. Methodology/Refinements/Sub-species *See Child Pages:* - [[Bizarreness Effect]] - [[Change Bias]] - [[Childhood Amnesia]] - [[Control/Control via Language Manipulation/Manipulation of Memory/Choice Supportive Bias|Choice Supportive Bias]] - [[Consistency Bias]] - [[Context Effect]] - [[Cross Race Effect]] - [[Cryptomnesia]] - [[Control/Control via Language Manipulation/Manipulation of Memory/Egocentric Bias|Egocentric Bias]] - [[Fading Affect Bias]] - [[False Memory]] - [[Generation Effect]] - [[Humour Effect]] - [[Illusion of Truth Effect]] - [[Control/Control via Language Manipulation/Manipulation of Memory/Illusory Correlation|Illusory Correlation]] - [[Levelling and Sharpening]] - [[Levels of Processing Effect]] - [[Misattribution]] - [[Misinformation Effect]] - [[Modality Effect]] - [[Mood-Congruent Memory Bias]] - [[Persistence]] - [[Picture Superiority Effect]] - [[Positivity Effect]] - [[Primary Effect]] - [[Regression Bias]] - [[Reminiscence Bump]] - [[Rosy Retrospection]] - [[Self-serving Bias]] - [[Spacing Effect]] - [[Stereotypical Bias]] - [[Suggestibility]] - [[Telescoping Effect]] - [[Testing Effect]] - [[Tip of the Tongue]] - [[Verbatim Effect]] - [[Von Restorff Effect]] ## 52.6. Avoidance and Counteraction Memory biases are difficult to control because a lot of them are unconscious and we therefore have little control over when they are influencing us. However, with some training, we can learn to carefully evaluate our memories to see if we are allowing a bias to alter the rationality of how and what we recall. In this way we can sometimes avoid the use of manipulation of memory by outside influences.