False memories and childhood food aversions in behavioral change
: The method of this study was not erroneous and was based on research design that was valid and repeatable. For instance, the 24-item food-history inventory that was administered to participants was also used in previous empirical research study conducted on the same subject by Bernstein, et al (2005). In that study, the researchers also investigated the implications of false beliefs using same 24-item food history inventory. In fact, this study conducted by Geraerts, et al. (2008) replicated the materials and procedures of an earlier study conducted by Bernstein, et al (2005).
✍️ How to write this paper — guide, tools & examples ▾
Cognitive
False Beliefs new
False Beliefs and Their Behavioral Consequences
Human psychology is so amazing that it can control human behavior with and without his conscious will. People often develop habits, behaviors or routines that become a vital part of their lives and once they become used to these habits, there are often negative aspects associated to these routines and habits that develop false believe in them (False Memories Can Influence Behavior, 2008). When there are false believes in the minds of people, they observe the world with same negative believes and perceptions and respond accordingly. The paper investigates whether the childhood memories affect the behavior in later age or not and how long-term or short-term it can be that the believes affect behavior.
Summary
The false believes are such a disease that is often beyond a person's ability to control. These believe inculcate in the minds of people and then limit the optimistic thinking capability of people. The authors of the research analysis paper investigate in what manners the false beliefs and memories negatively influence attitude and behavior of people. The research also focuses on the false believes related to the food habits. For example, the children start hating food items that were once followed by illness. Egg salad, for example, can be negatively perceived if the child got ill after eating it. The authors investigate if the child remembers or forgets the cause why he has negative believes about an object.
To investigate the topic, the researchers conducted a group analysis. There were total 180 individuals that were studied. With demographic of women and men and country of Netherlands, the researchers told the surveyed individuals that they did not have any illness. One of the groups was egg-salad group that were given a fake advise that in their childhood they got ill because of the egg salads. Other individuals were given the egg salad but not the fake suggestion. The believers and the non-believers in the egg salad were found. The study found that the behavior of a person can be changed overtime. When a person is told about a past experience, true or fake, his behavior might change. The change in behavior, as the study suggests, can be long-term or short-term (Geraerts, Bernstein, Merckelbach, Linders, Raymaekers, and Loftus, 2008). The study says that the belief does not only affect the perceptions but also starts translating in the actions of the people.
The research expected to see some results on the believers but it was found that both the believers and the non-believers stopped from the egg salad in short-term after knowing that it is associated with a childhood disease. There was a contagion effect as well. However, the subjects became confident after the successful experience of the food that did not end in any health problem.
Implications
The false believes may or may not have solid grounds. They can be based on actual experiences or the memories build by someone else. However, the individual traits vary thus some people respond for so long to these believes while others shed them away soon. The false believes in life, marriages and work place can be overcome by developing confidence of people in the truth and factual realities of life (Pezdek, Kathy, Freyd and Jennifer, 2009). People should be made aware that there is a cause and effect behind everything and for something to go wrong, there is a solid reason rather than a superstitious connection. Thus, rather than avoiding egg salad or like, people should find what actually caused something and they should not blindly link one incidence to the other that followed. The coincidence may have occurred that should be understood so that people shed away false believes and develop confidence in themselves and life. The research also guides that the childhood memories are more solid that those developing later. The childhood is a sensitive part of life. The parents have a big responsibility in upbringing their children. Thus the parents should not inculcate fear and lack of confidence in their children since it will grow with time and if takes longer, the personality of the child can be destroyed irreversibly.
Create your account
- Bernstein, D. M., Laney, C., Morris, E. K., & Loftus, E. F. (2005). False beliefs about fattening foods can have healthy consequences. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 102(39), 13724-13731.
- Geraerts, E., Bernstein, D. M., Merckelbach, H., Linders, C., Raymaekers, L., & Loftus, E. F. (2008). Lasting false beliefs and their behavioral consequences.Psychological Science, 19(8), 749-753.
- Ogden, C. L., Carroll, M. D., Curtin, L. R., McDowell, M. A., Tabak, C. J., & Flegal, K. M. (2006). Prevalence of overweight and obesity in the United States, 1999-2004. JAMA: the journal of the American Medical Association, 295(13), 1549-1555.
Always verify citation format against your institution’s current style guide requirements.