Virtual Reality Creates False Memories

moon_monkey writes "There's an interesting post on NewScientistTech's blog about virtual reality inducing false memories during a recent experiment (pdf). Ann Schlosser at the University of Washington tested students' ability to learn how to use a real digital camera by operating a virtual one. Although those students who used the virtual camera found it easier to remember how the camera worked, they also experienced more 'false memories'. As the post points out, could this be a serious problem for VR going forward?"

Comments

So...

[otacon]

So I didn't really lose my virginity? it was just VR? Damn

Re:So...

[Walt Dismal]

This is all baloney. Although ever since I got back from my Mars vacation I've felt a little strange, but my wife tells me it should pass soon.

I'm confused

[Chineseyes]

Regardless of whether this happened in reality or a virtual reality it still happend so how are the memories false? Or is this just a matter of distinguishing between real and virtual worlds if so then that makes perfect sense because dreams imo are our own virtual reality and I've had some dreams that I couldn't distinguish between reality when I woke up.

Re:I'm confused

[Anonymous Coward]

so how are the memories false?

The memories are false because things did not really happen as the test subjects remembered.

If you have the time and/or inclination, read up on the research of Dr. Elizabeth Loftus. She (and others) have demonstrated that it is trivial to create false memories in people. More importantly, once a false memory has been created, it is otherwise indistinguishable from a real one. That means a person cannot rid themselves of a false memory any more than they can rid themselves of a real memory. The implications of this are significant.

Re:I'm confused

[AI0867]

In another test, people were given some time to study a picture, it was a crossroads with stop signs. When asked what the colour of the traffic light was, 50% of the people said red, 25% said yellow and 25% said green. All insisted the traffic light was really there.

In another study, someone showed it was ridiculously easy to alter test subject's childhood memories to include things that could never have happened.

Human memory is a read-write filesystem, and recalling a memory overwrites it, recalling it with suggestions offered by the outside world can easily alter them.

--
Disclaimer: If this post doesn't make any sense, it's because I'm really, REALLY tired...

EGA memory

[Anonymous Coward]

I often confuse my sex life with Leisure Suit Larry's

Today, a young man....

[Pojut]

Today, a young man on acid realized that all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration... that we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively. There's no such thing as death, life is only a dream, and we're the imagination of ourselves. Here's Tom with the weather.

Just like real memories...

[aliendisaster]

I'm not a psychologist but, if I remember correctly from my psych classes, memories is a lie. The things we remember now are not the actual events from the past. What we remember is basically pieces of the truth that has gaps filled in by our mind. I don't really see the difference from this and normal memory.

Doubtful

[tttonyyy]

As the post points out, could this be a serious problem for VR going forward?"

It might only be a problem when applied to subtle differences between VR and real life, like changing the functionality of camera between VR/RL slightly.

On significant things, like jumping off a ledge and flying; well - we might be able to distinguish between RL and VR in those circumstances.

In bad-analogy-land, if I was to swap a few keys on your keyboard you might find it confusing for a bit, but if I were to paint it green, you'd probably notice (unless it was already green of course).

Of course, where you draw the line between subtle and significant is a whole other argument. But I think the human brain does that already to some extent; remembering important things and discarding irrelevant things.

Serious problem? Doubtful.