Once again, a story in the news spotlights an aspect of social psychology that, after decades of research that has findings that have been consistently replicated, the unreliability of memory.
I love Brian Williams. He is a trusted journalist that has reported the news to us since the 1980s. Unfortunately, he's the latest to publicly mis-remember something and now being accused of purposefully lying or falsifying information. There are already tons of memes and other forms of internet shenanigans making fun of him. He is such a class act that even now, he's temporarily stepping down from his position. He is a man with a sense of humor, as we've seen with response to Jimmy Fallon's rap mash-ups featuring clips of Brian Williams in NBC's Nightly News.
A Personal Note from Brian Williams
In the midst of a career spent covering and consuming news, it has become painfully apparent to me that I am presently too much a part of the news, due to my actions.Scientists explain how Brian Williams' memory may have failed him
As Managing Editor of NBC Nightly News, I have decided to take myself off of my daily broadcast for the next several days, and Lester Holt has kindly agreed to sit in for me to allow us to adequately deal with this issue. Upon my return, I will continue my career-long effort to be worthy of the trust of those who place their trust in us.
"Memory is susceptible to contamination and distortion and supplementation. It happens to virtually all of us," Loftus said. "This could easily be the development of a false memory."
