Here’s one way false memories can be produced. Say you witness a car accident and the police ask you to describe it. Studies have shown that if the interviewing officers remain silent, you are likely to produce a reasonably accurate description of the events. However, suppose the police ask: “After the car went through the stop sign, did the driver brake suddenly?” Whatever your answer, you may later insist you remember a stop sign–even if there never was one! A false memory has been implanted. This kind of thing probably happens all the time. People naturally tell stories about events, inadvertently changing details as they go. Over time, we can come to believe the stories as if they were our own memories.