The Mandela Effect: Definition And Examples

We know the Mandela effect as that phenomenon in which two or more individuals, usually a fairly large group, share a memory that has no real basis, that is, that has never happened

This effect was called the “Mandela effect” because its discoverer, Fiona Broone, realized that she and a large group of people perfectly remember how Nelson Mandela (the South African leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner) died in prison in 1980. The reality is very different since Nelson Mandela was released and appointed president of the Republic of South Africa in 1994, dying years later, in 2013.

This effect is especially curious since these people even remember in detail everything that “happened”, what could this phenomenon be due to?

The same author, Fiona Broone, proposes a theory based on quantum physics that refers to this experience as a “possibility within different parallel realities.” However, in this article on the Mandela effect, we are going to provide you with a psychological explanation about why this surprising phenomenon can occur.

To understand the Mandela effect, we must be clear that memory is a cognitive ability that takes place in our brain and, therefore, has a large subjective component. When we generate a memory, we activate a network of neurons that transfer specific information to different parts of the brain responsible for storing information, such as the hippocampus or the prefrontal cortex.

That means that the birth of the memory is not in the experience itself, but in the mental processing of said experience, so, surprise! We can generate memories that have never been reality.

In fact, the Mandela effect is also influenced not only by the generation of the memory, but by the attempt to recover said memory. And the thing is, human memory is largely constructive nature That means that when we recover a memory, we usually fill in the gaps with logical conjectures or experiences that may or may not be reality.

The Mandela effect has been attempted to be studied under many lights. There are various mental phenomena that try to explain the Mandela effect The appearance of these phenomena does not have to be understood as symptoms of a mental disorder. Next, we are going to see the mental phenomena of the Mandela effect:

• Collusion: People fill in the gaps in our memory with manufactured memories. This phenomenon is common in humans who have suffered severe trauma, as well as in cases of amnesia and dementia. The creation of these memories is done unconsciously and the individual himself believes that his or her memory is what he or she has created.
• External induction of memories: Hypnosis or suggestion can induce memories. The person who undergoes these processes can modify his or her perception of the facts. Sometimes, hypnosis is used as a method to recover memories, but it can lead to the generation of false memories.
• Cryptomnesia: phenomenon is known as the fact of experiencing another person’s experience as one’s own, or believing one has had an original and genuine idea, but, in reality, said idea already existed and came from a memory that has previously been stored involuntarily.

There are some very curious Mandela effects. Next, we will show you some examples of the Mandela effect that are really interesting:

The Mandela effect in movies

You may know the famous scene from Star Wars in which the villain tells the hero “Luke, I am your father.”

Well, actually, the villain NEVER said that. In fact, the actual dialogue in the film says: “No, I am your father.” It is another very clear example of how the Mandela effect can affect us all.

The Mandela effect in songs and television series

• The song “We are the Champions“from Queen, it doesn’t end with the phrase”…of the world“
• “The Simpsons” is actually spelled “The Simpsons”, without an S at the end.
• In Snow White, Maleficent says “Magic mirror” does not say “mirror Mirror“

The Mandela effect in games and cartoons

• We have all played at some point Monopoly The logo of this game is a lord. We find the Mandela effect in Monopoly precisely in the mental image that we usually have of this man. It is common to remember that he wears a monocle, but in reality this is not the case.
• If we talk about Pokémon, everyone immediately associates it with Pikachu A most beloved character and easily recognizable by his yellow color. But what colors does he have on his tail? The Mandela effect in Pikachu is suffered by those people who remember that this beloved Pokémon has a black part at the end of its tail, but in reality it has never had that stripe.

The Mandela effect on social media

A few years ago, in the United States, a man published an article online talking about a series of children’s cartoons that were broadcast during his childhood: Super Turbo Atomic Ninja Rabbit. In fact, he himself published a video where you could see that same series. Many users of forums such as Reddit or Forocoches stated that they had also seen that series and that it brought back very good memories.

However, it was a joke. Such an animated series never existed and the memories of Internet users were fruit of mere suggestion

Many people have found a logical explanation for all this and believe that the theory of the Mandela effect does not hold up as a scientific phenomenon. For example, we remember the Queen song in a way because the chorus has that structure (We are the champions…of the world). On the other hand, other people believe that those who are affected by the Mandela Effect are lying or concocting stories that they know are not true.

However, if we can say something about psychology and the human mind, it is that memory is very suggestible and memories can be easily molded Therefore, people who have experienced the Mandela effect have no intention of lying, they are simply trying to construct memories from information that they have not experienced in the past.

This article is merely informative, at PsychologyFor we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

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