Draft:The Mandela Effect

The Mandela Effect is a psychological phenomenon characterized by arguably false memories or knowledge held by a substantial number of people. Coined by researcher Fiona Broome, this term gained recognition in the early 21st century as individuals began sharing instances of shared memories online that differed from documented historical facts.

Origin
Paranormal researcher Fiona Broome coined the term "Mandela Effect" in 2009 following her observation of a peculiar shared memory discrepancy related to Nelson Mandela. Engaged in discussions with various individuals, Broome discovered that a significant number of people distinctly recalled Mandela's death in prison during the 1980s, despite his release and subsequent presidency.

The Mandela Effect gained further notoriety in 2015, when several posts and articles about the popular children's book series The Berenstain Bears went viral. Many seemingly remembered it as The Berenstein Bears though it had never been spelled that way.

It has since manifested in various cultural and historical instances, solidifying its status as a subject of widespread fascination.

Common examples
While many may remember the Monopoly Man's monocle or Pikachu's black-tipped tail, evidence suggests that they never had such characteristics. There are many noteworthy examples, each illustrating the intriguing disjunction between communal memory and verified historical facts.

Fruit of the Loom
The Fruit of the Loom logo consists of a bundle of fruit, commonly depicted as grapes, apples, and leaves. However, many remember it also containing a cornucopia. Fruit of the Loom denies that it has ever included one, nor has an official image with one ever been discovered.

This apparent misconception goes back decades. An album from 1973 titled 'Flute of the Loom' by Frank Wess was seemingly inspired by the Fruit of the Loom logo. The album cover depicts a flute shaped like a cornucopia behind a bundle of soul food. Additionally, a 1994 newspaper article from Florida Today suggests that the Fruit of the Loom logo includes a swollen cornucopia.

Ed McMahon and Publisher's Clearing House
Ed McMahon's purported role as a spokesperson for Publishers Clearing House, characterized by his dispensing of oversized checks, has entrenched itself as a conspicuously vivid memory in the collective consciousness, significantly influencing popular culture over the span of decades. Paradoxically, the absence of any verifiable documentation renders this recollection untenable. Contrarily, historical records affirm McMahon's role as a spokesperson for American Family Publishers, a distinction that discredits the prevalent and persistent notion surrounding his purported involvement with Publishers Clearing House.

Nevertheless, McMahon's presence extended beyond his acclaimed role as a talk show sidekick, as evidenced by guest appearances on various sitcoms such as Roseanne, Who's the Boss?, The Nanny, and Boy Meets World. In these instances, he notably replicated the iconic act of presenting sizable checks. Furthermore, a distinctive interplay unfolded when Johnny Carson, the venerable host of The Tonight Show, made a guest appearance on David Letterman's show. During this memorable exchange, Carson bestowed upon Letterman a conspicuous oversized check from McMahon, which bore the insignia of Publishers Clearing House. This intriguing episode adds an additional layer of complexity to McMahon's television legacy, as the recurrent theme of presenting large checks on multiple shows has inadvertently contributed to the persistent misconception regarding his association with Publishers Clearing House.

Shazaam starring Sinbad
In contradiction to widespread claims, Sinbad adamantly refutes any involvement as a genie in a film titled Shazaam. His acknowledgment of hosting a 1994 TNT movie, during which he appeared attired as a genie, suggests that memories of him in such a role likely originate from this specific televised event. Despite Sinbad's assertion and the absence of supporting evidence in contemporary records, numerous individuals vividly recall a movie titled Shazaam, purportedly seen in theaters, on VHS, or on cable.

While some contend that these recollections might actually pertain to the movie Kazaam, featuring Shaquille O'Neal as a genie in the mid-1990s, staunch proponents of the Shazaam narrative insist otherwise. Despite the absence of corroborative evidence beyond personal recollections, some individuals have provided detailed accounts of the alleged Shazaam plot and cast. This dichotomy underscores the perplexing nature of collective memory and the enduring fascination surrounding the purported existence of the film.

Star Wars
The Star Wars franchise, revered for its cultural impact and enduring legacy, has become a focal point for instances where collective memories deviate from the established canon. One prominent Mandela Effect in the Star Wars universe centers around C-3PO's iconic golden appearance. Despite being synonymous with an all-golden exterior in the minds of many fans, meticulous scrutiny reveals an unexpected detail—a silver leg. This revelation has sparked discussions on the accuracy of collective memory and the nuances of visual perception within the Star Wars community.

Arguably one of the most famous lines in cinematic history, Darth Vader's revelation to Luke Skywalker is etched into the collective consciousness. However, the widely quoted line, "Luke, I am your father," is a misquotation. In the actual scene from Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back, Vader declares, "No, I am your father." This subtle yet impactful discrepancy highlights how linguistic nuances can shape and reshape cultural memory over time.

Scientific study on Collective False Memory
A study in January 2010 by Stefania de Vito, Roberto Cubelli, Sergio Della Sala looked into the occurrence of collective false memories arising from shared representations, with a particular focus on the Bologna massacre—a tragic terrorist attack that occurred in Italy in 1980. The investigation centered on a symbolic element associated with the event, namely a clock at the main station that many recalled as being frozen at the time of the explosion. Contrary to this collective memory, the clock was repaired shortly after the attack. Subsequently, years later, the clock was intentionally stopped and set to the time of the explosion in observance and commemoration of the bombing.

Memory Distortion Surrounding the Clock
Despite the clock's operational status for 16 years after the incident, participants consistently misremembered it as always broken. 92% of respondents falsely remembered the clock had remained stopped since the bombing, when, in fact, the clock was repaired shortly after the attack. This distortion was notably influenced by the clock's symbolic representation as a lasting memorial to the tragic event. Even individuals emotionally connected to the Bologna massacre were susceptible to this false recollection, revealing the potent impact of symbolic representations on memory.

Symbolic Representation as Misleading Information
The study underscores the role of emotionally charged symbols as post-event misleading information, influencing individual and collective memory distortions. The clock not only served as a visual representation on various media platforms but also acted as a powerful cue shaping recollections. The findings highlight the intricate interplay between symbolic representations, emotional resonance, and memory reconstruction, contributing to our understanding of memory as a reconstructive phenomenon.

Scientific study on the Visual Mandela Effect
In a study published in late 2022 by the journal Psychological Science, coauthors Deepasri Prasad and Wilma Bainbridge delved into the intricacies of the Mandela Effect. Despite their investigation, the study notably refrained from providing definitive explanations or reaching causal conclusions regarding the phenomenon. Prasad and Bainbridge's work, while shedding new light on collective memory divergences, emphasizes the need for continued exploration and research to fully comprehend the nature of the Mandela Effect.

Experiments
In a series of experiments, including a recognition task with 100 participants (Experiment 1) and eye-tracking-like methods with 60 participants (Experiment 2), researchers Deepasri Prasad and Wilma Bainbridge demonstrated that certain popular images consistently elicit specific inaccurate memories. Surprisingly, these inaccurate memories were not driven by attentional or visual differences (Experiment 2), nor were they influenced by natural visual experiences of the images (Experiment 3). Moreover, the false memories occurred spontaneously during recall (Experiment 4), highlighting their robustness. This empirical evidence not only confirms the existence of the Visual Mandela Effect but also suggests a consistent pattern in how people misremember specific visual icons.

Conclusion
Their research acknowledges the complexity of the phenomenon, suggesting that different images may cause the Visual Mandela Effect for different reasons. Importantly, the study concludes that the Visual Mandela Effect cannot be universally explained by a single account, prompting further inquiry into the diverse factors influencing these shared and specific false memories. This nuanced understanding advances our comprehension of the nature of false memories and underscores the need for continued investigation into the intricacies of the Mandela Effect.

Theories and speculation
The Mandela Effect has sparked a range of intriguing theories attempting to explain these false collective memories. Traditional psychological explanations, such as false memory and confabulation, suggest that individuals may inaccurately recall events or details due to the malleable nature of human memory. This perspective aligns with established cognitive principles, emphasizing the susceptibility of individual recollection to suggestion and external influences.

On the speculative end, theories involving the CERN particle collider propose that high-energy experiments could potentially cause shifts in the fabric of reality, leading to alterations in collective memory. Another hypothesis delves into the realm of quantum mechanics, suggesting that parallel worlds or alternate realities could intersect with our own, resulting in discrepancies in shared experiences. The advent of quantum computing introduces a technological dimension, postulating that advanced computing capabilities may influence or manipulate aspects of our shared reality. These theories, ranging from the psychological to the speculative, contribute to the ongoing discourse surrounding the Mandela Effect.

In popular culture

 * A movie titled The Mandela Effect was released in 2019.
 * An episode of The X-Files focused on the Mandela Effect (Season 11; Episode 4: The Lost Art of Forehead Sweat).
 * The Netflix series Inside Job contains several references to the Mandela Effect.