We often think of our memories as incomplete but otherwise accurate recordings of the events in our lives. However, memory is only a story that our minds create, and as such, it is subject to distortion – a concept that may be more troubling to some than others.
We asked our readers whether they agreed or disagreed with the statement “You sometimes feel like some of your memories may not be real,” and the data indicated a wide disparity between most trait pairings.
Most notably, we noticed an almost 25-point gap between Intuitive and Observant personality types (63% vs. 39% agreeing, respectively) and between Turbulent and Assertive types (64% vs. 39%).
Which groups are most concerned that their memories have become distorted over time? Let’s find out:
Roles
Diplomats and Analysts (64% and 62% agreeing)
Diplomats and Analysts were all but tied on the issue of concern over the accuracy of their memories. Both Roles spend a great deal of time “in their own heads,” with Diplomats examining their feelings and Analysts puzzling over problems, which may lead to more “meta” conceptualizations – thinking about their own thoughts, if you will.
Memory is such a core element of any person’s identity that many Diplomats may actually fear losing parts of themselves if their memories are flawed. If they are not the person who once rescued a stray dog as a child, if this anecdote was only something they heard from a friend or watched on television, then does this misremembering alter their self-image as a kind, charitable individual?
Mediators (INFP) were the most likely personality type to be suspicious of the accuracy of their memories (73% agreeing). These gentle types have inherently poetic, even artistic minds. It may make perfect sense to them that their memories swirl like watercolors, open to interpretation, much like all the universe around them.
Analysts, for their part, may worry less about what their faulty memory says about their identity than how it may detract from their ability to make rational decisions and judgments. Analysts are all about the facts... but what if their facts are wrong? The loss of any mental faculty or measure of intelligence is likely chief among Analysts’ fears.
Explorers and Sentinels (44% and 36%)
Less than half of Explorers and Sentinels, on the other hand, agreed with the statement “You sometimes feel like some of your memories may not be real." While other Roles may get bogged down in grand questions about their own fallibility, Explorers and Sentinels typically have a more practical take on life, perhaps believing that, in the absence of perfection, “close enough” must suffice.
The adaptation and re-invention of self that characterizes many Explorers may make it easier for these personalities to accept the reality that memory is but a narrative, subject to later revision. They’re more interested in seeing how the story turns out than fact-checking the introduction.
Sentinels, for their part, may feel uncomfortable with the idea of a more subjective, less stable version of memory and balk at inquiries into its objectivity, even as they rely more on meticulous note-taking and record-keeping than other personality types.
Consuls (ESFJ) and Executives (ESTJ) agreed least with the statement (both 31%). Logical, in charge, and rarely in the mood to be accused of a falsehood, these types place their trust in facts, whether emotional or rational, not interpretations. Consuls and Executives can appreciate nostalgia as well as any other, but they put a great deal of effort into making sure things are as they say they are.
Strategies
Constant Improvement and Social Engagement (66% and 60% agreeing)
Constant Improvers and Social Engagers, the two Turbulent strategies, were also the ones most likely to worry that they might harbor false memories. Although the Mind aspect also appears to play a part in how we feel about memory (possibly due to Introverts’ increased opportunities for introspection), the Turbulent side of these personalities have greater weight. Constant Improvers and Social Engagers alike have a tendency to obsess over their own perceived flaws, and memory may be no exception.
Confident Individualism and People Mastery (43% and 37%)
Confident Individualists and People Masters were significantly less likely to agree with the statement “You sometimes feel like some of your memories may not be real.” While some Confident Individualists and People Masters may entertain thoughts of this nature, most are probably more predisposed to swiftly dismiss these thoughts, perhaps on the grounds that their memories are no worse than anyone else’s, and thus nothing to worry about. These personality types are less interested in looking for ways they may be wrong, and more interested in pursuing what they do know.
Conclusions
The fallibility of memory, while a fascinating subject to some, may strike others as academic. After all, unreliable though our memories may be, we must rely on them nonetheless. The pragmatists, such as Explorers and Sentinels, may be particularly drawn to this argument because they prefer to simply use the tools that are given to them, rather than ruminating endlessly on their flaws. These personality types are more likely to make some concessions to the problematic nature of memory, seeking corroboration in notes and other records, without delving into more complex questions on the nature of thought and memory itself.
Then there are personality types, such as Diplomats and Analysts, who may find great value in meditating on the seemingly unchangeable, or who may feel that an intractable problem like the inherent inconsistency of memory is too much to ignore. Perhaps in identifying more with who they are than what they do, their sense of identity is more fragile, predicated as it is on memories of their less independently verifiable inner thoughts and feelings rather than external works. Of course, it could also be that, in suspecting that their memories may not be absolutely true, these personalities are better able to guard against the upsets that come when evidence proves that these suspicions are accurate.
Have you ever discovered that you remembered something incorrectly? Did it bother you? Let’s talk about it in the comments section!