Psychological Phenomenon: The Mandela Effect

Did you know there is a large group of people who believe that Nelson Mandela actually passed away in 1980 even though he was alive for nearly 30 years after? There are numerous cases of many people all misremembering information, and in 2009 this phenomenon was aptly named the Mandela Effect by paranormal expert Fiona Broome. 

Recent studies suggest that up to 1 in 2 people may not be able to tell false memories from real ones, meaning the Mandela Effect can affect almost anyone. Common examples include people remembering The Berenstain Bears being spelled “Berenstein” or the popular peanut butter brand being “Jiffy” instead of Jif. While these examples may not seem detrimental, it proves that memories are not always as reliable as we may believe.

To ensure that the Mandela Effect does not affect you in your personal life it is important to strengthen your own memory. Many instances of the Mandela Effect arise from a need to conform to others’ opinions. Analyze information or memories critically to ensure they are your own and not the result of conformity to someone else’s belief. It is also important to fact check information to ensure you are receiving content that is not incorrect. Learn more about how to avoid the Mandela Effect in the infographic below:

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