Challenge 1054 Response discusses...

False Memories

with Tim Roettiger

“Kitty Krunch” and The Challenge appear in issue 1054

Was the narrator unrecognized at the crime scene? Does the narrator expect to be identified as the killer? What does the story imply about the witnesses?

[Tim R.] No, the killer was recognized at the scene by some of the other patrons, and he fully expects to be arrested, hence his decision to turn himself in. What the narrator does not anticipate is that an odd — and very real — psychological phenomenon takes place. In a group of witnesses to an incident, the most forceful personality, in spite of having an utterly false perception of events, can often bend the other witnesses’ memories to align with his or her version of events and achieve a consensus on a narrative.

In this case, Bobby Owen is actually the only one who doesn’t recognize the narrator. Yet he is so forceful in his assertions that the others come to agree with him, even to the point where the clerk claims he saw the car with out-of-state plates even though he could not see the parking lot from the cash register. In essence, he creates a false memory to align with Bobby’s narrative.

I have seen this phenomenon first hand. I have seen people completely change their story under the influence of the most aggressive personality present. When later confronted with physical evidence to the contrary, they often refuse to believe it.

I did not want to make it too obvious this is what was happening. I wanted it to slowly dawn on the reader as it does upon the narrator when he realizes he has just been handed a way out after having decided to turn himself in.

{BwS] Thank you for the detailed explanation, Tim. The story does seem to do what you say it is supposed to do. Many readers will come to the desired conclusion.

Other readers, though, emphasize that a consensus of opinion appears to play a big part in the confusion of identity. Bobby Owen may even think he recognizes the narrator as the shooter; however, Bobby may easily convince himself he’s mistaken, because the narrator’s hoodie provided a partial disguise.

In any event, Bobby finds it easy to convince everyone else in the store. None of them would want the narrator to be punished for killing the emotionally unhinged and conspicuously armed Potts couple. After all, the Potts seem to be despised and can be easily — though falsely — associated with fearsome paramilitaries.

To sum up: an aggressive personality can indeed impose a false memory or outright misinformation on a group. The impromptu brainwashing will be all the easier if the group feels — rightly or wrongly — that it has nothing to lose or may even stand to gain something by accepting it. It’s a basic principle of public persuasion.