Did false memory syndrome play a part in the McCann case?

[Carana]

In my opinion false memory syndrome played an inordinate amount of influence in Madeleine's case. 

Mr Smith's mistaken identification of Gerry which was subject to exactly the same influences which affected Mr McCluskey's mistaken identification of both Kate and Gerry has become the stuff of internet legend (one has, the other tends to be ignored).

And the Murat "sightings".

In all these cases, false memories could be a factor as they were arguidos.

That doesn't seem to apply to Jane, though, at least not regarding who the man could have been.

A quite interesting article on the topic:
http://www.scholarpedia.org/article/False_memory

[Robittybob1]

And the Murat "sightings".

In all these cases, false memories could be a factor as they were arguidos.

That doesn't seem to apply to Jane, though, at least not regarding who the man could have been.

A quite interesting article on the topic:
http://www.scholarpedia.org/article/False_memory

Would you be able to explain yourself a little more?

"In all these cases, false memories could be a factor as they were arguidos." 

"That doesn't seem to apply to Jane, though, at least not regarding who the man could have been." 

I'm a little lost on both of those sentences.

[Carana]

Would you be able to explain yourself a little more?

"In all these cases, false memories could be a factor as they were arguidos." 

"That doesn't seem to apply to Jane, though, at least not regarding who the man could have been." 

I'm a little lost on both of those sentences.

Murat had just been splashed on TV when the T3 (and a few others) became convinced that he was the person they saw that night. Either he was, or they've mistaken him for someone else. Could his arguido status have influenced their memories? Later, in his rog, Russ toyed with the idea that he might have been mistaken after all.

Jane doesn't appear to have been influenced by Murat's status (aside from deciding to call Bob Small to mention that the others believed they'd seen him, which isn't quite the same thing).

Mr Smith had just seen Gerry coming down the plane steps with a sleeping Sean when he suddenly thought he could have been the guy carrying the child that night. Gerry had just been made an arguido as well. Once that got clarified, it was the way the child was being carried that seemed to jog his memory, and somehow came to the conclusion that it could have been him, but it wasn't anything in particular about Gerry himself. Could he have been influenced by the sudden status?

[Robittybob1]

Thanks Carana, I understand now, even though still I struggle with all of the Smith family's statements. 

[Carana]

Thanks Carana, I understand now, even though still I struggle with all of the Smith family's statements.

None of the kids thought it was Gerry and quite a few people around that night stated that they never saw Murat...

[Mr Gray]

I think the best example of false memory is the Smith sighting... M S saw Gerry walking down the plane steps and that triggered his belief that the man he saw in Luz was Gerry

[Carana]

I think the best example of false memory is the Smith sighting... M S saw Gerry walking down the plane steps and that triggered his belief that the man he saw in Luz was Gerry

I find them all interesting. There are a few more. I think someone mentioned McCluskey earlier as well.

[Robittybob1]

I think the best example of false memory is the Smith sighting... M S saw Gerry walking down the plane steps and that triggered his belief that the man he saw in Luz was Gerry

The thing about false memories is that as an outsider you can't tell if it is true or false or whether these factors brought it on.  They have shown in studies it is possible to induce false memories, but I think that is all we can say, to limit the evidential value of the Smith sighting, that Martin Smith seeing Gerry leaving Portugal while being an arguido (thought by some as fleeing the country) carrying a child in his arms may have induced a false memory.

[Mr Gray]

The thing about false memories is that as an outsider you can't tell if it is true or false or whether these factors brought it on.  They have shown in studies it is possible to induce false memories, but I think that is all we can say, to limit the evidential value of the Smith sighting, that Martin Smith seeing Gerry leaving Portugal while being an arguido (thought by some as fleeing the country) carrying a child in his arms may have induced a false memory.

I think the Smith sighting is the most clear cut example

[faithlilly]

In my opinion false memory syndrome played an inordinate amount of influence in Madeleine's case. 

Mr Smith's mistaken identification of Gerry which was subject to exactly the same influences which affected Mr McCluskey's mistaken identification of both Kate and Gerry has become the stuff of internet legend (one has, the other tends to be ignored).

And Mrs Smith's agreement with her husband's identification? Collective mistaken identity perhaps ?

[Mr Gray]

And Mrs Smith's agreement with her husband's identification? Collective mistaken identity perhaps ?

Well as MS now, says it wasn't Gerry it must have been mistaken... He didn't  even see his, face

[Alice Purjorick]

And Mrs Smith's agreement with her husband's identification? Collective mistaken identity perhaps ?

It is called collective consciousness.
It is the principle on which electric fences around animal paddocks work.
They dont all have to "cop a jolt from the electrode" before they work out it's not a bright idea to lean against the fence.
Maybe Rob will start a thread on it?
 

[faithlilly]

Well as MS now, says it wasn't Gerry it must have been mistaken... He didn't  even see his, face

Where did Martin Smith say that ? Not in the now discredited Times article surely ?

[faithlilly]

It is called collective consciousness.
It is the principle on which electric fences around animal paddocks work.
They dont all have to "cop a jolt from the electrode" before they work out it's not a bright idea to lean against the fence.
Maybe Rob will start a thread on it?
 

Ah that'll be it Alice 

[Brietta]

And Mrs Smith's agreement with her husband's identification? Collective mistaken identity perhaps ?

In the version of events I know about ... Mr Smith appears to be on his own with his memories.  Why else did Mrs Smith refuse to back him up officially by refusing to make a statement to that effect?
Why did everyone else disagree with his change of statement ... even the perspicacious Aoife?  Certainly nowhere near a collective but I would say more a case of false memory syndrome.