The “False Memory” Implantation Paradigm: Commentary on Andrews and Brewin

False memories can occur, but does the false memory implantation paradigm create “false memories” or does it create false beliefs? As Andrews and Brewin (2024) state, a variety of coding issues arise in false memory research, especially concerning “partial” false memories and the confounding of memories of false and true events. There is also a question regarding the dissimilarity between events recalled in laboratory studies and events under investigation and questioning in criminal court. We argue that researchers should explore the subset of participants who are willing to rely on their parents' alleged memories of events that supposedly occurred before the participants' memory capacities were fully developed. We suggest that if Andrews and Brewin's estimate of only 4% false memories is accurate, even then, a few real-life cases of false implanted memories are important for the legal system.