The Mandela Effect Quiz: How's Your Memory Serving You?

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Your results on this quiz may be disturbing at first, but no worries: if you're normal, you won't do as well as you expect. It's just how memory works, and the truth of the "Mandela Effect." The phenomenon gets its name from a specific example: many people seem to remember that this famous South African figure died in prison around 1980, after spending much time there. In reality, he actually passed away in 2013 after enjoying many years of freedom. The reasons for these "false memories" are complex, but researchers have learned a lot about how memories are formed from studying how they go wrong. Some factors are based on our expectations, others on more convenient ways we remember, which "adjusts" the facts. The Mandela effect can even be cultural: nearly everybody "knows" the wrong answer! From fast food logos to a famous Star Wars quote, try your hand at recalling these famous facts, images, and phrases and see how often the Mandela Effect tucks misinformation into your brain!

Jake, Heywise Staff

Quiz WriterJake, Heywise Staff

Jake didn’t think he’d become a writer when he was growing up in southern Saskatchewan, Canada, but fate had another idea. After barely squeaking through grade 9 English, by the luck of the draw Jake found himself with the most inspiring literature instructor his small town had ever known, and grade 10 English changed his life! Suddenly, evenings once spent at the hockey rink were spent curled up on the couch with the best of Hemingway, Dickens, and John Grisham. A valedictorian address and English degree at the University of Regina later, Jake is proud to call Heywise his favorite place to pen informative quizzes about all his passion projects. If you’re reading a post and pick up a hint of classic English literature, you’re probably reading something by Jake - especially if you come away feeling like a slightly better person for it.

Did you know?

The Mandela Effect and Eyewitness Statements: Why A Crowd Can Remember a Criminal in So Many Different Ways

Unfortunately, witnesses can be affected by the same kinds of factors that produce the Mandela Effect, producing widely varying descriptions of crimes and the people who commit them. This is frustrating for investigators and surprising for people who learn a potentially traumatic event wasn't seared into their memories the way they thought it was. The Mandela effect creates particular trouble when groups of people discuss what they have seen and share their varying memories. This is one reason why investigators separate witnesses as soon as possible and take their statements separately. They would rather have stories that disagree on some points than statements that agree based on collective misremembering! Whenever you get information or witness accounts secondhand, think about whether the Mandela effect could have affected the accuracy of the story, especially if you plan on repeating it to others.

How to Play?

Our personality quizzes are set up a little differently than your basic trivia quiz, but you’ve probably seen their kind around. Rather than having to choose the right answer from a list of multiple choice options, in this case, there is no “right answer”! (Two plus two will always be four, but every Golden Girls character is equally awesome.)

So, stop stressing. Just click on the answer that suits you best, and enjoy the ride. These quizzes are just for fun but who knows – you might just learn something about yourself along the way!

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