We have all experienced times when we misremember information. Maybe you mix up dates, remember events that didn’t happen, or switch up the names of products in your head. This is common, but did you know that there are times when many people all misremember the same information? When this happens it is known as the Mandela Effect, and it may be more common than you think.

The Mandela Effect occurs most often due to conformity. If many people believe a piece of information is true, you are more likely to go along with them to not be the odd person out. If enough time passes, you may even start to believe the information you confirmed to be the truth. You may even think you thought that way all along. This is known as a source-memory error, meaning you forget the true source of a memory.

While finding out information you thought to be true is actually a product of the Mandela Effect can be disorienting, it can be helpful to know that it is actually quite common and can affect almost anyone. You can also take steps to avoid the Mandela Effect from occurring in your own life. To learn how to protect your memories, take a look at the infographic below:

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