Fake news can affect people in negative ways. A recent line of research has demonstrated that when people are exposed to fake news they can form false memories for the events depicted in the news stories. We conducted a meta-analysis to obtain an estimate of the average rate of false memories elicited by fake news. Thirteen articles were included in the final analysis, revealing that nearly 40% and 60% of the participants reported at least one false memory and belief (respectively) after fake news exposure, while each participant remembered or believed 22% of the total number of fake news presented. Individual differences may affect the rate of false memory formation following exposure to false memories. We therefore examined moderating effects of individual difference variables assessed in the included studies. Participants with better analytical reasoning skills and a high level of interest in the news topic were least likely to report false memories for fake news, with level of interest being also a facilitating factor in remembering true news. No effect was detected for cognitive ability and objective knowledge. Our results provide insightful and practical information in the context of world-wide misinformation dissemination and its impact on people's beliefs and memories.

This article offers a new way to think about objects of memory, focusing on how a single item can take on various roles – from a cherished personal keepsake through a commercial product to a powerful political symbol. By examining the ‘Bring Them Home’ dog tags created in response to the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel in 2023, the article explores how these dog tags emerged as expressions of empathy for the hostages and their families, then evolved into a powerful symbol of the current historic moment, and eventually came to reflect diverse political positions on the conflict and even on broader human rights issues. Drawing from media reports, interviews, and visual evidence, the article highlights how these dog tags were worn during local protests, featured in international discussions, dominated the Israeli public space, and were integrated into everyday life, serving as a compact representation of both political identity and protest.

Social media challenge several established concepts of memory research. In particular, the day-to-day mundane discourse of social media blur the essential distinction between commemorative and non-commemorative memory. We address these challenges by presenting a methodological framework that explores the dynamics of social memory on various social media. Our method combines top-down data mining with a bottom-up analysis tailored to each platform. We demonstrate the application of our approach by studying how the Holocaust is remembered in different corpora, including a dataset of 5.3 million Facebook posts and comments collected between 2015 and 2017 and a 5 million Tweets and Retweets dataset collected in 2021. We first identify the mnemonic agents initiating the discussion of the memory of the Holocaust and those responding to it. Second, we compare the macro-rhythms of Holocaust discourse on the two platforms, identifying peaks and mundane discussions that extend beyond commemorative occasions. Third, we identify distinctive language and cultural norms specific to the memorialization of the Holocaust on each platform. We conceptualize these dynamics as ‘Mnemonic Markers’ and discuss them as potential pathways for memory researchers who wish to explore the unique memory dynamics afforded by social media.

The role of memory in supporting adolescents' sense of place and past is not well understood, but older adults offer a wealth of life stories and wisdom that they can share with younger generations. This in-depth pilot study positioned Australian high school students as oral historians to interview older Australians about their lives. Oral historian training and materials were provided, and pre- and post-intervention measures of adolescents' sense of everyday Australian history, well-being, and social connection were collected for an intervention school group (n = 17) and a waitlist control school group (n = 12). In-depth supplementary memory and well-being data were also collected for six participating older adults. In the intervention condition, scaffolded memory interviews took place during weekly aged care visits across one school term and were followed by an intergenerational celebration and memory book presentation. As hypothesised, older adults imbued their stories with life lessons for adolescents. Although no quantitative changes in participants' well-being emerged, qualitative data revealed the emergence of rich interpersonal relationships and bonding between adolescents and older adults. There were also benefits of the programme for older adults' reports of generativity and adolescents' understanding of everyday Australian history. The findings demonstrate the social and academic benefits of scaffolded intergenerational memory conversations and represent a scalable educational model and materials with downstream community benefits.

Collective memories of intergroup history persist as dynamic structures that shape how societies perceive foreign others. This article proposes a framework for understanding stereotypes rooted in collective memory as both premises for journalistic coverage – guiding story selection – and tools within it, offering adaptable templates for framing. Analysing Israeli media’s coverage of Poland across two decades of conflict, conciliation, and routine reporting, I show how journalists reproduce and renegotiate stereotyped perceptions, clarifying their dual role as memory agents: sustaining stereotype-laden perceptions anchored in collective memory, while recalibrating these perceptions in light of shifting political and narrative contexts. The study foregrounds journalism’s dual role in carrying forward and adapting the collective memory structures through which foreign nations are perceived.

On January 30, 2022, Northern Ireland observed the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday. On that day in 1972, the British Army opened fire on a group of unarmed protesters in Derry, killing 13 and wounding an additional 15. Bloody Sunday was a pivotal moment during the 30 years of conflict in Northern Ireland known as the Troubles, a day widely considered a ‘watershed in British-Irish history’. And while 50 years have passed since this dark day, Bloody Sunday remains vivid in the collective memory of the small country. Considering the cultural and social significance of Bloody Sunday, I sought to answer a simple yet deceptively complicated question: does this still matter? In pursuing this answer, I aimed to understand how journalists and news outlets chose to mark and remember the anniversary in their January and February 2022 coverage. First, I present an overview of Bloody Sunday and its historical role as a catalyst for the three decades of the Troubles. Then, I review relevant memory studies literature in order to understand the role that commemorative news media play in the process of remembering in conflict and post-conflict environments. I then introduce my three research questions and methods before finally discussing the results of my analysis. I found that Bloody Sunday continues to be invoked against British colonialism, that key details of the day remain contested even now, and that the press presented Bloody Sunday as part of a globalised narrative of war-time atrocities.