Abstract
In some neuropsychological disorders memory distortions seemingly fill
gaps in people’s knowledge about their past, where people’s self-image,
history, and prospects are often enhanced. False beliefs about the past
compromise both people’s capacity to construct a reliable autobiography
and their trustworthiness as communicators. However, such beliefs
contribute to people’s sense of competence and self-confidence, increasing
psychological wellbeing. Here we consider both psychological benefits and
epistemic costs, and argue that distorting the past is likely to also have
epistemic benefits that cannot be obtained otherwise, such as enabling
people to exchange information, receive feedback, and retain key beliefs about themselves.