It may be real but most likely its misattribution of memory or confabulation
The Mandela Effect is a theory put forth by writer and “paranormal consultant” Fiona Broome that shared false memories are in fact glimpses into parallel worlds with different timelines
In psychiatry, confabulation (verb: confabulate) is a memory disturbance, defined as the production of fabricated, distorted or misinterpreted memories about oneself or the world, without the conscious intention to deceive.[1] Individuals who confabulate present incorrect memories ranging from “subtle alterations to bizarre fabrications”,[2] and are generally very confident about their recollections, despite contradictory evidence.[3]
An internet meme related to confabulation is the Mandela Effect, a situation where a number of people have memories that are different from available evidence. The term was coined by paranormal enthusiast Fiona Broome, who says she and other people remember Nelson Mandela dying in 1980s, rather than in 2013.[61][62]She argues that common memories which appear mistaken could be explained by the existence of parallel universes that are able to interact with each other.[citation needed] A common thread of discussion regarding this “effect” is remembering the Berenstain Bears with a different spelling
Memory plays an important role in a number of aspects of our everyday lives and allows us to recall past experiences, navigate our environments, and learn new tasks.[1] From this view, information about a source of memory is assumed to contain certain characteristics that reflect the conditions under which the memory representations were attained.[2] Judgments about these sources are made by evaluating the amount and nature of the characteristics.[2] The accuracy of their recall varies depending on the circumstances at which they are retrieved.[2] Generally speaking, misattribution of memory involves source details retained in memory but erroneously attributing a recollection or idea to the wrong source.[1] Misattribution is likely to occur when individuals are unable to monitor and control the influence of their attitudes, toward their judgments, at the time of retrieval.[3] Thus, memory is adapted to retain information that is most likely to be needed in the environment in which it operates.[1] Therefore, any misattribution observed is likely to be a reflection of current attitudes.[3]
