Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Ever notice people who tell a story about "I know this guy who did X" and when you question them further they remember no details.. and dig in even further you discover that it was likely a story someone else told them.. they had no direct experience of this at all. In my experience it's usually used to support a position in a debate.
I'm just wondering if this has a technical term in psychology...
I think it is linked to the "fish catching story" memory mechanism in a man's brain. That mechanism has been known to make sizes "grow" with each repetition of story!
Note I once helped a male "typical guy" friend fill out an online application or something similar, I don't remember exactly what it was. Anyway he had to be truthful with his answers. I raised my eyebrows a few times when his answers to the questions were not exactly the same as what he had been telling everyone in the bars for years!
I had a friend the other day (ironic... I know this guy ;-).. try to support an argument by saying his university teacher knows this guy who... yadda yadda. Weird how the mind works.. He assured me he was going to do some fact checking.... we'll see.
Ever notice people who tell a story about "I know this guy who did X" and when you question them further they remember no details.. and dig in even further you discover that it was likely a story someone else told them.. they had no direct experience of this at all. In my experience it's usually used to support a position in a debate.
I'm just wondering if this has a technical term in psychology...
Deflection usually occurs when someone tries to put the blame on someone else or tries to appear like they are "authority" of life experiences by pawning off their gossip about somebody else. Their behavior creates an illusion like they are confident in what they are saying, but IR mostly talking out of their butthole.
That kind of behavior is a part of the small-mindedness of group think behavior, "Oh, so and so said.." "Peter is such a clown.. he" "Debra in response.." next time ".... take it from Frank.. never trust that Sandra b-word."
A classic example is a video I watched just last night of the Brown shooting.
A man was videotaping on the street when he arrived after it happened, he did not witness it, but he showed up after it happened. Another woman who also did not witness it, but was in the shower, also arrives late and proceeds to tell the 1st man what happened, even though she wasnt there. Each new person that arrived, the man told them how this innocent boy was shot for no reason by the police, arms up, etc. Around 4:20 he also starts telling bystanders what "happened" even though he wasn't there.
Around 6:20 the man videotaping accidentally picks up the account from an ACTUAL witness who does not know he is being videotaped, and who's actual witness account coincides with the police version.
I think it is linked to the "fish catching story" memory mechanism in a man's brain. That mechanism has been known to make sizes "grow" with each repetition of story!
Note I once helped a male "typical guy" friend fill out an online application or something similar, I don't remember exactly what it was. Anyway he had to be truthful with his answers. I raised my eyebrows a few times when his answers to the questions were not exactly the same as what he had been telling everyone in the bars for years!
(I didn't say anything, just smiled to myself...)
My ex had the fish-catching syndrome. When he got into a fight, two guys turned into six, and they grew from 5'8" to over 6-and-a-half feet tall.
Ever notice people who tell a story about "I know this guy who did X" and when you question them further they remember no details.. and dig in even further you discover that it was likely a story someone else told them.. they had no direct experience of this at all. In my experience it's usually used to support a position in a debate.
I'm just wondering if this has a technical term in psychology...
Yeah, people do that when discussing names and they say they know a La-a (pronounced La-dash-ah).
Yeah, people do that when discussing names and they say they know a La-a (pronounced La-dash-ah).
Yes, and everybody except for me has been on a supermarket line behind a person who bought lobster and steak and paid for them with food stamps or an EBT card.
(Well, I could've been, except I usually don't look at what other people buy or how they pay for it.)
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.