Overview

• Anglia Ruskin University scientists used an online enfacement illusion to show 50 adults a live, childlike version of their own face or an unaltered reflection.
• Participants who embodied the younger-looking face produced significantly more episodic details about childhood events than those in the control condition.
• Autobiographical memory interviews were recorded and scored for detail, and the effect was observed for episodic recall rather than semantic memory.
• The study did not verify whether the additional details were accurate, and the authors warned that viewing a younger self could encourage unintentional embellishment.
• Findings, published in Scientific Reports, are presented as preliminary, with potential future applications explored cautiously by lead author Dr. Utkarsh Gupta, now at the University of North Dakota.