What is the Mandela effect and how does it work?

The Mandela effect refers to a situation in which a large mass of people believes that an event occurred when it did not. Mandela effect: Definition and origin When Fiona Broome coined the term over a decade ago, she created a website detailing her recollections of former South African President Nelson Mandela dying in prison in the 1980s. Features of Mandela effect The Mandela effect features include: Having distorted memories in which some aspects are partially or entirely inaccurate. The concept of false memories provides one potential explanation for the Mandela effect. Confabulations are another potential mechanism underlying false memories and the Mandela effect.