Brainwashing Woody
I’ve avoided writing about this case because it’s so terribly sad, and plenty of good stuff has already been written (I recommend this; and this). But I’ve been driven to add yet another piece to the flood by something that it seems to me to have been overlooked so far, namely, the surprising fact that Mia is constantly accused of brainwashing and Woody is not.
We’ve all watched everyone become an expert on false-memory syndrome overnight—happens all the time! It’s easy to do! Allen’s defenders say. Totally mythic! False epidemic! say Dylan’s supporters. I’m not an expert, so I’m going to leave that alone, though I suggest we make a habit of implanting happier memories into children with traumatic pasts if it’s really that easy. What I do know a little about is polygraphs, and given that Allen resorts to using one to prove his credibility—which is easily disproved using other means—I think it’s worth mentioning that polygraphs are junk science. The American Psychological Association notes that “there is no evidence that any pattern of physiological reactions is unique to deception. An honest person may be nervous when answering truthfully and a dishonest person may be non-anxious.”
I submit that, rather than accept Allen’s own framework for what proves his honesty, we should examine his credibility by looking at his own record.
More: Brainwashing Woody