Final answer:
False memories can arise from suggestibility and need not be based on manipulations of existing memories or realistic perceptions. They can be implanted without the recipient's conscious willingness, as demonstrated by research in the field, including the works of Elizabeth Loftus.
Step-by-step explanation:
The nature of false memories can be described by understanding that they can occur through different processes, such as suggestibility, which is a distortion error where memories are influenced by external factors, such as leading questions from a therapist or police interviewer. False memories do not necessarily have to be based on a manipulation of an existing memory, nor do they need to be realistic to the recipient. It is also incorrect to claim that false memories cannot be implanted unless the recipient is willing, as suggestibility can occur subconsciously and without the recipient's awareness.
Cognitive psychologist Elizabeth Loftus has extensively studied false memories and the misinformation effect paradigm, showing how people can misremember events after being exposed to misleading information. Additionally, false memories are not exclusive to suggestibility; the formation of a false memory can also occur through other forms of memory distortion, such as misattribution and bias, the latter being influenced by personal beliefs and emotions.
False memory syndrome refers to the recall of false autobiographical memories, which can be particularly complex as these often relate to events that lack independent witnesses, making the truth harder to discern.