RECONSTRUCTING MEMORY DP 12

Question 1

Reconstructive Nature of Memory

Answer 1

• combining stored info with other available info to form a more complete memory
• Each time we retrieve a memory we make up and add missing bits to complete the memory in a plausible or logical way
• Retrieved memories aren’t necessarily an exact reproduction of the og experience at the time of learning (Memory is fallible)

Question 2

Reconstructing Memory / factors impacting distortion

Answer 2

• Memory is subject to personal interpretation it is dependent on a range of factors including cultural norms, emotion and values
• People store information in the way that makes the most sense to them
• Minor/insignificant events are overlooked
  Eg. being told a detailed story about going to a restaurant and recalling the waitress gave a menu (even if it wasn’t stated) due to previous experiences

Question 3

How is memory distorted?

Answer 3

During initial encoding, retrieval and reconsolidation, we reconstruct the memory to ensure it is complete in a logical/plausible way (without conscious awareness)
Repeated retrieval = further distortion
Eg. conversations w other ppl can create info that is integrated into memory

Question 4

Leading Questions

Answer 4

• A question that prompts an individual to answer in a particular way

Question 5

How do leading questions reconstruct memories?

Answer 5

• Loftus’ research makes it clear that leading questions can distort memories and manipulate memory reconstruction and therefore info that is reported by eyewitnesses is unreliable.
• Misinformation from leading questions becomes confused with the original memory

Question 6

Elizabeth Loftus Research

Answer 6

• Loftus conducted research and experiments on the fallibility of memory
• Experiment: participants watched videos of car accidents and were asked different variations of leading questions about what they had witnessed, including an estimation of speed of collision.
• Variation in wording such as the intensity of the verb influenced the the average estimated speed. Eg: if experimenter said car hit, they said a lower speed if car smashed, they said higher speed
• Conclusion: memories were distorted by the verbal label used to describe intensity of the crash, causing memory to be incorrectly encoded/manipulated subconsciously (constructed memory)
• Continuation: 1 week later, w/out viewing experiment again, they were asked a leading question w planted info. Eg. did you see the broken glass? (there was no glass present)
• Results: wording of original question impacted whether they saw glass or not

Question 7

Source confusion

Answer 7

Arises when true source of a memory is forgotten or when a memory is attributed to the wrong source (due to leading questions)

Question 8

Fallibility of memory

Answer 8

• Loftus found that memories can be reconstructed to include new info that is learnt after an event, or due to leading questions
• Overtime, memory can be changed as it is reconsolidated into LTM
• Reconstruction of memories provides evidence for the fallibility (unreliability) of memory

Question 9

Reconsolidation

Answer 9

A process in which previously stored memories, when retrieved, are altered before being stored again