Reconstructive Memory Theory

Question 1

Who is this theory by?

Answer 1

Bartlett

Question 2

What is reconstructive memory?

Answer 2

Memory is not a passive and faithful reproduction of what we experience.
Memory is an active process where wer store fragments of information and when we need to recall something we reconstruct these fragments into a meaningful whole.
Previous knowledge can be used to interpret new information and actively reconstruct it.

Question 3

Bartlet’s war of the ghosts: what happened when british students tried to remember it?

Answer 3

-The story became significantly shorter
-Much of the detail was lost
-Song details were changed e.g. “seal hunting” became “fishing”.
This is due to the structure becoming more westernised as british people relate the story to western information, not native Indian culture.