6.07 Failures of memory Flashcards
the most likely fate of old memories
they will be changed or altered, but not lost
the idea that memories are reconstructed from the information stored during encoding, and that they can change when we retrieve them
constructive processing
memory researcher who has found evidence supporting the idea of constructive processing and the misinformation effect
Elizabeth Loftus
tendency to falsely believe that we would have accurately predicted an outcome, a feeling that we “knew it all along”
hindsight bias
inaccurate memories that occur when people are exposed to information after an event
false memories
occurs when misleading information becomes part of our actual memory
misinformation effect
the creation of false memories through the suggestion of others, often while one is under hypnosis
false-memory syndrome
in people with dementia, these are stories made up, but not intended to trick others
confabulations
people with this condition can remember everything and are unable to forget
hyperthymesia
his forgetting curves traced the decline of memory over time; he also found that distributed practice was more effective than massed practice
Hermann Ebbinghaus
failure to process information into memory; often happens when we glance at something too quickly to remember it
encoding failure
a physical change in the brain that occurs when a memory is formed
memory trace
the disappearance of a memory trace that is not used
decay
tendency to allow previously learned material to interfere with the learning of new material
proactive interference
tendency to allow newer information to interfere with the retrieval of older information
retroactive interference
