Chapter 8: Everyday Memory and Memory Errors Flashcards
Autobiographical Memories (AM)
explicit memory that is episodic memories (memories of events and experiences) and more general, self-related semantic information (knowledge about oneself)
Cabeza et al. (2004)
used fMRI to compare brain activation caused by autobiographical memory and laboratory memory and brain areas showed greater activation for the A-photos
Reminiscence Bump
phenomenon in AM; the tendency for adults to recall more events from their adolescence and early adulthood (ages 10-30) than from other periods of their lives
Self-image hypothesis
suggests that memory is enhanced for events that occur during significant periods of self-identity formation, like adolescence and young adulthood
Cognitive hypothesis
explanation, testable through scientific methods, about how mental processes like memory, perception, and attention work, and how they influence behaviour; transitioning
Cultural life-script hypothesis
suggests that people’s memories of their lives are influenced by shared cultural expectations about the order and timing of important life events; timeline
amygdala
the amygdala enhances memory consolidation, particularly for emotionally arousing experiences
Flashbulb Memories
vivid and detailed recollections of events surrounding a surprising or emotionally significant event, often perceived as being as clear and lasting as a photograph
Brown and Kulik (1977)
proposed the theory of “flashbulb memories”; memories of emotionally significant events are vivid, detailed, and long-lasting, like a photograph captured in the moment
Repeated Recall
phenomenon where recalling the same information or items multiple times improves memory performance and retention
Talarico and Rubin’s (2003)
9/11 experiment of attacks to test if FM are more vivid; found that while people initially felt confident in their memories, consistency declined over time, but belief in accuracy remained high, suggesting confidence characterizes flashbulb memories
Narrative Rehearsal Hypothesis
suggests that the reminiscence bump occurs because these memories are more frequently rehearsed and retold as part of a person’s life story
Repeated reproduction
method of studying memory where a subject learns material and then recalls it repeatedly over time; Each time a memory is recalled, it is reconstructed based on personal beliefs, new information, and expectations
Bartlett’s “War of the Ghosts”
memory is reconstructive, meaning it’s not a passive recording but an active process influenced by schemas (pre-existing knowledge structures) and cultural expectations leading to errors in recall
Source Monitoring
ability to determine the origin of memories, thoughts, or experiences, distinguishing between whether something was personally experienced, imagined, or learned from an external source
Source Monitoring Errors
a memory error where the source of a memory is incorrectly attributed to a specific, but incorrect, experience or source; source misattributions
Cryptomnesia
source monitoring error where an individual mistakenly believes a thought or idea is originally theirs, when in fact, they have previously encountered it and forgotten the source
“Becoming Famous Overnight” (Jacoby et al., 1989)
found that source monitoring errors can cause people to mistake familiar names for famous ones; participants mistakenly judge previously studied, non-famous names as famous after a delay
Illusion of Truth Effect
tendency to believe information as true simply because it has been repeated, even if initially recognized as false, due to familiarity and ease of processing
Pragmatic inferences
when people fill in missing details based on their prior knowledge, even if those details were never explicitly stated, going beyond the literal or logical meaning of the words used, based on context and prior knowledge leading to memory distortions
Schema
mental framework or category that organizes and interprets information; “classroom schema” includes desks, a whiteboard, and a teacher
Script
a specific type of schema that outlines the expected sequence of actions or events in a particular situation; “restaurant script” includes actions like ordering food, eating, paying the bill, and leaving
Misinformation effect
phenomenon where exposure to misleading information after an event can distort or alter a person’s memory of that event, leading to false or inaccurate recollections; False/misleading information given after an event can change how we remember it
Misleading postevent information (MPI)
phenomenon where a specific type of misinformation effect where false information is introduced after an event, influencing memory; receive incorrect details after witnessing an event
Errors in Eyewitness Testimony (Wells & Bradfield,
1998)
highlights the “post-identification feedback effect,” where confirming feedback (even if false) leads witnesses to inflate their confidence in their (often mistaken) identifications, distorting their retrospective reports of the event
Weapons Focus Effect
the tendency for witnesses to focus on a weapon (such as a gun) during a crime, which reduces their ability to recall other details about the event or the perpetrator
Errors Due to Familiarity (Ross et al.,1994)
a memory error where a witness mistakenly identifies a familiar, but innocent, person as the perpetrator, a phenomenon known as unconscious transference or the “familiar bystander effect”
“Good You Identified the Suspect” (Wells & Bradfield (1998)
demonstrated the post-identification feedback effect, where confirming feedback after an eyewitness identification, even if incorrect, leads to inflated confidence in the identification and distorted reports of the witnessing experience
