Evaluation for KC5

Question 1

Research

Answer 1

Bower found that people would reorder events to fit in with their memory script. Cognitive scripts strongly influence how we remember everyday events and could be important in understanding things such as inaccurate eyewitness testimony.

Question 2

Applications

Answer 2

Understanding how our memory scripts work can help us to avoid making assumptions and judgements about people. We know to question whether it is the person themselves or our stereotypes about their social groups that make us think in a certain way.

Question 3

Weaknesses

Answer 3

However, this cannot explain all behaviour. Often people behave in a way that goes against their cognitive script. For example, the way we respond to meeting a new young person might be influenced more by how others treat them rather than our own cognitive script about young people. Furthermore, many memories are memorable because they go against our cognitive script. The shock or surprise makes us recall the details of them.