Everyday Memory Flashcards
What is autobiographical memory?
memories of personally significant events
both episodic and semantic e.g knowing details about your birth through recollection of others
What is the difference between autobiographical and episodic memories?
AM is specifically organised info about ones life, serves a specific function and long lasting
EM are simpler, short lasting and fewer brain areas activated
What are the 4 main roles / functions of Autobiographical memories?
- self function (retain identity)
- social function (enhance social relationships through shared memories)
- directive function (past memories help guide decisions in future)
- self-enhancement (positive memories for positive self view)
How are autobiographical memories measured?
measured using thinking about life experiences scale (TALE)
What are flashbulb memories?
vivid and detailed memories of dramatic events
Brown and Kulik (1977): flashbulb memories
they include info about:
- informat (where news was heard)
- ongoing activity (emotional state)
- consequences for individual
- long lasting memories
What is infantile (childhood) aphasia?
where ppts report very few autobiographical memories before age of 3
What is the reminiscence bump?
many memories reported between ages 10 and 30
Freud: explanation for infantile aphasia
repression
Howe and Courage: explanation for infantile aphasia
cognitive self not developed
there’s no memories before concept of self has developed
The self Memory System model explains 3 levels of specificity for AM memories…
- lifetime periods
- general events
-event specific knowledge
What are the 2 ways in which Autobiographical memories are retrieved?
through:
- generative retrieval (deliberate constructed memories)
- direct retrieval (spontaneous memories triggered by external cues)
Inman’s 2 stages of generative retrieval?
- search and access
- elaborative processing
What are 2 factors that affect encoding?
- time (more time you have to observe fact better the encoding)
- attention (may only encode parts of events)
What 2 factors affect retrieval?
- cues (influence recall)
- interference
What are some factors that affect EWT?
Arousal and stress
Weapon focus
age of witness
misinformation effect
What is weapon focus effect?
stress and anxiety can narrow focus of attention onto object in crime scene
Findings of age of witness on EWT?
children over 4 are as accurate as adults when target is in line up
What is an example of a study showing the misinformation effect?
Loftus and Palmer study
ppts changed estimate of speed of car depending on what verb that were given in question
On average, what gender is better at face recognition in EWT?
females
what are 3 types of police line ups?
single blind line up
double blind line up
fair line up
Gieselman and Fisher: cognitive interview
- mental reinstatement of environment
- reporting all detail
- change order of questions
- change perspective
Colomb and Ginet: evaluation of Cognitive interview
changing order and point of view is ineffective as it disturbs temporal organisation
