Fallibility of memory

Question 1

eyewitness testimony

Answer 1

any first hand account given by an individual of an even they have seen
only as good as the memory of the person who saw the event

Question 2

memory and accuracy

Answer 2

memory is actively constructed
retrieving memory involved active reconstruction
memory is filtered and shaped by our thoughts, attitudes and beliefs and who we are
over time recalling memories can change the content and meaning of a memory

Question 3

Reconstruction

Answer 3

Involves combining stored information with other available information to form what is believed to be a more coherent, complete or accurate memory

Question 4

What can reconstruction errors occur for?

Answer 4

episodic and semantic memories

Question 5

Leading questions

Answer 5

questions that has content or is phrased in a way that suggests what the desired answer is or lead to the desired answer
the way questions are asked during eyewitness testimony can influence memory
- shows how recall does in fact involve an active reconstruction of events, that is open to suggestion

Question 6

Leading questions includes presupposition, what are presuppositions?

Answer 6

information that should or must be true in order for the question to make sense

Question 7

Loftus’ research overview

Answer 7

Participants were shown a video of a car accident and then they were interrogated as if they were being cross-examined in court

Question 8

Aim of Loftus’ research

Answer 8

To investigate how information provided to a witness after an event will influence their memory of that event

Question 9

question asked: ‘about how fast were the cars going when they _____ each other’
Findings…

Answer 9

depending on the intensity of the verb used, a faster speed was recalled
depending on the intensity of the verb used resulted in the recollection of seeing broken glass

Question 10

conclusion of loftus’ research

Answer 10

Memories can be altered by post event exposure to inaccurate information during questioning