reconstructive memory

Question 1

what is reconstructive memory

Answer 1

.argues that memories are reconstructions

Question 2

describe how reconstructive memory works

Answer 2

.we don’t record events in memory and reproduce them later (like a video recorder)
. instead we store fragments of information
.when we recall something we reconstruct these fragments into a meaningful whole

Question 3

what does reconstructive memory result in ?

Answer 3

memory is not a totally accurate record of what happend

Question 4

what experiment shows reconstructive memory ?

Answer 4

Barlett study

Question 5

what was the aim of Barletts study for reconstructive memory ?

Answer 5

to measure the accuracy of reconstructive memory and identify how schemas may influence them

Question 6

describe barletts 1st experiment

Answer 6

The study asked 20 niave participants to read a native american folk tale (war of ghosts)

. one subject was read the story and told to recall it

. the second subject is shown the first subjects account of the story and instructed to recall it (and so on).

Question 7

what do we call barlett’s first experiment ?

Answer 7

serial reproduction design

Question 8

describe barletts 2nd experiment

Answer 8

. Participants were asked to recall the folk tale over a given period

.the participants were read the story and asked to recall it after 15 minutes

. the participants were asked to recall the story several times over a 1 year period

Question 9

what do we call Barletts 2nd experiment

Answer 9

repeated reproduction design

Question 10

what were Barrets findings

Answer 10

. participants created new information more frequently as the story was passed down .

. the longer the period in which the story was told the shorter and more obscure the folk tale became
(details were missed or rationalised)

Question 11

what Barletts conclusion ?

Answer 11

People are prone to make errors during the reconstructive memory process
he came up with the concept of rationalisation .

Question 12

what is rationalisation ?

Answer 12

were parts of a memory are distorted to fit your schema, to make the memory meaningful.

Question 13

how does rationalisation link to Barletts study ?

Answer 13

some participants recalled unfamiliar words with familiar ones ( instead of saying canoe they said boat ext .)

Question 14

whats a schema ?

Answer 14

mental frameworks or beliefs that influence cognitive processing

Question 15

what is shortening ?

Answer 15

when part of a memory is left out so what remains is shorter

Question 16

what is confabulation ?

Answer 16

when details are added to a memory to fill in the gaps

Question 17

what is a strength of reconstructive memory and why ?

Answer 17

.It has practical applications

.it can help explain problems with eye witness testimony’s

.Their recollection on what they saw may be affected by their schema.

. As our memory can be affected by schemas (such as expectations on what a criminal should look like), so people do not always recall events accurately.

.This means evidence in court is never based on eyewitnesses alone as it could be inaccurate due to reconstructive memory.

Question 18

what is a strength of reconstructive memory and why ?

Answer 18

.There is evidence

.there is evidence showing reconstructive memory form Barlett’s research.

Question 19

whats a weakness to reconstructive memory

Answer 19

.not all memories are affected by schemas.

.Recall can be very accurate

. for example in a situations that are personally important, distinctive or unusual, we can remember a lot of accurate detail.