Reconstructive Memory - Evaluation (Strengths & Weaknesses) Flashcards
Evidence for the theory?
- from Bartlett’s experiment
- from Loftus, who carried out many studies on the unreliability of eyewitness testimony
- from the idea of Chinese Whispers, as many have found that it works; people change the story to make more sense & different sense
Why can the theory be tested by experimental method?
Because the IV can be operationalised & measured.
A story can have features that can be counted each time the story is recalled, and the changes can be recorded, so…
… up to a point, the theory can be tested scientifically.
How can reliability be achieved in this case?
Story can be reduced into an IV & a DV, & other variables can be controlled.
The theory can be usefully applied to key questions for society. For example?
Reliance of a prosecution on eyewitness memory is shown to need questioning by studies showing that memories are reconstructed and therefore perhaps just one ‘version’ of events.
‘War of the Ghosts’ story involves an unusual story that doesn’t make sense to the participants. They will alter it as they are being asked to retell it so that it makes sense.
Why is this a weakness?
Because there may be demand characteristics, so the results of the study won’t be reliable.
What do we mean by ‘demand characteristics’?
Where the participant guesses what that aims and intentions of the study are, and therefore acts accordingly.
What doesn’t the theory explain?
HOW memory is reconstructive.
The study takes one part of memory & describes it, rather than…
… explaining it.
Other than saying that schemata are used, the study doesn’t…
… explain what the activity is.
Much of the evidence is from experiments.
Why might this be a weakness?
Because the tasks & situation of the experiments are artificial, so results may lack validity and not be applicable to everyday life.
