Reconstructive Memory (Loftus & Palmer and Loftus & Pickrell) Flashcards
Introduction of Reconstructive Memory (Theory of reconstructive memory (Bartlett) suggests that…) same as schema
Theory of reconstructive memory (Bartlett) suggests that memory is an active process that is a reconstruction of different information, rather than passive retrieval.
Argues that established knowledge (schemas) influence our cognitive processes in all stages
Humans try to find meaning in experiences. Memory distortion (incorrect memory retrieval, false reconstruction of memories) is impacted by cultural schemas eg. Unfamiliar memories (Confabulation)
What is schema?
Schema theory suggests that schemas are mental representations that allow us to organize our knowledge and beliefs to navigate situations like thinking quickly
What are the 3 types of schemas? Social, script and self-schemas
Social schemas (schemas about groups), scripts (schemas about sequential events), self-schemas can influence our thoughts (new information considers existing schemas through assimilation)
Loftus & Palmer study
A: Study reconstructive memory.
To test hypothesis that wording of a question and post-event information (info a person is exposed to after an event) can alter memory.
M:
- 45 students (Opportunity Sample)
- 7 film clips of traffic accidents
- After, participants had to describe what had happened in the POV of an eyewitness
- Asked to estimate the speed of a car through a range of leading questions (wording manipulated to get desired answer)
Different verb “How fast were the cars going when they smashed/collided/hit/contacted each other?
Assumption that these words would activate different cognitive schemas about the accident
2nd experiment
150 students were shown another film of accidents
Asked if they could recall broken glass
“How fast were the cars going when they smashed/hit into each other?”
F:
Experiment 1: Highest mean estimate of speed “smashed” (40.8mph) lowest “contacted”
Experiment 2: Those who were asked “smashed” believed that they saw broken glass
Conclusion: Results show that the way the question was formed (the more “powerful” or “violent” the verb) activates different parts of the participants schema and distorts the person’s memory and into believing that the accident was more severe
Link: Memory distortion is based on reconstruction, different from what actually happened but lines up with the cognitive schema of the accident (Bartlett)
STRENGTHS:
Highly controlled experiment and since this was an experiment we can allow for a cause and effect relationship → we can say that the difference in verb condition influenced their perception of the accident and affected the participants recall
LIMITATIONS:
Lacks generalisability to real life settings and mundane realism (how likely would this occur in the real world?) → since participants were viewing this in the format of a film and the accidents were recreated for the purpose of this study, participants may not have the same reaction compared to seeing a real life accident
How does Loftus & Palmer link to reconstructive memory?
Memory distortion is based on reconstruction, different from what actually happened but lines up with the cognitive schema of the accident (Bartlett)
Loftus & Pickrell “Lost in the mall” study
Another study carried out by Loftus & Pickrell, also known as the “Lost in the mall” study, demonstrates the reliability of episodic memory, as well as how the misinformation effect leads to people experiencing confabulation (a false memory).
Loftus & Pickrell
To determine if false memories can be formed in participants through repeated suggestion
Sample of Loftus & Pickrell
3 males and 21 female participants → parent/sibling of the participant was asked about 3 childhood memories, and whether they were lost in a mall before
Procedure of Loftus & Pickrell
- Questionnaire about 3 real events and 1 false about getting lost in the mall (remember/do not)
- Interview 2x in a month
- 1st interview: Recall info about 4 events
- How confident are you from 1-10
- 2nd interview: debrief and guess which memory was the false one
Findings of Loftus & Pickrell
Only 25% of participants recalled the false memory (but was less confident because they were unable to write lots about it)
How does Loftus & Pickrell link to reconstructive memory?
Strong support for confabulation (creation of false memories) through repetitive suggestion but this study doesn’t explain why that 25% were more susceptible to this than others, but demonstrates the misinformation effect as the study exhibits evidence that memory is actively being rebuilt (info told before can influence the anticipated memory)
Strengths of Loftus & Pickrell
High ecological validity (real-life childhood memories)
Limitations of Loftus & Pickrell
Unable to say for sure that the false memory never happened (it could just be memory distortion)
Questionnaire could lead to demand characteristics (changing their answers to fit what they believe is the ‘right’ answer) or consulting other people
Conclusion of reconstructive memory
Both of these studies Bartlett’s theory of memory being reconstructive in nature, it is applicable to real-life situations as we now question whether eyewitness testimonies are reliable and how memory can be adapted along the participants schema
