week 5 chapter8 Remembering Complex Events Flashcards
Hyperthymesia
Highly Superior Autobiograpgical Recall (HSAM). Can remember what did every single day, over decades with refererence to date, completely accurately. Whilst great at remembering own life, such people are not geniuses or remarkable with remembering other things. Very rare.
Memory is subsequently shaped by;
a) involvement with an event b) emotion c) passge of time
All sorts of misremembering may occur:
a)Crashing Memories Paradigm b)Transplant errors c)Context-setting d)DRM procedure e)Schematic knowledge
Crashing memories Paradigm
This proven phenomenon is where subjects have heard/recollected and discussed a big news event, and later (if prompted) claim to have seen video footage of the event and provide details.the event was true, BUT there was never any actual footage.
Transplant Errors
Hypothesised that parts of memories may be stored in different locations eg what saw/heard/thought about an event. Connections between them though.The boundaries between parts are not distinct and so over time, whether was seen or just thought, blurs, and also multiple trips eg to beach merge together. Therefore transplant errors.
Context-setting errors
A study showed that participants shown a context-setting paragraph prior to reading a passage, retained more information (compared to those without seeing the context-setting paragraph), had increased comprehension, but also showed increased inclusion errors. (likely through accepting inferences as truth)
Inclusion error
elements included in recall which were not present in original (ie inference may have been converted to fact in one’s mind).
DRM Procedure
Given list of closely associated words, all tied to a “link “or “Lure” word, which is not presented.Later, often falsely remember the link word.
Schematic Knowledge errors
Schematic knowledge tends to be used to automatically “fill in the blanks’ in memory, with what is typical or to regularise an account to fit normality. eg erroneously remember books in an academic’s office, or magazines in a dentist’s waiting room, because they would typically be there. Or eg edit and replace details of a native story, with elements that you find “make more sense”.
Misinformation effect
Can alter an eye-witness’ memory by how question; eg “how fast cars were going before hitting, cf smashing?” (if use smashing, more likely to report higher speed) or by asking if matches another witness’s statement (which may or may not be accurate) or by asking to recall a detail which was not true eg “where was he bleeding from?” (when wasn’t) etc. The Misinformation Effect causes memmory errors resulting from misinformation received AFTER the event. It seems to be easier to plant plausible memories than implausible ones.
False Evidence
False evidence can encourage memory errors. Many studies have been able to illicit False Memories by presenting episodesas factual, and asking participanjts to recall etc. Can influency with words, body language, positive/negative response etc.May use photoshopped pictures, false claims, repetition, etc. To the extreme some people have then claimed they committed a crime and were detained when neither occurred!
Memory Facts
a) Confidence in recall DOES NOT equal accuracy. b)Significant events are no less susceptible to memory error, than ordinary ones. c)Memory IS NOT just like a video recording. d)Hypnosis CANNOT cause recovery of long lost memories. e) Mostly however, memories are accurate. f)Even inaccurate memories can be just as emotional (and are “real” to person) g)Whilst many memory errors spring from inherent problems in the system, such as relying on schemata etc, the benefits of this far outweigh the cons.
Forgetting
a) Failure of acquisition (therefore was never truly learnt and so IS NOT TRULY forgetting). Or b) Over passage of time, what once was known, is no longer known. The Retention Interval=time between initial learning and subsequent retrieval. The longer this is, the more likely to forget more of the event. The Forgetting Curve shows exponential decay, ie rapid substantial forgetting with initial time, but then over time, further decay becomes minimal. This is the standard pattern. (the rapidness of the initial decay is still faster if less was well-learnt to begin with.)
Theories on Forgetting
The following theories have ALL been shown valid: a)Decay Theory of Forgetting; memories fade/errode over time either due to brain cells dying, or connections weakening through atrophy etc. b)Interference Theory; new learning replaces old learning c)Retrieval Failure; memory is still there but problem accessing eg remember someone’s name later….
Undoing Forgetting
a)Hypnosis; NO. CANNOT “remember” things previously forgotten. At least, most practitioners refute hypnosis bring back forgotten memories. What it may do, is bring about more detail, and also may just be that the participant is more willing to yield information. b)The Cognitive Interview; this is designed to help police get more accurate info form witnesses. Includes an effort to Context Reinstatement eg re-walking, re-smelling the scene etc. Provides several Retrieval Cues etc which may be useful. This has proven useful technique. c)Avoid forgetting by revisiting memories more often. eg “Testing Effect” (has been shown more likely to remember material if have been tested on it).
Autobiographical Memory
The memory we have for events in our own life.
Self-schema
How one views oneself. People tend to believe they have been consistent and stable whole life, and tend to re-construct memories to reflect this somewhat.
Memory Consolidation
Process where memories are biologically consolidated. Consolidation occurs unconsciously over a few hours. Consolidation may be interrupted by injury or fatigue (therefore memory lost). Consolidation may occur whilst sleeping. Emotion enhances consolidation (emoution→amygdala triggrered→
increased hippocampal activity.)
Emotion and memory
Emotion enhances consolidation.
Emotion also means that you increase attention, plus more likely to mull over events later and these both increase memory.
BUT emotion also tends to “Focus attention narrowly” therefore other parts of event may be forgotten.
Studies have also shown there are many individual differences in episodic memory in regards to which areas of brain are active during.
“Flashbulb Memory”
Memories of extreme clarity, (typically for highly emotional or noteworthy events) retained over many years.
eg “I remember when I heard President Kennedy was shot….
Even these memories though, may contain errors. Errors are more likely if have discussed event several times with people and version becomes “polished”. This may be due to the social aspects of remebering- where an event is discussed and shared.
Co-Witness Contamination
Occurs when a detail from 1st witness (accurate or not), not noticed by 2nd witness, after hearing about it, 2nd witness adds it to their story.
Traumatic Memories
Usually people experiencing highly traumatic events, can remember them very well (often complain too well). May still have memory errors though. These errors may be due to stress. Sometimes due to stress can have more memory errors. Head trauma, substance abuse and fatigue may also cause some memory loss. Some people suffering traumatic eevents barely remember them at all.
Repression
Some argue that memories may be so painful, that they are pushed out of awareness as a self defence mechanism, via a process of repression or disassociation. Most argue however that this is not the case.
Age and Memory
Few people remember much prior to 3 years of age (= normal “childhood amnesia”). Most people recall memory from age 10 to 30 with greater detail (= the Reminiscence Bump”)(detail does not equal accuracy)
Self Reference Effect
Are more likely to rememberevents/words etc with relevance to youreslf. eg. list of place names-more likely to remember those which have personally visited etc.
