3.5 Reconstructive Memory

Define Reconstructive Memory

Refers to the way in which memories can be altered or reconstructed over time

For Humans, reconstructive memory?

Process brain tries to fill in gaps in memory using past experiences and knowledge.

What does it use?

Uses a combo of info from sensory inputs, past experiences, and expectations to create new memory/alter memory = distortion

Recall?

RM - states that retrieval is an active process that reconstructs information - instead of passive retrieval

Open to Biases?

Leading questions and false information may alter recall - due to active process

Eye Witness Testimony

Refers to the recollection of event by an individual who has witnesses a crime or an accident.

Implications

Theory led to the questioning of eyewitness testimony - many wrongful convictions were based on flawed eyewitness testimony

Loftus and Palmer Aim

to investigate whether the use of leading questions would affect an eyewitness’s estimation of speed

Method

True Lab Experiment

Design

Independent Measures

Sampling Strategy

Convenience - students from Washington uni (45 students)

IV

Verb used to describe crash

DV

Participants speed estimate / whether or not the participant believed they saw glass or not

Experiment 1 - procedure 1

Shown 7 clips of traffic accidents (5 - 30 seconds long)

Experiment 1 - procedure 2

Write an account of accident they just seen and asked some specific questions (critical question - what speed do you think vehicles were going)

Experiment 1 - procedure 2

5 conditions, each with 9 ppts
Wording of question was altered

smashed

collided

bumped

hit

contacted

Experiment 2 - procedure 1

150 students from Washington

Shown a short film - 1 minute

4 second clip of multi-car accident (in film)

Experiment 2 - procedure 2

3 conditions - wording manipulated

hit

smashed

others not asked about speed

Experiment 2 - procedure 3

One week later, asked series of questions

Critical questions - did you see any broken glass

No broken glass in the clip

Experiment 1 - Findings 1

Smashed = 40.8 mph

Collided = 39.3 mph

bumped = 38.1 mph

hit = 34.0 mph

contacted = 31.8 mph

distortion of memory caused by verbal label used

Experiment 1 - findings 2

Could be due to response bias - adjust answer to expectation when not sure

Experiment 2 was to decipher between demand characteristics and memory distortion

Experiment 2 - findings 1

smashed = 16 said yes 34 said no

hit = 7 said yes 43 said no

Control = 6 said yes 44 said no

Verb choice has an effect

Conclusion

Two kinds of info enter memory: info from perception and info supplied afterwards

Time becomes integrated long-term so distinction between two sources cannot be made

Conclusion

Many other factors influencing memory

some psychologists disagree with results, suggest due to bias rather than memory distortion

Wider implications?

Judges required to instruct jury that it is not safe to convict on 1 eyewitness

Police and lawyers urged to avoid leading questions

What Study should be used with Loftus and Palmer for a reconstructive memory ERQ

Yuille and Cutshall

Yuille and Cutshall Year

1986

Aim

To investigate whether leading questions would affect memory of eyewitnesses at a real crime scene

Method

Experiment

Design

Independent Measures

Sampling Strategy

Purposive

IV

i) Leading headlight question or not

ii) leading panel question or not

DV

i) Whether they remember seeing a broken headlight

ii) Whether they remember seeing a yellow panel

Crime scene

Robbery of a gun shop

Thief tied up owner before stealing money and guns

Owner freed himself and, thinking that the thief had escaped, went outside the shop

Thief was still there and shot him twice

Police had been called - there was gunfire - and thief was eventually killed

21 eye witnesses

Procedure

• Researchers contacted EW’s four months after event

• 13 agreed to participant

• Gave an account of incident, then asked questions

• 2 leading questions were used

• ½ group was asked if they saw a broken headlight on the getaway car

• ½ were asked if they saw a yellow panel on the car (actually blue)

• Rate stress 1-7

Results:

• Ew’s = reliable

• Large amount of accurate detail (confirmed by police reports)

• No errors as a result of the leading questions

• increased stress = increased accuracy of memories