IB DP Psychology – Reconstructive Memory (Vocabulary Flashcards)

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms from the notes on reconstructive memory, schemas, EWT, and related research.

Reconstructive memory

Memory is an active reconstruction, not a literal recording, influenced by schemas, prior knowledge, and retrieval context.

Schema

An organized knowledge framework that guides attention, encoding, and recall, which can distort memory by adding schema-consistent details.

Schema theory

The idea that memory encoding and retrieval are guided by prior knowledge structures, shaping what is stored and recalled.

Memory distortion

Systematic alterations in recalled information caused by expectations, schemas, or post-event information.

Leading question

A question that suggests a desired answer and can alter eyewitness recall.

Eyewitness testimony (EWT)

A witness’s account of a crime or event, often used in legal contexts and subject to distortion.

Reliability (memory)

Stability and consistency of recall across time.

Reliability (research)

Replicability and consistency of findings across studies.

Validity

The degree to which a measure assesses what it intends; includes constructs like construct validity and ecological validity.

Construct validity

Whether a test measures the intended theoretical construct.

Ecological validity

The extent to which findings generalize to real-world contexts and settings.

Recognition

Identifying previously encountered information; typically more accurate than recall.

Recall

Generating information without cues; more prone to errors than recognition.

Autobiographical memory

Memory for personal events; tends to be durable in recognition tasks over decades.

Stress/arousal and memory

Stress can impair memory in some situations, but high stress in real-life events can correlate with greater accuracy.

Loftus & Palmer (1974)

Classic study showing that verb choice in questions (e.g., smashed vs. hit) distorts speed judgments and recall.

Bartlett (1932) – War of the Ghosts

Study showing memory is reconstructed via cultural schemas; recall becomes shorter and uses familiar terms.

Cultural schemas

Cultural knowledge structures that shape how memories are reconstructed, as shown by Bartlett’s work.

Cognitive interview

Police interviewing technique designed to improve accurate recall and reduce false memories.

False memories

Memories of events that did not occur or are distorted.

Ethics in memory research

Considerations like deception, debriefing, and safeguards to protect participants in memory studies.