reconstructive memory

reconstructive memory

the concept that memory is not the exact copy of experinces but reconstructed and influenced by existing schemas and beliefs

schema theory

a theory that suggest we store generalized knowledge structures which influenced how we encode , store and retrieve memory

memory distortion

is remembering things differently from how they really happened

recognition vs recall

recognition ( identifying a face ) tends to be more accurate than recall ( describing a face from memory )

Loftus & Palmer (1974) aim

to investigate if wording of a question can influence the reconstructive memory

Loftus & Palmer (1974) sample

45 american students in the first experiment

Loftus & Palmer (1974) procedure

participants were shown by a car crash video and had to estiamte the speed of the car when they smashed / collided / bumped / hit / contacted eachother , in follow up , they were asked a week later wether they had seen broken glass ( there was none )

Loftus & Palmer (1974) results

participants gave higher estimation with more intense verbs like smashed , more people in that condition falsely remembered seeing broken glass

Loftus & Palmer (1974) conclusion

memory is reconstructive and can be influenced by post event information such as leading questions

Loftus & Palmer (1974) strenghts

high internal validity / reliable

Loftus & Palmer (1974) limitations

low ecological validity / ethical concern ( deception about the broken glass )

Bahrick et al. (1975) aim

to investigate the reliability of autobiographic memory over time especially names and faces

Bahrick et al. (1975) sample

392 participants from age 17 to 74 who had graduated from high school up to 57 years

Bahrick et al. (1975) procedure

participants completed five memory tests including free recall , a photo recognition test , a name recognition test , matching test and picture cueing test based on their highschool yearbook and they rated their confidence based on a 3 point scale

Bahrick et al. (1975) results

recognition of names and faces remained high even after 48 years , free recall declined significantly over time

Bahrick et al. (1975) conclusion

autobiographical memory especially recognition is highly reliable over a long period of time though recall is more vulnerable to decay

Bahrick et al. (1975) strenghts

high ecological validity / high generalizability

Bahrick et al. (1975) limitations

less control over external variables / sampling bias ( Sampling bias happens when the people chosen for a study don’t fairly represent the whole group.)