reconstructive memory BARTLETT

aim

to see what will be remembered of the war of the ghost stories and the influence of schemas on memory

procedure

each participant used repeated reproduction to test recall ( recalling information over different time intervals)over minutes, hours days or more

• bartlett found that the story recall was shortened because of omissions, changing words like “canoe to boat”

results

memory is reconstructed each time it is recalled by distortion, rationalisation, transformation and simplifications

what is schema theory

• a schema is a parcel of knowledge used to fill in gaps in our memory

• schemas are also used in recognising objects and events.

evaluation weakness

• subjective, much of this was based off his own research

• it cant be generalised to daily life lacks mundane realism

evaluation strength

• application to eyewitnesses, they might forget information of a crime scene and fill in gaps with their schemas

• this can affect the accuracy of their statements it does show the use of schemas and actively reconstructive memory