Cognitive Psychology - Reconstructive Memory

Reconstructive Memory Theory (Bartlett, 1932)

Culture, experiences, and beliefs affect memory.

Schema

A schema is a mental framework or blueprint that organizes and interprets information. It's a mental structure representing concepts, events, or relationships, unique to each individual based on their knowledge and expectations.

Reconstructive Memory

Memory is not a passive recording but an active construction based on schemas. It's distorted during encoding and changes over time. We recreate events, altering them to make sense to us.

Key Points

Recalled material is rebuilt, affected by extra information and existing schemas.
Memory gaps are filled using stereotypes and expectations, producing distorted memories.
Memory is influenced by social and cultural expectations.
The meaning of events is typically remembered rather than specific details.
Memory is an active process.

War of the Ghosts Study (Bartlett, 1932)

Aim: To investigate how memory is reconstructed over time and how cultural expectations affect memory using an unfamiliar story.
Method: Participants read 'The War of the Ghosts' and reproduced it immediately, then repeatedly over weeks, months, and years.
Results: Participants shortened and altered the story to fit their own experiences and culture.
Conclusion: Memory is influenced by beliefs and expectations; fragments are remembered and reconstructed based on social expectations.

Findings

Omission: The story was shortened and simplified.
Rationalization: Illogical elements were made logical.
Transformation: Ideas were changed to fit cultural concepts.
Familiarization: Unfamiliar details were altered to align with personal schemas.

Evaluation

Strengths: Supports reconstructive memory theory; real-world applications in eyewitness testimony.
Weaknesses: Participants were from Cambridge University; casual study with non-standardized procedures, Bartlett's beliefs may have affected how he interpreted the results. Unnatural lab setting, unusual story.

Core Components of Reconstructive Memory

Reconstruction: Memories are reconstructed each time they are recalled.
Inaccurate: Memories are not recordings; they are missing information and can be inaccurate.
Social & Cultural Influences: Schemas shape memory reconstruction.
Effort After Meaning: The meaning of an event is recalled first, then the story is pieced together.

Strengths & Weaknesses of the Theory

Strengths: Supported by studies like Bartlett (1932) and Loftus and Palmer (1974).
Weaknesses: Lacks standardized methods, potential for researcher bias, contradictory evidence (Wynn and Logie, 1998), and doesn't account for accurate or detailed memories in personally important situations.