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Reconstructive Memory: Bartlett (1932) - Coggle Diagram
Reconstructive Memory: Bartlett (1932)
Description
When we come across an event, we interpret that event based on knowledge we already have- in other words we use our imagination.
This makes memory somewhat objective.
Memory is a picture- it is not objective. This is because we construct our memories.
War of the ghosts: Bartlett 1932
Bartlett chose this folklore as it was not culturally familiar.
It doesn't have a rational story order which makes it hard to remember.
When we recall the story we impose a rational story order on it.
He wanted to see how participants would perceive and image the story due to the visual imagery and somewhat supernatural ending.
Our recall showed a westernized interpretation thus illustrating our subjective memory construction rather than accurate recall of events.
Participants add to the story to make it make sense (
confabulation
)
They also altered important parts to it their own schemata (
Rationalization
)
Loftus And Palmer: Eye witness Testimony
Loftus' findings seem to indicate that memory for an event that has been witnessed is highly flexible.
If someone is exposed to new information during the interval between witnessing and recalling the event, the new information may have marked effects on what they recall.
Loftus and Palmer (1974): Eyewitness testimony can be unreliable and influenced by leading questions.
Leading questions can distort the testimony and cause confabulation effect.
Cues become distorted by cues provided in the question.
First experiment showed 45 participants what speed a car was going at when they smashed/ collided/ bumped/ hit/ contacted.
The numbers were higher for the more violent and aggressive words.
Schemas
Equalibriation: when the knowledge you hold matches the experiences in the world
Assimilation: Fitting new information into an existing schema you already have
A schema is an organised package of information that contains certain knowledge about the world. It works like an internal map and is stored in LTM.
Disequalibriation: when you come across something new in the world that you have no stored knowledge for.
Accomodation: Creating room for a new schema of knowledge.
Bransford (1979)
Used a sentence about dropping glass on the floor.
When people were asked to recall this sentence, they used the words 'smash' or 'broken'.
Peoples schemas add to it to try and recall what was said.
Perception
Perceptions are subjective and unique to the individual. - Bartlett devised a series of experiments to test memory of shapes and objects. Using ink blots, he asked P's to describe what they saw.
He believed he could see the participants rummaging around their stored images to find a best fit for the ink plot pattern they saw.