Reconstructive memory

• Who argued that memories are not reproductions but reconstructions?

  Sir Frederic Charles Bartlett
• What does Bartlett suggest about the nature of memories?


  Memories are reconstructions of fragments of information.
• How does Bartlett's view of memory challenge traditional notions of memory accuracy?


  It suggests that memory is not a totally accurate record of what happened.
• What is a schema in the context of memory?


  A mental package of beliefs and expectations that influence memory.
• How do schemas affect memory according to Bartlett?


  Schemas influence what we store and what we recall.
• What are the processes through which schemas reconstruct memories?


  • Shortening: Leaving out unfamiliar or unexpected details.
  • Rationalisation: Making strange or unfamiliar memories make more sense.
  • Confabulation: Inventing parts of a memory to fill in gaps.
• What happens to parts of a memory that don't fit into existing schemas?


  They are left out during recall.
• What is the effect of rationalisation on memory recall?


  It changes memories to make them fit better with existing schemas.
• How does confabulation occur in memory recall?


  It fills in gaps in memory guided by schemas to make sense of the memory.
• What is reconstructive memory?


  Pieces of stored information are reassembled during recall.
• What guides the process of reconstructive memory?


  Our schemas guide the process of reconstructive memory.
• What is the implication of reconstructive memory for the accuracy of our memories?


  It implies that the memories we produce may make sense but can be inaccurate.