reconstructive memory essay plan

• reconstructive memory AO1

  memory is not a complete accurate recording of what happens in reality and we use past experiences to help us reconstruct memories. we have schemas which are mental structures in memory which contain all our stored knowledge, built through past experiences. they are used in recognition and interpretation of situations and used in reconstruction. there are three stages of reconstruction: 1) perception - how we see things, a precursor to what is remembered and influences our image of things. 2) imaging - where we use our own stored images to find descriptions of situations. 3) remembering - where we shorten and transform the memory based on our schemas. memory is prone to distortion, rationalisation, transformation, and simplification, and is reconstructed each time it is recalled
• reconstructive memory AO3 strength

  evidence - Bartletts war of the ghosts study = proved that memories are actively reconstructed based on prior knowledge and expectations as versions of the retold story were all distorted and transformed to fit ptps schemas = supports theory saying we reconstruct memories during recall

  CA: lack of control = many extraneous variables may have e=affected study eg pps prior knowledge was= unreliable as ppts aren't all in same conditions

  SW: despite this, the research provides evidence for the reconstruction of memory and highlights the influence of individual schemas on memory
• reconstructive memory AO3 weakness

  schemas not tangible = difficult to objectively measure the impact of them in active memory processes = not scientific as inference on schemas had to be made which were subjective to each researcher = difficult to draw factual conclusions

  CA: are various methods that can be used to give some insight to schema influence on memory eg experimental designs such as bartletts ink blot and war of ghosts but these don't provide solid evidence

  SW: overall inability to directly observe and measure schemas = hard to fully validate theory = not as scientific = weakness