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Human Memory
Not an exact copy of events; people store information in a way that makes the most sense to them.
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Theory of Reconstructive Memory
Memory is not passive retrieval of information from long term memory, but rather an active reconstruction of the memory each time its recalled
- in other words, we must consciously rebuild our memories every time we try to rebuild something
- However, this reconstructive process is subject to distortion by other intervening cognitive functions which can lead to errors in recall such as schema processing and confabulation.
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Schema Processing
We tend to reconstruct the memory to fit within our schema, which can result in distortion or inconsistent details
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Confabulation
a distorted, misinterpreted, or fabricated memory believed to be true, in spite of contradictory evidence.
- essentially, this theory assumes that memory is inherently unreliable
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Study Used
Loftus and Plamer (1974)