What is reconstructive memory and which psychologist is associated with the idea?

What is reconstructive memory and which psychologist is associated with the idea?

• A. Memory cannot be studied scientifically.
• B. Memory is exact and unaffected by context.
• C. Memory is not exact and can be distorted by recall influences and existing schemas; associated with Bartlett.
• D. Memory only stores visual images.

Answer: (C)

Reconstructive memory means that when we try to recall something, we don’t reproduce a perfect recording. Instead, recall is guided by our expectations, prior knowledge, and mental frameworks (schemas), so details can be altered, omitted, or reinterpreted as we reconstruct the memory. This idea is exemplified by Bartlett’s work, especially his War of the Ghosts study, which showed people changed unfamiliar details to fit their own cultural expectations and shortened the story to make it more coherent. The result is that memory is not exact but can be distorted by the way we actively reconstruct it during recall. So, the statement that memory is not exact and can be distorted by recall influences and existing schemas best captures the concept, and Bartlett is the psychologist most closely associated with this idea. The other descriptions imply memory is exact, unaffected by context, or limited to visual images, which doesn’t fit this viewpoint.

Reconstructive memory means that when we try to recall something, we don’t reproduce a perfect recording. Instead, recall is guided by our expectations, prior knowledge, and mental frameworks (schemas), so details can be altered, omitted, or reinterpreted as we reconstruct the memory.

This idea is exemplified by Bartlett’s work, especially his War of the Ghosts study, which showed people changed unfamiliar details to fit their own cultural expectations and shortened the story to make it more coherent. The result is that memory is not exact but can be distorted by the way we actively reconstruct it during recall.

So, the statement that memory is not exact and can be distorted by recall influences and existing schemas best captures the concept, and Bartlett is the psychologist most closely associated with this idea. The other descriptions imply memory is exact, unaffected by context, or limited to visual images, which doesn’t fit this viewpoint.