Reconstructive Memory Concept checking Reconstructive Memory 1

Can you…. on your white board Describe a what is meant by a ‘schema’ Explain the role of schemas in reconstructive memory

Are the following statements TRUE or FALSE

FALSE Schemas distort our recall Schemas are packets of information based on our knowledge and experience of the world, they help us to construct an accurate reproduction of the original material

TRUE Reconstructive memory relies on the stereotypes we hold of people

FALSE he found that people’s schemas changed the content of what they remembered about the text Bartlett asked participants to memorise a text that would produce a conflict between their own knowledge of the world and the stories content. He found that peoples schemas changed with the introduction of new information.

FALSE accuracy of memory is low Bartlett concluded that the accuracy of memory is fairly high due to its active processing of reconstruction.

TRUE Bartlett’s instructions were vague and therefore it is probable that the distortions were simply guesses made by the participants trying to make their recall seem coherent and complete.

TRUE Schemas are useful because they provide a way of organising information and thus enhancing LTM

FALSE The theory of reconstructive memory proposes that the process of memory is like taking a photograph

FALSE they used ‘boats’ instead of ‘canoes’ Participant’s recall in the War of the Ghosts’ was transformed in a number of ways, it was shortened and language was changed to fit culture. For example, they used the word ‘canoes’ instead of ‘boats’

Other Studies

BARTLETT 1932 Participants' recall of the story got shorter and shorter after multiple presentations. After about 6 PRESENTATIONS it had been REDUCED FROM 330 WORDS TO 180. Participants frequently added in their own interpretation. For example, the reference to the canoe was often changed to a boat, and the whole theme of ghosts was often forgotten.

ALLPORT & POSTMAN1947 This man (and a colleague named Postman) showed participants pictures of various scenes of crime. He found that their recall was related to the prejudice and stereotypes we hold of people. E.g. After several retellings of the story, the razor changed from the white man’s hand to the black man’s hand.

BRANSFORD & JOHNSON 1972 Aimed to demonstrate how schemas enhance memory. Group A were simply asked to recall as much as possible Group B were given a clothes-washing schema before hand Recall was twice as much for Group B

CARMICHEAL et al 1932 Participants were shown a series of drawings. They were then asked to recall the drawings using ‘cue labels’. Depending on which label they had been given affected the drawings that was subsequently produced. A word had conjured up a set of expectations which in turn affected memory ‘Pickaxe’ ‘Turf cutter’

BREWER & TREYENS 1981 Asked participants to wait in an office-like room. In the room were various objects, some consistent with an office and some that weren’t. On recall they remembered the consistent items better than the inconsistent items. Although many remembered the skull