Reconstructive Memory

Reconstructive Memory

1. Explanation

   • Developed by Bartlett in 1932
   • Said that memory is an active process and that we use existing knowledge called schemas to understand new info and impose meaning on it

2. Wynn and Logie (1998)

   • A
     • See if recall of familiar stories changed after serial reproduction
   • M
     • Asked uni students to recall details of first week at uni. Asked to do this several times throughout the year
   • R
     • Accuracy of descriptions remained same no matter how many times asked to recall
   • C
     • Memories of familiar events will not change over time
   • X
     • Sample - uni students (could have generally better memories/is sample generalisable?)
   • ✓
     • High ecological validity (we often repeat details of our own experiences to people)
   • This study challenges theory of RM

3. Evaluation

   • ✓
     • Emphasised the influence of our previous knowledge and experience in memory. This can explain why people may remember the same event in different ways
   • ✓
     • Research into RM tends to have better ecological validity than other explanations. This is because they often ask people to remember real life events, like in the research W+L

4. Practical applications

   • When trying to understand a new piece of info
   • When someone encounters something new, students acn use their RM to help them understand it
     • People can activate schemas, using pre-existing knowledge to make sense of the new info

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