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Chapter 10 – Everyday memory

This chapter is concerned with memory processes that occur within one’s typical daily environment. It first considers autobiographical memories, memories about us and our personal experiences, exploring theories and characteristics of autobiographical memories. The chapter then explores a type of everyday memory that has important implications, eyewitness testimony. The focus is on factors which can influence the accuracy of eyewitness testimony, for example, the impact of post-event information. The focus of the chapter then shifts to false memories, recollections of events that did not occur and distortions of events that did. The chapter considers false memories in both list learning and autobiographical events. Finally, the chapter explores prospective memory, remembering to carry out tasks in the future. The chapter presents findings from several studies that have utilised a range of methods and explains several useful applications of this research.

  • Chapter 10 – Flashcards

    Autobiographical memory

    a memory system for storing episodes from an individual’s life, based on personal experiences, people, objects, and events

    Generative retrieval

    the process by which memories are actively and intentionally constructed in response to a cue

    Direct retrieval

    the process by which memories come to mind spontaneously without any effort to retrieve them

    Infantile amnesia

    the inability to recollect autobiographical memories before the age of 2-4 years, and the reduced likelihood of recollecting memories before the age of 7

    Reminiscence bump

    the tendency to have an increased recollection of events that occurred between the ages of 15-30

    Flashbulb memories

    detailed and vivid memories for events, usually associated with important historical or personal occasions

    Highly superior autobiographical memory

    The phenomenon of remembering a remarkable level of detail of experienced events

    Confirmation bias

    the tendency to seek or interpret information that is consistent with our preconceptions

    Schemas

    organized patterns of thoughts and behaviours which help us interpret incoming information

    Weapon focus

    the directing of attention towards a weapon, which tends to decrease recall of other aspects of a crime scene

    Unconscious transference

    the misidentification of a bystander as a criminal due to familiarity with the bystander from another context

    Verbal overshadowing

    the negative effect of providing verbal descriptions on later recognition of an individual in a police line-up

    Cognitive interview

    a successful method of questioning eyewitnesses and victims about their memories of a crime scene, based on principles of cognitive psychology

    False memories

    memories of events that did not actually occur or occurred differently from how they are reported

    DRM paradigm

    a procedure used to study false memory, in which a list of related words are presented for later recognition or recall, and participants are highly likely to recall related but non-presented words

    Source monitoring

    identifying the source of memories and mental experiences, for example whether they were experienced or talked about by someone else

    Retrospective memory

    memory for information and events encountered or experienced in the past

    Prospective memory

    memory which involves remembering to perform an action at a future point in time

    Preparatory attentional and memory processes (PAM) theory

    a theory of prospective memory proposing roles for attention and retrospective memory

  • Chapter 10 – Weblinks

Chapter 10 – Quiz