Reproductive And Reconstructive Memory

Memory is an idea that people often rely on for important information, however, it is something that we cannot often always rely on. Although we all believe that our memories are true, researchers have found just how easy it is to implant another idea into our brain. Multiple studies have been conducted demonstrating just how simple it is to misconstrue a false idea to be real. Researcher Bartlett (1932) was able to give us key terms to identify the concepts of memory which are reproductive and reconstructive memory. Reproductive memory is accurate memory, but reconstructive memory is trying to remember ideas and concepts but contain many errors (Bartlett, 1932, p.) These words are very important in understanding the concept of memory because

Researcher Garry (1996) stated, “People spontaneously imagine alternatives to real events more in some settings than in others” (p.208), which demonstrate that we lie to ourselves. We are creating false real memories and taking them to be true. We do not realize that they are lies because we are so convinced that we have experienced them. We want to only think of positive concepts that would have made our experience better than what had actually happened. Researcher Roediger III and McDermott (1995) conducted a study in which they asked their subjects to recall as many words from a list, but only counted the false words (p. 804). These studies demonstrate that our memory is a concept, which with over time, can be easily changed and effected. We try and connect ideas and concepts based on how the world outside us made us

A study conducted by Gallagher (1994) had participants being surveyed about their belief in the super natural and paranormal (p.412). The problem that researchers faced was that they did not allow the participants to fully think about what their experiences have been. Once participants are allowed to connect their experiences to their memories they will be able to make a connection onto what they truly believe. Reproductive memory is a concept that Gallagher did not take into account when he was asking the questions. Russel and Jones (1980) also conducted an experiment in which they focused mainly on the reconstructive memory and how participants were feeling when asked specific questions (p.85). This experiment should have tried to incorporate both reconstructive as well as reproductive memory. Simply analyzing the reconstructive aspect of memory is only going to give you emotional thoughts about what was being searched. Researchers Wilson and French (2006) also conducted a research based on the reconstruction part of the memory (p. 1496). Although they wanted to see if participants would simply choose a false memory, they should have chosen an accident that might not be connected to something else. Researching memory should take into account both reconstruction and reproduction memory, instead of ignoring one or the other. This will help my