Spinrad/Psychology

Memory is a reconstructive process

Memory is manufactured

Source amnesia

Other information is integrated into memories and cannot be

distinguished from the original memory

Flashbulb memories

Memories of emotional events that seem photographic—are not always complete or accurate, especially with

the passage of time.

The conditions of confabulation

• Person has thought about the imagined event many times

• The image of the event contains lots of details

• The event is easy to imagine• The rememberer focuses on his/her reaction

to the event rather than on what actually happened

Would the following “memories” be easily confabulated?

Which of the following phone numbers would be more easily

memorized? Why?

List A

• 645-2685• 363-6422• 825-9746• 732-6455• 876-5447• 294-3977

List B

• OIL BOTL• EME NIBB• HAL YRIN• SEA MILK• TRO KHIS• BYG FYSS

List C

• SE2-6455• TR6-5447• BY4-3977• MI5-2685• HA5-9746• EM3-6422