Problem: Memories are not always as accurate as people assume. According to the topic 5 resources why aren't memories always accurate? What factors influence our ability to remember events accurately? The below is one of our resources please response with a quick paragraph and reference for the reference page. Need Assignment Help?
Because memory is reconstructive that is, the brain reconstructs memories rather than repeating them exactly as they occurred it is not always correct. Information may be lost, warped, or impacted by fresh experiences during the encoding, storing, and retrieval stages. Attention is one element that influences memory. An event may not be efficiently recorded into long term memory if we are preoccupied at the time. Interference is another aspect that makes recall more challenging by causing old and fresh memories to compete. Emotions and stress can also affect memory. While severe levels of stress might hinder encoding and retrieval, moderate stress may enhance memory. Furthermore, the misinformation effect demonstrates how false information given after an incident can change someone's memory. People may also inadvertently fill in missing data with information that appears logical rather than correct due to schemas, or mental frameworks based on prior experiences. These elements clarify why personal recollections and eyewitness accounts are not always totally trustworthy.
Reference Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., Lovett, M. D., & Burton, K. A. (2024). Psychology 2e. OpenStax.