Ap Psychology False Memory

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Pages: 3

False memories are common throughout the psychology world and there are many reasons why one may have a false memory. Factors such as memory decay, misinformation effect, and inadequate cues to recall are some reasons why a false memory will occur.

For example, Jim not being able to properly remember his parents winning the lottery could be a direct result of memory decay. The memory decay theory is the concept that throughout the passage of time memory deteriorates. Jim being so young at the time may have experienced this as he grew older. Over time as the memory began to perish it became increasingly harder to recall this memory. This could then have lead Jim to have taken lost information and simply replace it with information he hears while growing up.
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The misinformation effect is simply when someone's recall of a memory loses accuracy due to the interference of misleading information after the event. At the time of the event, it is said that Jim is in the other room playing monopoly with his siblings. Because they are not present he may hear things from the other room that may have sounded like his parents won the lottery but in reality, they may be watching the lottery and may not have actually won. He could have even further been mislead since he was playing a game involving money and tied this with his parents. There are many factors that may have to have misled him to believe his parents won the lottery. Another example is if perhaps his parents won a small portion of the money and were interviewed a reporter may have asked misleading questions to make it seem as though they struck gold. Being as young as he was it is very likely that Jim created this false memory based on misleading information he got from around