Learning Objectives: By the end of this presentation, you will be able to… describe Loftus’ studies demonstrating how the power of suggestion plays a role in the misinformation effect and in creating false memories. describe the history of unintentional memory manipulation in therapy; describe how memories might be intentionally manipulated to change present maladaptive behavior. describe findings from the innocence project on the nature and rates of errors in eyewitness testimony. describe cognitive processes that contribute to eyewitness error and how police procedures inadvertently capitalized on these processes. Our Fallible Memories I. The Power of Suggestion A. To Alter Memories: The Misinformation Effect Loftus & Palmer (1974) B. To Create Memories: False Memories Lost in the Shopping Mall False Memories of Traumatic Events C. To Alter Present Maladaptive Behavior: Better Parenting Though Lies D. Meet the Expert: Elizabeth Loftus Our Fallible Memories I. The Power of Suggestion II. Errors in Eyewitness Testimony A. Demo G. Wells’ Bomber On the Roof B. nature and rates of error (from the innocence project) C. cognitive processes that contribute to eyewitness error error at perception & attention: weapons focus Our Fallible Memories Weapons Focus (Stanny & Johnson, 2000) I. The Power of Suggestion II. Errors in Eyewitness Testimony A. Demo G. Wells’ Bomber On the Roof B. nature and rates of error (from the innocence project) C. cognitive processes that contribute to eyewitness error error at perception & attention: weapons focus error due to source monitoring: “sixpack” fosters familiarity at lineup errors due to suggestion: assuming the perpetrator is present errors due to construction: filling-in-the-blanks D. Meet the Expert: Scott Fraser Our Fallible Memories media1.mp4 image2.png image3.png image4.png Learning Objectives: By the end of this presentation, you will be able to… describe the various sources of information from which memories are constructed; identify the source responsible for constructing memory in Barlett’s “War of the Ghosts” study explain how source misattribution in Jacoby’s “Famous Overnight Experiment” illustrates that memory is constructed from various sources. define and describe the relationships among: expectations, schema, script and stereotype; explain how the “Office” and “Rumor” Studies demonstrate the role of expectancies in memory construction. discuss memory construction in the broader context of challenges the mind must overcome and identify implication for false memories and confidence Constructing Memories I. Introduction A. Createmem Astound Demo B. A Classic Illustration: Bartlett’s (1932) “War of the Ghosts” Experiment British participants read a Canadian Indian folktale… over a period of time (u.

1. Learning Objectives: By the end of this presentation, you will
be able to…
describe Loftus’ studies demonstrating how the power of
suggestion plays a role in the misinformation effect and in
creating false memories.
describe the history of unintentional memory manipulation in
therapy; describe how memories might be intentionally
manipulated to change present maladaptive behavior.
describe findings from the innocence project on the nature and
rates of errors in eyewitness testimony.
describe cognitive processes that contribute to eyewitness error
and how police procedures inadvertently capitalized on these
processes.
Our Fallible Memories
I. The Power of Suggestion
A. To Alter Memories: The Misinformation Effect
Loftus & Palmer (1974)
B. To Create Memories: False Memories
Lost in the Shopping Mall
False Memories of Traumatic Events
C. To Alter Present Maladaptive Behavior: Better Parenting
Though Lies
D. Meet the Expert:
Elizabeth Loftus

2. Our Fallible Memories
I. The Power of Suggestion
II. Errors in Eyewitness Testimony
A. Demo G. Wells’
Bomber On the Roof
B. nature and rates of error (from
the innocence project)
C. cognitive processes that contribute to eyewitness error
error at perception & attention: weapons focus
Our Fallible Memories
Weapons Focus (Stanny & Johnson, 2000)

3. I. The Power of Suggestion
II. Errors in Eyewitness Testimony
A. Demo G. Wells’
Bomber On the Roof
B. nature and rates of error (from
the innocence project)
C. cognitive processes that contribute to eyewitness error
error at perception & attention: weapons focus
error due to source monitoring: “sixpack” fosters familiarity at
lineup
errors due to suggestion: assuming the perpetrator is present
errors due to construction: filling-in-the-blanks
D. Meet the Expert:
Scott Fraser
Our Fallible Memories

4. media1.mp4
image2.png
image3.png
image4.png
Learning Objectives: By the end of this presentation, you will
be able to…
describe the various sources of information from which
memories are constructed; identify the source responsible for
constructing memory in Barlett’s “War of the Ghosts” study
explain how source misattribution in Jacoby’s “Famous
Overnight Experiment” illustrates that memory is constructed
from various sources.
define and describe the relationships among: expectations,
schema, script and stereotype; explain how the “Office” and
“Rumor” Studies demonstrate the role of expectancies in
memory construction.
discuss memory construction in the broader context of
challenges the mind must overcome and identify implication for
false memories and confidence
Constructing Memories
I. Introduction
A. Createmem Astound Demo

5. B. A Classic Illustration: Bartlett’s (1932) “War of the Ghosts”
Experiment
British participants read a Canadian Indian folktale…
over a period of time (up to 6 years), participants repeated the
tale and the content of their repeated reproductions was
analyzed.
Results: The participants remembered the gist of the story but
made changed unfamiliar parts of the story to fit their own
cultural expectations. E.g…
Constructing Memories
I. Introduction
A. Createmem Astound Demo
B. A Classic Illustration: Bartlett’s (1932) “War of the Ghosts”
Experiment
C. Memory Construction Occurs With Each “Retrieval” (a
misnomer) By Combining Info From Various Sources …
the original event
knowledge and expectations about such events
post-event information
Constructing Memories
II. Constructing Memories From Multiple Sources: Source
Monitoring Error
memories are constructed from the original event plus other
sources, as illustrated by source monitoring error (aka source
misattribution)-misidentifying the source of a memory
Constructing Memories

6. II. Constructing Memories From Multiple Sources: Source
Monitoring Error
Jacoby et al’s (1989) “Becoming Famous Overnight” Study…
procedure: participants read nonfamous names; ½ given
immediate test to ID famous names with old & new nonfamous
names as foils; ½ given same test after 24 hours
results: more names from original list incorrectly identified as
famous in delay condition
interpretation: after delay, familiarity misattributed to fame
Constructing Memories
III. Expectations Are a Major Source of Memory Construction
A. Schemas
From his War of the Ghosts research, Bartlett proposed the
concept of schema-a cognitive framework that helps organize
and interpret information
schemas underlie our expectations.
Brewer & Treyens’ (1981)”Office Study” demonstrates the
influence of schemas in memory …
Constructing Memories

7. Brewer & Treyens’ (1981)”Office Study”…
Participants were asked to wait in experimenter’s “office” for a
short time.
Later they were asked to list the items they remembered being
in the room. Can you?
Results: participants remembered schema-consistent items hat
were present (desk) and that weren’t (books) but not items that
were inconsistent with schema (wine bottle, picnic basket).
III. Expectations Are a Major Source of Memory Construction
A. Schemas
From his War of the Ghosts research, Bartlett proposed the
concept of schema-a cognitive framework that helps organize
and interpret information
schemas underlie our expectations.
Brewer & Treyens’ (1981)”Office Study” demonstrates the
influence of schemas in memory
schemas explain the false memories in our opening demo; we
have schemas for sleep, chair and sweet.
Constructing Memories
III. Expectations Are a Major Source of Memory Construction
A. Schemas
B. Scripts- schemas for a sequence of actions are called (e.g.
dentist, restaurant, laundry)
C. Stereotypes-schemas for groups of people

8. Allport & Postman’s (1947) “Rumor Study” shows how memory
is distorted by stereotype...
Constructing Memories
IV. Like Other Cognitive Processes, Memory Construction Is a
Shortcut That Overcomes Environmental Ambiguity
Recall that the seemingly impossible challenge the mind must
overcome is ambiguity in the environment.
Recall we overcome this challenge effortlessly using satisficing
shortcuts (“heuristics”)
Memory Construction is such a shortcut; it “Fills in the
Blanks”.
A byproduct of satisficing shortcuts is errors (e.g. Muller-Lyer),
here false memories
because the same constructive processes that produce accurate
memories also produce false memories, we are equally
confident in accurate and false memories (e.g. sleep, chair,
sweet)
Constructing Memories
image2.png
image3.png
image4.png

9. image5.png
image6.gif
Learning Objectives: By the end of this presentation, you will
be able to…
describe Loftus’ studies demonstrating how the power of
suggestion plays a role in the misinformation effect and in
creating false memories.
describe the history of unintentional memory manipulation in
therapy; describe how memories might be intentionally
manipulated to change present maladaptive behavior.
describe findings from the innocence project on the nature and
rates of errors in eyewitness testimony.
describe cognitive processes that contribute to eyewitness error
and how police procedures inadvertently capitalized on these
processes.
Our Fallible Memories
I. The Power of Suggestion
A. To Alter Memories: The Misinformation Effect
Loftus & Palmer (1974)
B. To Create Memories: False Memories
Lost in the Shopping Mall
False Memories of Traumatic Events
C. To Alter Present Maladaptive Behavior: Better Parenting
Though Lies
D. Meet the Expert:

10. Elizabeth Loftus
Our Fallible Memories
I. The Power of Suggestion
II. Errors in Eyewitness Testimony
A. Demo G. Wells’
Bomber On the Roof
B. nature and rates of error (from
the innocence project)
C. cognitive processes that contribute to eyewitness error
error at perception & attention: weapons focus
Our Fallible Memories

11. Weapons Focus (Stanny & Johnson, 2000)
I. The Power of Suggestion
II. Errors in Eyewitness Testimony
A. Demo G. Wells’
Bomber On the Roof
B. nature and rates of error (from
the innocence project)
C. cognitive processes that contribute to eyewitness error
error at perception & attention: weapons focus
error due to source monitoring: “sixpack” fosters familiarity at
lineup
errors due to suggestion: assuming the perpetrator is present
errors due to construction: filling-in-the-blanks
D. Meet the Expert:
Scott Fraser

12. Our Fallible Memories
media1.mp4
image2.png
image3.png
image4.png
Learning Objectives: By the end of this presentation, you will
be able to…
describe the various sources of information from which
memories are constructed; identify the source responsible for
constructing memory in Barlett’s “War of the Ghosts” study
explain how source misattribution in Jacoby’s “Famous
Overnight Experiment” illustrates that memory is constructed
from various sources.
define and describe the relationships among: expectations,
schema, script and stereotype; explain how the “Office” and
“Rumor” Studies demonstrate the role of expectancies in
memory construction.
discuss memory construction in the broader context of
challenges the mind must overcome and identify implication for
false memories and confidence
Constructing Memories
I. Introduction

13. A. Createmem Astound Demo
B. A Classic Illustration: Bartlett’s (1932) “War of the Ghosts”
Experiment
British participants read a Canadian Indian folktale…
over a period of time (up to 6 years), participants repeated the
tale and the content of their repeated reproductions was
analyzed.
Results: The participants remembered the gist of the story but
made changed unfamiliar parts of the story to fit their own
cultural expectations. E.g…
Constructing Memories
I. Introduction
A. Createmem Astound Demo
B. A Classic Illustration: Bartlett’s (1932) “War of the Ghosts”
Experiment
C. Memory Construction Occurs With Each “Retrieval” (a
misnomer) By Combining Info From Various Sources …
the original event
knowledge and expectations about such events
post-event information
Constructing Memories
II. Constructing Memories From Multiple Sources: Source
Monitoring Error
memories are constructed from the original event plus other
sources, as illustrated by source monitoring error (aka source
misattribution)-misidentifying the source of a memory

14. Constructing Memories
II. Constructing Memories From Multiple Sources: Source
Monitoring Error
Jacoby et al’s (1989) “Becoming Famous Overnight” Study…
procedure: participants read nonfamous names; ½ given
immediate test to ID famous names with old & new nonfamous
names as foils; ½ given same test after 24 hours
results: more names from original list incorrectly identified as
famous in delay condition
interpretation: after delay, familiarity misattributed to fame
Constructing Memories
III. Expectations Are a Major Source of Memory Construction
A. Schemas
From his War of the Ghosts research, Bartlett proposed the
concept of schema-a cognitive framework that helps organize
and interpret information
schemas underlie our expectations.
Brewer & Treyens’ (1981)”Office Study” demonstrates the
influence of schemas in memory …
Constructing Memories

15. Brewer & Treyens’ (1981)”Office Study”…
Participants were asked to wait in experimenter’s “office” for a
short time.
Later they were asked to list the items they remembered being
in the room. Can you?
Results: participants remembered schema-consistent items hat
were present (desk) and that weren’t (books) but not items that
were inconsistent with schema (wine bottle, picnic basket).
III. Expectations Are a Major Source of Memory Construction
A. Schemas
From his War of the Ghosts research, Bartlett proposed the
concept of schema-a cognitive framework that helps organize
and interpret information
schemas underlie our expectations.
Brewer & Treyens’ (1981)”Office Study” demonstrates the
influence of schemas in memory
schemas explain the false memories in our opening demo; we
have schemas for sleep, chair and sweet.
Constructing Memories
III. Expectations Are a Major Source of Memory Construction
A. Schemas
B. Scripts- schemas for a sequence of actions are called (e.g.
dentist, restaurant, laundry)

16. C. Stereotypes-schemas for groups of people
Allport & Postman’s (1947) “Rumor Study” shows how memory
is distorted by stereotype...
Constructing Memories
IV. Like Other Cognitive Processes, Memory Construction Is a
Shortcut That Overcomes Environmental Ambiguity
Recall that the seemingly impossible challenge the mind must
overcome is ambiguity in the environment.
Recall we overcome this challenge effortlessly using satisficing
shortcuts (“heuristics”)
Memory Construction is such a shortcut; it “Fills in the
Blanks”.
A byproduct of satisficing shortcuts is errors (e.g. Muller-Lyer),
here false memories
because the same constructive processes that produce accurate
memories also produce false memories, we are equally
confident in accurate and false memories (e.g. sleep, chair,
sweet)
Constructing Memories
image2.png
image3.png

17. image4.png
image5.png
image6.gif