re-constructive memory AND case studies -psychology AS

bartlett

• war of ghosts is his famous story
• repeated:story distorted/shorted/detail lost/changed/structure altered/more westernised/death scenes more vivid
• clash of cultural knowledge
• remembering involves search for meaning
• effort to make events logical
• distorted to make sense(we have fixed understanding of world)
• Bartlett says knowledge of world stored in units(SCHEMAS)

SCHEMAS

• store bits of story in LTM
• when recalling we fill gaps using schema's(our knowledge)
• reconstruct story with schema's
• e.g:in the war of ghosts story,the word canoe was used.many English people can say boat because they know something that carries people on water as boat(using our knowledge)

• in depth study of a person/small group/specific environment
• examples:
• HM: anterograde amnesia after surgery to remove epilepsy
• KF:stmdeficitsafter head injury
• CLIVE WEARING:retrograde and anterograde amnesia after viral brain infection.

case studies focus on sourced of data.if focuses on sport,clinical and educational psychology

whats in a case study?:

• case history
• description and diagnosis of problem
• record of treatment /intervention
• record of outcome
• biographical info
• interviews
• previous school records
• employment and medical report from others

it can...

• generate new theoretical ideas
• test out existing theories
• develop new measuring instruments and research technique

aim: investigate how info provided to a witness after an event will influence their memory of that event

method: lab experiment.Iv was verb used and DV is the estimate of speed(MPH)/problem may be that students may not know how to drive!no experience!

experiment 1:

• 45 students shows video clips
• split into 5 groups.each have 9 participants
• asked how fast car went when ____(verb)____ each other
• each of the 5 groups had different verbs
• when 'smashed' verb used,the estimate speed was higher
• phrasing effects result!

result: phrasing influences participants speed estimates.when verb smashed used,their estimates were higher.

experiment 2:

• 150 students shows film/multi car accident
• 3 groups have 50 parts each
• group 1:how fast cars went when 'hit' each other?
• group 2:how fast went when 'smashed' each other
• group 3:not asked on speed
• 1 week later,part returned and asked if any broken glass was seen
• IV:2 verbs.hit vs smashed
• DV:weather broken glass was seen or not

result: verb used in original question influenced weather parts saw broken glass or not
'smashed' verb made parts say broken glass seen

for experiment 1: different speed estimates occurred as word influence.word arranges persons memory so they 'see' accident differently.(more or less severe)

for experiment 2: experiments reflect way people behave in everyday life.wasn't due to response bias as all parts asked if broken glass seen.leading questions influence memory or event

disadvantages:

• its a video .not as realistic as what you'd see in real life.may not pay attention as much]
• students not real world people.American.cant be generalised to EVREYONE
• lab experiment-not realistic/low in ecological validity/they know they're taking part so demand characteristics can be a problem
• increase in emotion in real life ( maybe you will see things differently due to shock?)
• questions may be asked later on(you may have opportunity to discuss with others)
• like being Americans,they're also students!yet again this is a reason why they cant represent general population
• as they are student,some of them probably cant drive and so how ill they have a valid guess without experience?
• its easier for some  to guess speed such as policeor taxt drivers being in the group.
• what is the driver is visible as a young man(estimated speed higher? or a old woman(estimated speed lower?)
• what if the car type was a porchse or a rusty old car?

read my other notes on other case studies!it has to to with eyewitness testimonies which will come up in JAN exam