preview

Essay on The False Memory Task

Decent Essays

The False Memory Task begins by giving examples of how memory of events can be incorrect, although we might not be aware of it. The goal of this task is to clearly show how easy it is for our memories to have false information. We are often convinced that our memories are correct, especially when they seem to be logical and contain a lot of detail. However, errors in memory are easily made and far more frequent than the majority of people realize. This ZAPS experiment approaches false memory errors in a way where it is easy to point out, and create, false memories.
The procedure is simple. On the computer screen, twelve words are revealed one word at a time in the form of a list. After the last word, a matrix of twelve words is shown. The …show more content…

In my theory, confusion was the key element. Transplant errors, explained by the Cognition text book, were likely to take place. Transplant errors are the process of confusing elements from one memory with elements from another. I was positive that this ZAPS task would have elements that would purposely confuse participants, thus creating false memories.
After the first and second list appeared, I quickly realized that each list was categorized by theme. This knowledge helped me to organize the words contained in each list. My articulatory rehearsal loop captured words as they were presented, although I only had one chance to “say” them before another word appeared. Instead of trying to store all twelve words in the articulatory rehearsal loop, I kept track of the theme of the list and applied my prior knowledge of the subject and my schema to the entire list. This allowed me to “file away” each word under one subject, and therefore only one slot in my articulatory rehearsal loop was used. When it came time to recall the words, I recognized words that had been relevant to that list. If a word fit the context of the list, I selected it.
However, in selecting every word that was relevant, I grew increasingly unsure if I had actually seen the word, or if the word was the category I had created in my working memory. For example, one of the lists was concerned with the universe, so in the matrix I chose every word that was related to

Get Access