Thirty-six students read a description of a guest checking into a hostel. The description contained 12 details, including two details that did not fit the usual check-in sequence. It also left out two details that people commonly expect during check-in. The students recalled the description immediately and again one week later.
| Recall measure | Immediate recall: mean per student | Recall after one week: mean per student |
|---|---|---|
| Details recalled accurately | 10.1 out of 12 | 7.6 out of 12 |
| Expected but absent details added | 0.2 out of 2 | 1.1 out of 2 |
| Unusual details changed to fit the usual sequence | 0.1 out of 2 | 0.8 out of 2 |
Use these findings to explain two limitations of reconstructive memory as an account of how people recall events.
84 exam-style questions on OCR GCSE Psychology 5.2 Theories/Explanations, covering 5.2.1 Multi-store Model structure, 5.2.2 Differences between memory stores; criticisms, 5.2.3 Multi-store Model research study: Wilson et al. (2008), 5.2.4 Reconstructive memory: schemas, experience and expectation, 5.2.5 Reconstructive memory: confabulation and leading questions; criticisms, and 5.2.6 Reconstructive Memory research study: Braun, Ellis and Loftus (2002). Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.