Purchase Solution

Human memory

Not what you're looking for?

Ask Custom Question

A great detail of controversy has surrounded the phenomenon of "false memory syndrome" and the implications that this has had in our society, particularly in legal realm. One of the most influential psychologists in the area of memory and eye witness testimony is Dr. Elizabeth Loftus, who has spent three decades as a research psychologist and memory expert in legal cases. To learn more about the controversy surrounding "false memory syndrome," visit the Online LA Weekly site at
http://www.laweekly.com/ink/04/39/features-abramsky.php to read the article, "Memory and Manipulation."

Based on your reading of this article and information in the course textbook, respond to the following questions:

Why is human memory subject to error?

What might influence human memory?

In light of the points that the Loftus article brings up, what kind of implications do the limitations of human memory have on eye-witness testimony?

Purchase this Solution
Solution Summary

A summary of the limitations of human memory and how it can often be unreliable, particularly in a court of law.

Solution Preview

Hello;

It is my pleasure to assist you with some notes today. Your posting asks for clarification of a few issues surrounding human memory and why it is subject to error. My notes include my own knowledge, coupled with the research conducted by various scholars in the field and summarized by the article authored by Sasha Abramsky.

Why is human memory subject to error and what might influence human memory?

We know that that human is an incredibly complex entity, of which we are just beginning to truly understand. We also understand that the average human taps a minute percentage of that actual capability of the brain's ability to perform. With that knowledge in mind, psychologists for decades have been interested in tapping into the potential of the brain in various ways. One of the concepts that have been explored are how the brain stores short and long term memories for later ...

Solution provided by:
Jason Blair, MA, PhD (IP)
Education
  • BA, Arizona State University
  • MA, University of Phoenix
  • PhD (IP), North Central University
Recent Feedback
  • "thk u"
  • "Thk u"
  • "Thk u"
  • "Thank you! Posted one more."
  • "Thk u"
Purchase this Solution
Free BrainMass Quizzes
Controversies in Developmental Psychology

This quiz addresses controversies in developmental psychology.

Positive Psychology

A quiz related to the introductory concepts of positive psychology.

Developmental Psychology

This quiz explores the concepts, theories and key terminology associated with human psychological development.

Anxiety Disorders

This quiz is designed to help students gain a better understanding of various types of anxiety disorders.

Health Psychology

This quiz speaks to the general concepts, themes, and terminology associated with the field of health psychology.

View More Free Quizzes
Related BrainMass Solutions

  • The Human Memory Model

    ¢Explanation of other kinds of forgetting and a discussion of strategies that can improve memory consolidation and retrieval The Human Memory Model The human memory understanding is considered to be controversial however, scientists consider the human

  • Human memory sytems

    457371 Name three major systems that comprise human memory. Identify the three major systems: sensory memory, short memory, and long term memory that comprise human memory with an explanation of the difference in temporal characteristics.

  • False memories in the court process

    References: Loftus, E (N.D) Memory Distortion and False Memory Creation Retrieved December 23, 2011 from Http://Cogprints.Org/599/1/199802009.Html Types of Human Memory (N.D) Human Memory Retrieved December 23, 2011 from Http://Www.Human-Memory.Net

  • Memory Traces

    602257 Memory Traces of the Human Brain Much like a computer, the human brain may retain traces of information even after being deleted.These memory traces are physico-chemical manifestations of representations (memories) in the brain.

  • Memory is the Mind's Storehouse

    Procedural memory, or the "knowing how" to do something is a type of implicit memory and is "the unconscious memory of skills and how to do things, particularly the use of objects or movements of the body" (The Human Memory, 2010, para 2).

  • Reflection on human memory capabilities

    553077 Reflection on human memory capabilities Through one of my classes in psychology, I have found it fascinating that what we originally thought was just our memory, has now been broken down into short-term, long-term memory, implicit and explicit

  • Psychology of Learning

    Computers in Human Behavior, 27(6), 2207-2214. This soluton provides an example of a good or bad human factor concerning memory.

  • Neuropsychology and Application of Memory Research

    Video is becoming ubiquitous and very affordable, and there is growing demand on vision-based human-oriented applications, ranging from security and industry for disabled to computer-human interaction and video annotation.

  • Memory Strategy: Short-Term and Long-Term Forgetting

    The second scenario shows the long term act of forgetting (Human Memory, 2005).

View More Related Solutions