Psychology Roots
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Constructive Recall
According to the schema theory of memory organization (please look up the term “schema” for additional information), long-term memories are stored as parts of schemas (cognitive structures used for organizing information about events). Ulric Neisser suggested that there are times when our memories are distorted by adding or changing some of the details in order to fit with a schema. It is possible to have a very accurate memory of the themes of specific events but inaccurate accounts of the specific details of the event. We may change or tweak the memory a bit in order that it be more consistent with a schema. In other words, we adjust the memory a little bit so that it is more consistent with some schema we already have.
