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Memory distortion: an adaptive perspective

journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-08, 19:38 authored by Daniel L Schacter, Scott A Guerin, Peggy L St Jacques
Memory is prone to distortions that can have serious consequences in everyday life. Here we integrate emerging evidence that several types of memory distortions - imagination inflation, gist-based and associative memory errors, and post-event misinformation - reflect adaptive cognitive processes that contribute to the efficient functioning of memory, but produce distortions as a consequence of doing so. We consider recent cognitive and neuroimaging studies that link these distortions with adaptive processes, including simulation of future events, semantic and contextual encoding, creativity, and memory updating. We also discuss new evidence concerning factors that can influence the occurrence of memory distortions, such as sleep and retrieval conditions, as well as conceptual issues related to the development of an adaptive perspective.

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Published version

Journal

Trends in Cognitive Sciences

ISSN

1364-6613

Publisher

Elsevier

Issue

10

Volume

15

Page range

467-474

Department affiliated with

  • Psychology Publications

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2015-01-21

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2015-01-21

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