Human memory is a powerful but imperfect tool. A recent study from the University of Birmingham investigated how we differentiate accurate memories from those influenced by general knowledge and prototypes (Griffiths et al., 2024). Researchers have found that our confidence in memories decreases when they approach prototypical information, suggesting that we have a metacognitive awareness of the accuracy of our memories.
This ability to distinguish between accurate memories and those filled with generic knowledge is crucial in several areas, including the legal system, where confidence in witnesses’ memories is paramount. Research has demonstrated that we are able to assess the reliability of our memories, which can have significant implications for evaluating the credibility of eyewitness accounts.
Reference :
Griffiths, B. et al. (2024). Metacognitive awareness of memory distortion during recall. Psychology of Communications.
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