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Memory Distortion and Malleability in Cognitive Psychology — Chapter 8 Summary from Cognitive Psychology

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Memory Distortion and Malleability in Cognitive Psychology — Chapter 8 Summary from Cognitive Psychology Memory is not a perfect recording device—it’s a dynamic, reconstructive system prone to error and distortion. Chapter 8 of Cognitive Psychology explores the malleability of memory , showing how our recollections are shaped by suggestion, emotion, post-event information, and social influence. In this chapter summary from Last Minute Lecture , we dive into the science of false memories, eyewitness errors, and the unsettling realization that our minds often fabricate what we think we remember. Watch the full video above or continue reading to explore how memory works—and how it sometimes fails us—in both everyday situations and high-stakes environments like the courtroom. Memory Is Reconstructive, Not Reproductive Contrary to popular belief, memory is not a literal playback of past events. It is constructive in nature—recreated from stored fragments each time we recall. Th...