Constructed Memory

Definition

Constructed memory refers to false details of a real event or might even be a recollection of an event that never occurred. It happens because our memory is not a perfect recorder of events and can be influenced by many factors.

Related terms

Misinformation Effect:

This occurs when misleading information is incorporated into one's memory after an event.

Confabulation: The act of filling in memory gaps with fabricated, misinterpreted, or distorted information.

Schema:

A mental framework that helps us organize and interpret information. Schemas can influence constructed memories because we might fill in gaps with what we think 'should' have happened based on similar past experiences.