Verified for the 2025 AP Psychology (2025) exam•2 min read•Last Updated on March 5, 2025
Memory isn't perfect. It fades over time and can be tricky to recall. The forgetting curve shows we lose info fast at first, then more slowly. Retrieval problems, like interference from other memories, can make it hard to remember stuff we've learned.
Our brains sometimes mess with our memories too. We might repress traumatic experiences or let our egos influence what we remember. Memory accuracy is a whole other can of worms. Misinformation, source amnesia, and our tendency to fill in gaps can all make our memories less reliable than we think.
The forgetting curve demonstrates how memory fade happens over time, with the steepest decline occurring shortly after learning new information. This natural process affects everyone, though the rate varies by individual and type of information.
Retrieval difficulties occur when we struggle to access stored memories. This can happen even when information is properly stored in long-term memory, making it frustrating when we know we know something but can't quite access it.
Two main types of interference affect memory retrieval:
Other retrieval issues include:
The mind sometimes protects itself by blocking access to traumatic memories or information. This process, known as repression, operates unconsciously to shield us from psychological harm. This is one of the many ways that your body is constantly working for you.
Repression can manifest in several ways:
Psychologists debate how well repression actually works, but there's clinical evidence that it's a real defense mechanism.
Our memories are more malleable than we often realize. Rather than perfect recordings, they are reconstructions that can be influenced by various factors.
The misinformation effect shows how easily memories can be altered:
Source amnesia and constructive memory create additional challenges: