Psychology & Law 2000words essay

Fuzzy-trace Theory

FTT posits two types of memory processes (verbatim and gist) and, therefore, it is often referred to as a dual process theory of memory.

According to FTT, retrieval of verbatim traces (recollective retrieval) is characterized by mental reinstatement of the contextual features of a past event, whereas retrieval of gist traces (non-recollective retrieval) is not. In fact, gist processes form representations of an event's semantic (meaning) features rather than its surface details, the latter being a property of verbatim processes. In the memory domain, FTT's notion of verbatim and gist representations has been influential in explaining true memories (i.e., memories about events that actually happened) as well as false memories (i.e., memories about events that never happened).

False memories

When people try to remember past events (e.g., a birthday party or the last dinner), they often commit two types of errors: errors of omission and errors of commission. The former is known as forgetting, while the latter is better known as false memories.

False memories can be separated into spontaneous and implanted false memories.

Spontaneous false memories result from endogenous (internal) processes, such as meaning processing, while implanted false memories are the result of exogenous (external) processes, such as the suggestion of false information by an outside source (e.g., an interviewer asking misleading questions).

Research had first suggested that younger children are more susceptible to suggestion of false information than adults. However, research has since indicated that younger children are much less likely to form false memories than older children and adults.

Moreover, in opposition to common sense, true memories are not more stable than false ones. Studies have shown that false memories are actually more persistent than true memories. According to FTT, such pattern arises because false memories are supported by memory traces that are less susceptible to interference and forgetting (gist traces) than traces that suppress them and also support true memories (verbatim traces).

FTT is not a model for false memories but rather a model that explains how memory reacts with a higher reasoning process. Essentially, the gist and verbatim traces of whatever the subject is experiencing has a major effect on information that the subject falsely remembers.

Verbatim and gist traces assist with memory performance due to the performance being able to pull from traces, relying on factors of different retrieval cues, on the accessibility of these kinds of memories, and forgetting. Although not a model for false memories, FTT is able to predict true and false memories associated with narratives and sentences. This is especially apparent in eye witness testimonies.

Memory: Memory relies on Verbatim and Gist traces.

Verbatim traces are actually recollective (detailed, factual memories)

Gist traces are non-recollective memories (tend to be feelings of association or deja vu [a feeling of having already experienced the present situation]). These associations tend to be positive or negative. These are memories where the sources are not known; and they come about because of memory consolidation, i.e. the connections between things.

The essence-reduction rule to FTT: The essence is usually considered in the mind. So, when one thinks of an object, there is the interaction between that object based on memory (verbatim) and based on associations (gist). For example, a rat. Based on memory we know what a rat looks like (verbatim) and then we draw associations to the rat such as gutters and drains, disease (gist).

So, every bit of information or event result in both verbatim and gist traces.

Principles

· Parallel storage: Each bit of information has both verbatim and gist traces that are stored parallel in the memory;

· Dissociated retrieval: While there is both verbatim and gist traces stored parallel in the memory, they can be retrieved independently. For example, in rat, we can simply pull out the associated things about a rat (gist);

· Dual-opponents process in false memory: Both verbatim and gist traces support true memory, but they have opposite effects on false memory. Gist retrieval supports false memory (given that the source of that memory is not known); verbatim suppresses false memory.

· Developmental variability: The acquisition, the retrieval and the retention of both verbatim and gist traces improve as children develop; as they mature and learn more, and have more memory consolidation. Consequently, they are more likely to have more gist traces as they mature. Further, as individuals age, they lose verbatim traces and gist generally becomes more prominent. Therefore, older people are more likely to have false memories.

· Vivid remembering: Both verbatim and gist traces cause vivid remembering although gist traces tend to be more generic because their source is unknown. This is experiences as a source of familiarity or déjà vu. When gist traces are especially strong, they can support phantom recollections.

So, in the Criminal Justice System, with regards to interviews, interrogations and witness testimonies, the verbatim traces are to be the main focus in determining reliability of testimonies.

Examine: Little Hans: https://www.simplypsychology.org/little-hans.html (for a further example).