Final answer:
The process during which old memories can be changed or erased during retrieval is known as reconsolidation. This is a phase where retrieved memories become malleable before being stored again, leading to potential modifications.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process where old memories are susceptible to being changed or even erased during retrieval is called reconsolidation. This concept falls within the study of psychology and specifically deals with how memories are stored, recalled, and modified in the brain. The reconsolidation process implies that when we retrieve a memory, it becomes malleable and subject to modification before being stored again. This phenomenon can lead to altered or distorted memories.
It is important to distinguish between different memory processes such as encoding, storage, and retrieval. Encoding is the process of getting information into memory, storage refers to keeping that information over time, and retrieval is the process of getting the information back out. Reconsolidation is specifically associated with the retrieval phase, whereas the initial formation of memories is often referred to as construction, and bringing up old memories is called reconstruction.