Final answer:
Memory is full of errors, biases, and distortions; it is a reconstructive process that can be influenced by misinformation, suggestion, and bias leading to inaccuracies such as misattribution and the misinformation effect.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding Memory Inaccuracies
No matter how accurate and video-like our memory seems, it is full of errors, biases, and distortions. Memories are not recorded like a video that can be played back flawlessly. Instead, memory is a reconstructive process that is prone to inaccuracies. Daniel Schacter (2001), a well-known memory researcher, highlights several types of bias that can distort our memories. Our current emotions and worldview can falsely shape our perception of past events. Over time, even flashbulb memories, which are vivid recollections of significant events, can become less accurate, as demonstrated by varying accounts of the same event by individuals such as President George W. Bush post 9/11.
Memories can be susceptible to the misinformation effect, wherein additional, sometimes inaccurate information can influence and warp our recall. Misattribution is another common memory error where the source of the memory is confused. Eyewitness identifications are known to be unreliable due to the fragile nature of memory reconstruction. This has significant implications for legal proceedings where the accuracy of memory can be paramount. Memory is a dynamic and fallible cognitive process that can be shaped by suggestion, bias, and many other factors.