Final answer:
Bias distorts memory by imposing current emotions and beliefs onto past events, resulting in incorrect or embellished recollections such as stereotypical, egocentric, and hindsight biases. The reconstructive nature of memory means that each recall can alter the memory, leading to distortions, especially when influenced by suggestion.
Step-by-step explanation:
Memories can be distorted by bias, which can lead to several types of memory errors. Bias is when our current emotions and worldview can impose a slant on our memories of past events, affecting how we recall these events. Three kinds of bias include stereotypical bias, egocentric bias, and hindsight bias.
Stereotypical bias may lead us to recall events in a manner consistent with racial or gender stereotypes, which can be seen when names are incorrectly associated with certain professions based on racial assumptions. Egocentric bias involves enhancing or embellishing our past contributions or actions, such as falsely remembering that we scored a winning goal when we only assisted. Hindsight bias occurs after an event has taken place, leading us to believe that the outcome was predictable or that 'we knew it all along,' even if there was no way to foresee it prior to its occurrence.
The reconstructive nature of memory entails that every time we remember an event, we reconstruct the memory, which can be influenced by current information and emotions, causing inaccuracies and distortions. Known as memory construction and reconstruction, this process is susceptible to suggestions from others, such as leading questions from authority figures, leading to suggestibility, which can create false memories.
Being aware of cognitive biases such as confirmation bias and the false consensus effect is also crucial, as they can influence how we interpret new information and interact with others, often skewing our perspectives to align with pre-existing beliefs or overestimating how much others agree with us.