Question

Memories of a Memory Have you ever witnessed something amazing, shocking or surprising and found when describing the event that your story seems to change the more you tell it? Have you ever experienced a time when you couldn't really describe something you saw in a way that others could understand? If so, you may understand why some experts think eyewitness testimony is unreliable as evidence in scientific inquiries and trials. New insights into human memory suggest human memories are really a mixture of many non-factual things. First, memory is vague. Imagine your room at home or a classroom you see every day. Most likely, you could describe the room very generally. You could name the color of the walls, the floors, the decorations. But the image you describe will never be as specific or detailed as if you were looking at the actual room. Memory tends to save a blurry image of what we have seen rather than specific details. So when a witness tries to identify someone, her brain may recall that the person was tall, but not be able to say how tall when faced with several tall people. There are lots of different kinds of "tall." Second, memory uses general knowledge to fill in gaps. Our brains reconstruct events and scenes when we remember something. To do this, our brains use other memories and other stories when there are gaps. For example, one day at a library you go to quite frequently, you witness an argument between a library patron and one of the librarians. Later, when telling a friend about the event, your brain may remember a familiar librarian behind the desk rather than the actual participant simply because it is recreating a familiar scene. In effect, your brain is combining memories to help you tell the story. Third, your memory changes over time. It also changes the more you retell the story. Documented cases have shown eyewitnesses adding detail to testimony that could not have been known at the time of the event. Research has also shown that the more a witness's account is told, the less accurate it is. You may have noticed this yourself. The next time you are retelling a story, notice what you add, or what your brain wants to add, to the account. You may also notice that you drop certain details from previous tellings of the story. With individual memories all jumbled up with each other, it is hard to believe we ever know anything to be true. Did you really break your mother's favorite vase when you were three? Was that really your father throwing rocks into the river with you when you were seven? The human brain may be quite remarkable indeed. When it comes to memory, however, we may want to start carrying video cameras if we want to record the true picture. Part A and Part B below contain one fill-in-the-blank to be used for all three question responses. Your complete response must be in the format A, B, C including the letter choice, commas, and a space after the commas. Part A: Which of the following best explains what the title "Memories of a Memory" means"? Fill in blank 1 using A, B, or C. Our memories are not as real or factual as we think they are. Our memories from childhood are not necessarily correct. Some people have memories that are not based in fact. Part B Select one quotation from the text that supports your answer to Part A. Add your selection to blank 1 using F, G, or H. Our brains reconstruct events and scenes when we remember something. Later, when telling a friend about the event, your brain may remember a familiar librarian behind the desk. Research has also shown that the more a witness's account is told, the less accurate it is Select one quotation from the text that supports your answer to Part A. Add your selection to blank 1 using I, J, or K. With individual memories all jumbled up with each other, it is hard to believe we ever know anything to be true. When it comes to memory, however, we may want to start carrying video cameras if we want to record the true picture. But the image you describe will never be as specific or detailed as if you were looking at the actual room.

Answer 1

The title 'Memories of a Memory' suggests that our memories are not as real or factual as we think they are because they can be vague, filled with general knowledge, and change over time. This makes eyewitness testimony unreliable as evidence.

Step-by-step explanation:

The title 'Memories of a Memory' suggests that our memories are not as real or factual as we think they are. Human memories are a mixture of non-factual things and can be vague, filled in with general knowledge, and can change over time. These factors contribute to the unreliability of eyewitness testimony as evidence in scientific inquiries and trials.

In the article, it states that 'memory is vague' and tends to save a blurry image of what we have seen rather than specific details. This supports the idea that memories are not as real or factual as we think they are.

Furthermore, the article mentions that memory uses general knowledge to fill in gaps and that the more a witness's account is told, the less accurate it becomes. This indicates that memories are not always based in fact and can be influenced and altered over time.