an impaired memory of how, when or where we got a memory but not the memory itself.
Background
In the study of cognitive psychology and memory, source amnesia is a crucial idea. It frequently happens when someone can recollect specific facts or knowledge but cannot recall how or where they learnt it. For instance, a person might recall a joke they heard, but they might not be able to recall who told them or where they heard it.
Interference during memory retrieval is another element that may lead to source amnesia. It may be challenging to distinguish between information sources if similar information is offered or remembered together with the target information.
Source amnesia can also be brought on by the gradual disappearance of memory traces. It could get harder to recall the situation in which knowledge was first acquired as memories get further away in time.
In addition to these cognitive factors, emotional and motivational factors can also play a role in source amnesia. For example, the emotional intensity of an experience can influence the encoding and retrieval of source information, and individuals may be more likely to remember details associated with highly salient or significant events.
Importance
Knowing when cause amnesia occurs is a crucial first step in comprehending the intricate workings of memory. Source amnesia is one memory error that can have a big impact on decision-making, witness testimony, and the truthfulness of one’s own memories.
For example, if a witness is unable to correctly identify the source of a piece of information, they may inadvertently provide false testimony, leading to wrongful convictions or acquittals. Similarly, individuals may make incorrect decisions based on misattributed information, such as relying on false memories to inform their beliefs or behaviors.
To reduce the likelihood of misattributing information, individuals can take steps to improve their memory encoding and retrieval processes. This can include paying closer attention to the context and source of information, actively rehearsing or repeating information, and using mnemonic devices or memory aids to help with recall. By developing these skills and strategies, individuals can become better equipped to accurately retrieve and attribute information, reducing the potential for memory errors such as source amnesia.
How does source amnesia occur?
According to Johnson, Hashtroudi, and Lindsay (1993), source amnesia happens when the memory trace for the context or source of information separates from the memory trace for the information itself. This dissociation may be brought on by problems with the memory trace’s encoding, retrieval interference, or aging.
Additionally, cognitive characteristics that can affect memory processing, such as attention and executive control, as well as emotional and motivational factors, may have an impact on source amnesia.
Examples of source amnesia in daily life
- A person may remember hearing a piece of news but cannot recall whether they heard it on the radio, read it in a newspaper, or were told by a friend.
- An individual might remember a specific fact or piece of information, such as the name of a historical figure or a scientific concept, but cannot remember when or where they learned it.
- A person may have a vivid memory of an event but later realize that the memory was based on a movie or a story they heard, rather than an actual experience.
How does source amnesia explain deja vu?
Deja vu is the feeling of having experienced a situation or event before, even though it is actually new or unfamiliar. One theory suggests that deja vu may be related to source amnesia, in which the brain incorrectly attributes a sense of familiarity to a novel situation (Brown, 2004). This misattribution could result from a partial activation of related memory traces, leading to the feeling of familiarity without the conscious awareness of the source of that familiarity.
References
Brown, A. S. (2004). The deja vu experience: Essays in cognitive psychology. Psychology Press. https://www.amazon.com/Deja-Experience-Essays-Cognitive-Psychology/dp/1841690759
Johnson, M. K., Hashtroudi, S., & Lindsay, D. S. (1993). Source monitoring. Psychological Bulletin, 114(1), 3–28. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.114.1.3
Schacter, D. L., Harbluk, J. L., & McLachlan, D. R. (1984). Retrieval without recollection: An experimental analysis of source amnesia. Journal of Verbal Learning & Verbal Behavior, 23(5), 593–611. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-5371(84)90373-6