Why is memory described as reconstructive?
Our minds almost always record memories perfectly, so when we want to revisit a memory, we can access the brain’s memory structure and relive that incident.
We encode and store pieces of our experiences (such as sights, sounds, and scents) and try to reassemble the pieces at retrieval.
Actual events are constructive--they come from real people, places, and things. Remembered events are reconstructive--we imagine them differently each time.
The brain is constructive--it stores information. The mind is reconstructive--it accesses information from the brain's memory center.
