Definition
Human memory is anything but stable: We constantly add knowledge to our memories as we learn and lose access to knowledge as we forget. Yet people often make judgments and predictions about their memories that do not reflect this instability. The term stability bias refers to the human tendency to act as though one’s memory will remain stable in the future. For example, people fail to predict that they will learn from future study opportunities; they also fail to predict that they will forget in the future with the passage of time. The stability bias appears to be rooted in a failure to appreciate external influences on memory, coupled with a lack of sensitivity to how the conditions present during learning will differ from the conditions present during a test.
Theoretical Background
All memories are not created equal. Some memories feel strong, vivid, and familiar; others feel shakier and less reliable. People are generally confident in the first type of memory but unsure...
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Kornell, N. (2012). A Stability Bias in Human Memory. In: Seel, N.M. (eds) Encyclopedia of the Sciences of Learning. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1428-6_1683
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1428-6_1683
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