ABSTRACT
In memory research, the initial impact of an experience on the brain has been called an engram (Schacter, 1996). Trace theory describes an encoding process in which the engram or memory trace has both a gist (a general notion) and specific details (Schacter, 1996). With time, the details of an experience may begin to fade away and become less tightly bound together. However, the gist may remain quite accurate and easily accessible for retrieval. When trying to retrieve an original memory, one may be calling up the gist at first and then later trying to reconstruct the details. This reconstruction process may be profoundly influenced by the present environment, the questioning context itself, and other factors such as current emotions (Christianson, 1991).
