记忆的重构性 The Reconstructive Nature of Memory

人们rénmen往往wǎngwǎng以为yǐwéi记忆jìyì就jiù像xiàng一台yì tái摄像机shèxiàngjī，把bǎ经历jīnglì原封不动yuánfēngbùdòng地de保存bǎocún下来xiàlái，需要xūyào时shí按下ànxià播放键bòfàngjiàn便biàn可kě重现chóngxiàn。

People often assume that memory works like a video camera, preserving experience intact and ready to replay at the press of a button whenever needed.

然而rán'ér认知科学rènzhī kēxué的de研究yánjiū表明biǎomíng，记忆jìyì并非bìngfēi一次性yícìxìng录制lùzhì、永久yǒngjiǔ封存fēngcún的de影像yǐngxiàng，而是érshì大脑dànǎo每次měicì回想huíxiǎng时shí重新chóngxīn拼凑pīncòu出来chūlái的de产物chǎnwù。

However, cognitive science research shows that memory is not a one-time recording sealed away forever, but rather a product that the brain reassembles anew each time it recalls.

举例来说jǔlì láishuō，同一场tóngyī chǎng车祸chēhuò的de目击者mùjīzhě往往wǎngwǎng对duì细节xìjié的de描述miáoshù截然不同jiérán bùtóng，甚至shènzhì同一tóngyī人rén复述fùshù时shí细节xìjié也yě会huì悄然qiǎorán改变gǎibiàn。

For example, eyewitnesses to the same car accident often describe the details completely differently, and even the same person's account can subtly change each time it is retold.

更gèng令人不安lìngrén bù'ān的是de shì，一段yíduàn记忆jìyì越是yuèshì被bèi反复fǎnfù讲述jiǎngshù，就jiù越yuè容易róngyì掺入chānrù讲述者jiǎngshùzhě当下dāngxià的de情绪qíngxù与yǔ想象xiǎngxiàng，与yǔ最初zuìchū的de经历jīnglì渐行渐远jiànxíng jiànyuǎn。

What is more unsettling is that the more a memory is retold, the more easily it becomes mixed with the narrator's current emotions and imagination, drifting further and further from the original experience.

心理学家xīnlǐ xuéjiā曾céng诱导yòudǎo受试者shòushìzhě“回忆huíyì”起qǐ从未cóngwèi发生fāshēng的de童年tóngnián事件shìjiàn，许多xǔduō人rén却què对duì虚构xūgòu情节qíngjié深信不疑shēnxìn bùyí，描述miáoshù得de栩栩如生xǔxǔ rúshēng。

Psychologists have induced subjects to "recall" childhood events that never happened, and many people firmly believe these fabricated details, even describing them vividly as if real.

由此可见yóucǐ kějiàn，记忆jìyì的de清晰生动qīngxī shēngdòng与yǔ其qí准确zhǔnquè程度chéngdù并bìng无wú必然bìrán联系liánxì，鲜明xiānmíng的de细节感xìjiégǎn也许yěxǔ只是zhǐshì大脑dànǎo填补tiánbǔ空白kòngbái时shí留下liúxià的de假象jiǎxiàng。

It follows that the vividness of a memory has no necessary connection to its accuracy — a sharp sense of detail may just be an illusion left behind when the brain fills in the gaps.

这一zhè yī发现fāxiàn对duì司法sīfǎ领域lǐngyù尤其yóuqí具有jùyǒu警示jǐngshì意义yìyì：一旦yīdàn过分guòfèn依赖yīlài目击者mùjīzhě信誓旦旦xìnshì dàndàn的de证词zhèngcí，就jiù可能kěnéng酿成niàngchéng冤假错案yuānjiǎ cuò'àn。

This finding is especially cautionary for the judicial field: once one relies too heavily on an eyewitness's solemnly sworn testimony, it may result in a wrongful conviction.

反之fǎnzhī，这zhè也yě意味着yìwèizhe我们wǒmen珍视zhēnshì的de怀旧huáijiù与yǔ身份认同shēnfèn rèntóng，很大程度上hěn dà chéngdù shàng建立jiànlì在zài不断bùduàn重塑chóngsù的de记忆jìyì之上zhīshàng，而非érfēi客观kèguān历史lìshǐ本身běnshēn。

Conversely, this also means that the nostalgia and sense of identity we cherish are, to a large extent, built upon memories that are constantly being reshaped, rather than on objective history itself.

归根结底guīgēn jiédǐ，与其yǔqí把bǎ记忆jìyì视为shìwéi忠实zhōngshí的de档案dàng'àn，不如bùrú将jiāng其qí视为shìwéi随suí心境xīnjìng修订xiūdìng的de故事gùshì，认清rènqīng这zhè一点yìdiǎn，也yě是shì认清rènqīng自我zìwǒ局限júxiàn的de开始kāishǐ。

In the final analysis, rather than treating memory as a faithful archive, it is better to view it as a story continually revised by one's state of mind — recognizing this is also the beginning of recognizing the limits of the self.

🔊 Audio uses your device's Chinese voice for now — teacher recordings are coming. Tap any word to see its meaning.

Key words 生词

原封不动yuánfēngbùdòngintact, unchanged

拼凑pīncòuto piece together

深信不疑shēnxìn bùyíto firmly believe without doubt

栩栩如生xǔxǔ rúshēngvivid, lifelike

冤假错案yuānjiǎ cuò'ànwrongful conviction, miscarriage of justice

归根结底guīgēn jiédǐin the final analysis, ultimately

Grammar note 语法点

一旦…就…

Expresses 'once X happens, then Y follows' — a conditional trigger with a resulting, often serious, consequence. E.g. 一旦下定决心，就不要轻易放弃 (once you've made up your mind, don't give up easily).

一旦过分依赖目击者信誓旦旦的证词，就可能酿成冤假错案。

与其…不如…

Expresses 'rather than X, it would be better to Y' — used to state a preference between two options. E.g. 与其抱怨环境，不如努力改变自己 (rather than complain about circumstances, it's better to try to change yourself).

与其把记忆视为忠实的档案，不如将其视为随心境修订的故事。

Check yourself 小测验

1. According to the passage, what is memory actually like, as opposed to the common intuition that it works like a recording?

2. What does the passage say tends to happen when a memory is retold repeatedly?

3. What does the passage suggest about vivid, confidently recalled memories such as eyewitness testimony?

记忆的重构性Jìyì de chónggòuxìngThe Reconstructive Nature of Memory

Key words 生词

Grammar note 语法点

Check yourself 小测验

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