Read the scenario below. Based on psychological principles regarding the nature of personal memory, explain the most likely reason for the discrepancy between Alex's and Ben's recollections.

Analyzing a Disputed Childhood Memory

Despite often feeling vivid and accurate, autobiographical memories for life events are not infallible and can be subject to errors, distortions, and inaccuracies.

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We often construct memories to reaffirm our self-image or perception of our current situation. This also leads us to recall memories that confirm our self-image/circumstances more often. 

Autobiographical Memory

Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020, April 22). Psychology (2nd ed.). OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction

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