The Chancellor's memory: Rhetoric and truth in discursive remembering

摘要: This paper explores the notion of truthfulness in research on conversational remembering. It argues that people's accounts past events, before they can be taken as data cognitive workings memory, need to examined contextualized and variable productions perform pragmatic rhetorical work; no one version a person's real memory. The consequences this discourse-analytical perspective are first through critical discussion Ulric Neisser's study John Dean's testimony senate ‘Watergate’ committee. issues then explored more deeply an analysis reportings different event, which similar (Watergate-like) truth accuracy also at issue. is argued that: (a) all three kinds memory–verbatim, gist ‘repisodic’–involve problematical assumptions concerning their relation some true, original event; (b) his memory displays should approached occasioned oriented pragmatically assignment guilt avoidance scapegoating. Through newspaper reports (based memory) controversial briefing given by British Chancellor Exchequer, Nigel Lawson, we examine: how discourse about what could used arbiter was rhetorically organized; participants' versions events were constructed rhetorically, parts arguments; (c) both sides dispute maintained coherence positions form error accounting Neisser with respect Dean. suggested psychologists, whether working laboratory or attempting do real-world studies everyday remembering, avoid simplistic notions true so addressing organization accounts.