by a redheaded man. Subsequently, after reading in the newspaper that the crime was committed by a brown-haired man, the witness "remembers" a brown-haired man instead of a redheaded man. Loftus and Palmer's work into leading questions is an example of such suggestibility. Bias The sin of bias is similar to the sin of suggestibility in that one's current feelings and worldview distort remembrance of past events. This can pertain to specific incidences and the general conception one has of a certain period in one's life. Memories encoded with a certain amount of stimulation and emotion are more easily recalled. Thus, a contented adult might look back with fondness on his or her childhood, induced to do so by positive memories from that time, which might not be representative of his/her average mood during his/her childhood. Persistence This failure of the memory system involves the unwanted recall of information that is disturbing. The remembrance can range from a blunder on the job to a truly traumatic experience, and the persistent recall can lead to formation of phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder, and even suicide in particularly disturbing or intrusive instances. Seven penances While attending a science conference in Orlando, Florida in 2004, Scott S. Haraburda heard the author present these seven sins to U.S. Army scientists and program managers. After conducting several experiments to validate Schacter's identification of these fundamental transgressions, Haraburda developed actions to help us improve our memories, which he termed "penances": Obtain information quickly after an event, when it is fresh in people's minds. Use a prioritized task list. Take notes from important events, including meeting minutes. Record important events and milestones daily. Use neutrally worded questions when soliciting information. Understand the basis or perspective of the person providing the information. Understand and recognize the symptoms of PTS. References External links Description of the book at the APA website On the Seven Sins of Memory with Professor Daniel Schacter 'Bridging the Gaps: A Portal for Curious Minds' 2001 non-fiction books Books about bias Books about memory