What is the primary reason individuals' recollections of significant events may be inaccurate over time?

The primary reason individuals might have inaccuracies in their recollections of significant events over time relates to the phenomenon of overconfidence in memory accuracy. While people naturally tend to believe in the reliability of their memories, especially for emotionally charged events, this confidence can mislead them into thinking they remember details accurately when they may not.

Memory is not a perfect recording of events; instead, it is a reconstructive process. When recalling significant events, individuals may fill in gaps with assumptions or incorrect information, making them overconfident about the accuracy of their narration. This overconfidence can be further amplified by the emotional weight of the event, as people often feel that their strong emotional responses validate the accuracy of their memories.

This tendency can lead to a misalignment between what truly occurred and what individuals remember, resulting in distorted recollections of even major life events. Thus, overconfidence in memory accuracy plays a key role in shaping how individuals recall significant occurrences.