http://www.npr.org/2011/09/27/140816037/how-psychology-solved-a-wwii-shipwreck-mystery

“When a memory is made, the content you’re trying to remember is embedded in a schema, or theory of what is going on. Over time, you remember less of the original content and more of the general theory. That is, you remember the basic gist of the story, and supplement it or change it so that it fits a more comfortable mold.”

http://www.npr.org/2011/09/27/140816037/how-psychology-solved-a-wwii-shipwreck-mystery?ft=1&f=3