Why do we exaggerate some details of a story, but minimize others?
Leveling and Sharpening
, explained.What is Leveling and Sharpening?
Leveling and sharpening are concepts that have been introduced by early Gestalt psychologists as memory distortions that occurs when we fail to remember details of a certain memory. In psychology, leveling occur when some details are lost or it can also happen when we want to tone down certain moment.
Where this bias occurs
Leveling and sharpening is most commonly associated with the idea of selective memory, especially when it comes to storytelling and narration. Suppose you’re telling a friend a funny story about a time you tripped and fell in public. You might exaggerate some aspects to create a sense of drama, saying, for example, something like “so many people saw it happen!” You may, however, omit some minor details, such as the fact that it was actually a busy street, and the chances are, nobody really noticed your humiliating stumble. This occurs because our brain likes to engage in leveling and sharpening: cognitive controls that help us to manage information and details so they align with our cognitive assumptions and goals. Leveling consists of omitting what we have judged to be ‘minor’ details in memory recollection, whereas sharpening is the exaggeration and intense recollection of small details that mean a lot to the overall narrative.
