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To understand the problems that source monitoring research and theory address, consider the implications of a cognitive system that is capable of construction and reconstruction–that is, capable of generating information on its own and integrating information from mul-tiple sources. Constructive and reconstructive processes that interpret, embellish, transform, and synthesize experiences are powerful engines for comprehension and creativity, but the potential cost is distorted memories and beliefs (eg, Bartlett, 1932/1995; Bransford & Johnson, 1973; Neisser, 1967). The constructive view of cognition was fueled by many observations. Among the most important were the consequences of schemadriven (eg, Bartlett, 1932/1995), associative (eg, Deese, 1959), and organizational (eg, Tulving, 1962) processes. For example, while inter-item associations contribute to accurate recall (eg, Jenkins & Russell, 1952 …