Leveling and sharpening are cognitive controls that help us to manage information and details so they align with our cognitive assumptions and goals. These concepts were introduced by early Gestalt psychologists and describe memory distortions that occur when we fail to remember or exxagerate details of a certain memory. In psychology, leveling occurs when some details are lost or when we want to tone down certain moment, whereas sharpening occurs when we exaggerate or intensely recollect small details that greatly impact the narrative.