Memory 1

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2 main categories of memory Procedural- doing something…Riding a bike, swimming, drawing, texting without looking (we won’t be looking at this one- just keep practicing ok?) Declarative- Knowing information: Quick, What is the capital of Canada? 3

The Memory Process Three step process…. 1.Encoding: The processing of information into the memory system. 2.Storage: The retention of encoded material over time. 3.Retrieval: The process of getting the information out of memory storage. 4

Memory retaining information over time Positive transfer is the ability to remember and use that information at will. 5

A.Network theory of memory organization we store related ideas in separate categories, or files, called nodes B.Associations/ Encoding linking of nodes by making associations new and old information. ORGNIZATION OF MEMORIES 6

examples of associations: The nine counties of Southern England Or: 7

Automatic Encoding  Transfer of info from STM to LTM without effort or awareness (Personal Events, Interesting Facts, Skills and Habits) Effortful Encoding  Transfer of info from STM to LTM with much effort such as rehearsal or association Memory Processes Cont. 8

The 3 Types of Memory Sensory Short-Term Memory Long Term Memory 9

Sensory Memory Initial process of acknowledging something - If you pay no more attention to it, it will disappear and If you do pay attention to it, it goes to STM ¼ -2 seconds in length. 10

Short-term Memory (Working) Memory  Holds (approximately 7 items) for 2-30 seconds. -It will disappear if no more attention is paid to it 11

Long-Term Memory Storing information for a long time (can be lifelong). Rehearse or associate new stuff with old stuff. Error and bias become issues 12

Activating associations to retrieve a memory Where one thing reminds you of another. In general, memory has a “dove-tail” effect. “backtracking” to find your keys. Priming: 13

Memory Retrieval Cues Emotions  certain hormones that are produced during a highly emotional experience tend to cause the emotionally charged event to be better remembered. Encoding Specifity  physical surroundings become encoded as retrieval cues State-Dependent-Learning  It’s easier to recall something when you are in the same physiological or emotional state that you were when you initially encoded it. 14

Types of Remembering Recall  retrieving previously learned info. Recognition  identifying previously learned info. Remembering items on a list: First Items: Primary Effect  remembering items at the beginning because of more rehearsal/ attention Middle Items  most forgotten Last Items: Recency Effect  remembering things at the end better because they are the most recent items in memory Déjà Vu (French)-”already seen” 15

MEMORIZATION METHODS Improving your memory Mnemonic methods  Acronyms  Peg Words Method of loci encoding technique that creates visual associations between already memorized places and new items to be memorized. (Mental Castle) 16

Imagery: create images to aid memory. Picture the number 26 flying through a crosswalk and running down a school aged child. The more detailed the picture, the more likely you will remember. Put wheels on the 26. Put a guy inside with a pink helmet with purple 26 on it. Now you will remember that in a school zone, 26 is too fast. 25 is the max speed. 17

Chunking A chunk is any memory pattern or meaningful unit of memory. Organized information is more easily recalled By creating these chunks, a process called chunking, we can fit more information into the seven available slots of working memory. Example: vs. 18

– 9/11 – 1776 – 1812 – 1861 – 1917 Don’t feel stupid… 19

These tend to be memories of highly emotional events. Typically people remember exactly where they were when the event happened, what they were doing and the emotions they felt. - Not necessarily more accurate 20

Forgetting “Attention is Retention” Forgetting Curve- Measures how much someone can recall or recognize across time Familiar and interesting remembering is partly related to how familiar or interesting the information is 21

Ebbinghaus  Ebbinghaus used nonsense syllables  TUV ZOF GEK WAV  the more times practiced on Day 1, the fewer repetitions to relearn on Day 2 Spacing effect – memory is better for info learned over time Ebbinghaus’ Forgetting Curve 22

Forgetting: Storage Decay  forgetting curve over 30 days-- initially rapid, then levels off with time Time in days since learning list Percentage of list retained when relearning 23

Forgetting: Storage Decay  The forgetting curve for Spanish learned in school Retention drops, then levels off ½ 14½ 25 35½ 49½ Time in years after completion of Spanish course 100% Percentage of original vocabulary retained 24

Retrograde Amnesia: No old memories Anterograde Amnesia: No new memories Infantile amnesia: difficult to remember vivid memories from before ages 2-3 Dissociative amnesia: inability to remember info due to psychological trauma 25

What kind of forgetting? Ellen can’t recall the reasons for the Webster Ashburton Treaty because she was daydreaming in class the day it was discussed. Encoding failure Roger hates his job at Taco Heaven and is always forgetting when he is schedule to work. Retrieval failure (motivated forgetting ) 26

What kind of forgetting? Ray’s new assistant in the shipping department is named Jason Timberlake. Ray keeps calling him Justin, mixing him up with the singer Justin Timberlake. Proactive interference Tania studied history on Sunday morning and sociology on Sunday evening. It’s Monday, and she’s struggling with her history test because she keeps mixing up prominent historians with influential sociologists. Retroactive interference 27

What kind of forgetting? Mark was in a near fatal car accident on his way to work. At the hospital, he cannot remember what he was doing that morning up until the accident (stopping for coffee, calling his wife), but still can form new memories. Retrograde amnesia Ally was sexually assaulted, and when reporting the event has trouble remembering what happened after the assault (where she went, who she spoke to). Anterograde amnesia 28

Retrieval clues are the search terms we use to activate memory—like a Google search. The more specific you are, the better the results will be. If you draw a blank on a test, it may be a result of the wording on the test not being the same as the wording you used while studying. So, the more closely the retrieval clues match way the information was encoded, the better the information will be remembered. Example: 29

Tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon a strong feeling that something can be recalled, but we are temporarily unable to recall it. Usually due to poor retrieval cues/ distraction 30

Blocking: forgetting when a memory cannot be retrieved because of interference. Proactive Interference: When an old memory disrupts the learning and remembering of a new memory. –Ex. Trying to put the dishes away at a new house Retroactive Memory: When a new memory blocks the retrieval of an old memory. –Ex. Driving an automatic after driving a manual 31

During the 1990s, the idea of repressing painful memories became a big topic. Most psychologists now agree that events that are traumatic are typically etched on the mind as vivid, persistent, haunting memories. 32

As memory fades with time following an event, adding misinformation becomes easier. Imagination inflation occurs because visualizing something and actually perceiving it activate similar brain areas. 33

Depiction of actual accident Leading question: “About how fast were the cars going when they smashed into each other?” Memory construction  Eyewitnesses reconstruct memories when questioned 34

Memory Construction  Memories of Abuse  Repressed or Constructed?  Child sexual abuse does occur  Some adults do actually forget such episodes  False Memory Syndrome  condition in which a person’s identity and relationships center around a false but strongly believed memory of traumatic experience  sometimes induced by well-meaning the rapists 35

Memory Construction  Most people can agree on the following:  Injustice happens  Abuse happens  Forgetting happens  Recovered memories are commonplace  Memories recovered under hypnosis or drugs are especially unreliable  Memories of things happening before age 3 are unreliable  Memories, whether false or real, are upsetting 36

Suggestibility: The process of memory distortion as the result of deliberate or inadvertent suggestion. »Eyewitness accounts are one a large part of our legal system. Unfortunately they can be incredibly faulty. »With the misinformation effect, memories can be embellished or even created by cues and suggestions. Suggestibility 38

Emotions strengthen the physical changes in the synapses that hold our memories, thus highly emotional memories are harder to put out of mind. Persistence Persistence: A memory problem where unwanted memories cannot be put out of our mind. Eg: Depressed people cannot stop thinking about how bad their life is and how unhappy they are. It can create a self-fulfilling problem. 39

Improve Your Memory  Study repeatedly to boost recall  Spend more time rehearsing or actively thinking about the material  Make material personally meaningful  Get plenty of sleep  Use mnemonic devices  associate with peg words--something already stored  make up story  chunk--acronyms 40

Improve Your Memory  Recall events while they are fresh-- before you encounter misinformation  Minimize interference  Test your own knowledge  rehearse  determine what you do not yet know 41