Review of Long-term Memory zOrganizes and stores info zCapacity unlimited zThought by some to be permanent zEncoding transfers info from STM to LTM Long-term memory Working or Short-term Memory Sensory Input Sensory Memory Attention Encoding Retrieval Maintenance Rehearsal

Automatic vs. Effortful Encoding zAutomatic processing yUnconscious encoding of information yExamples: xWhat did you eat for lunch today? xWas the last time you studied during the day or night? xYou know the meanings of these very words you are reading. Are you actively trying to process the definition of the words?

Automatic vs. Effortful Encoding zEffortful processing yRequires attention and conscious effort yExamples: xMemorizing your notes for your upcoming Introduction to Psychology exams xRepeating a phone number in your head until you can write it down yDifferent levels of effortful processing

Levels of Processing Experiment zInstructions: yA word will appear once a second yFollow the instructions on your sheet ySimply check yes or no in the appropriate column yThere will be 42 words total HorseCabbageElephantGoldTroutRabbitUncleKneeDuckMemoryBrainPicnicGrillEarlobeCarriageCarrotAuntRedDogMotherHouseIndianBassPatientAnkleRadioBlueLeafBoatCousinBarnPheasantInkTrunkTeacherGeneralTurkeyChildWaistBeachImageBook

Shallow processing zProcessing only superficial characteristics of a piece of information zExamples: yvisual encoding: encoding of images xDoes a word contain the letter “e”? xDoes a word contain all capital letters? xWas the word in italics? yacoustic encoding: sound-based encoding xDoes a word rhyme with gum? yMaintenance rehearsal: simple repetition

Deep levels of processing zElaboration: focus on meaning of info to encode info into LTM ydon’t simply repeat items over and over ytie item to other info in memory yalso called elaborative rehearsal

Ways to use deep processing zActively question new info zThink about its implications zRelate info to things you already know zGenerate own examples of concepts zDon’t highlight passage as you read yfocus on the ideas in the text

Which level is more effective? Deep processing leads to better recall than shallow processing Percent of words recalled Type of Processing Shallow - Visual Visual (written in capitals?) Acoustic (rhymes with...) Semantic (type of…) Shallow - Acoustic Deep

zPositive correlation between grades and use of elaboration in 5th-grade students zIn an experiment, college students assigned to use elaboration received higher grades than students not taught elaboration More evidence for deep processing

Enhancing encoding zDual coding theory zMnemonics yvisualization ykey word method ymethod of loci ypeg word method

Method of Loci zImagine moving through a familiar series of locations ythe campus, your house, etc. zAssociate each place/room with a visual representation of the objects to be remembered

Method of Loci For example, imagine this visual scenario

Ebbinghaus experiment zCan boost memory through repetition zThe more time spent learning information, the more you retain zExperiment yDay 1 - memorized lists of nonsense syllables: BAF, HAB, JUV, VEZ, etc… xvaried number of repetitions yDay 2 - examined how long it took to relearn the list studied on Day one

Ebbinghaus results Time in minutes taken to relearn list on day 2 Number of repetitions of list on day 1 As rehearsal increases, relearning time decreases