Encoding Chapter 8, Lecture 2 “To paraphrase Ebbinghaus, those who learn quickly also forget quickly.” - David Myers

Questions for Your Notes What have you had to eat today? What have you talked with your friends about today? What have you learned about in one of your other classes today? Preview Question 2: What information do we encode automatically? What information do we encode effortfully, and how does the distribution of practice influence retention? At any point today did you think, “I have to remember these events because my psychology instructor might ask for my recall.”

Encoding: Getting Information In How We Encode Some information (route to your school) is automatically processed. However, new or unusual information (friend’s new cell-phone number) requires attention and effort. Preview Question 2: What information do we encode automatically? What information do we encode effortfully, and how does the distribution of practice influence retention?

Automatic Processing We process an enormous amount of information effortlessly, such as the following: Space: While reading a textbook, you automatically encode the place of a picture on a page. Time: We unintentionally note the events that take place in a day. Frequency: You effortlessly keep track of things that happen to you.

Effortful Processing Committing novel information to memory requires effort just like learning a concept from a textbook. Such processing leads to durable and accessible memories. Spencer Grant/ Photo Edit © Bananastock/ Alamy

Effortful learning usually requires rehearsal or conscious repetition. Ebbinghaus studied rehearsal by using nonsense syllables: TUV YOF GEK XOZ http://www.isbn3-540-21358-9.de Hermann Ebbinghaus (1850-1909)

Rehearsal The more times the nonsense syllables were practiced on Day 1, the fewer repetitions were required to remember them on Day 2.

Memory Effects Spacing Effect: We retain information better when we rehearse over time. Serial Position Effect: When your recall is better for first (primacy effect) and last (recency effect) items on a list, but poor for middle items. In your notes, write down the names of as many U.S. presidents as you can remember…

1. Washington 16. Lincoln 31. Hoover 2. J. Adams 17. A. Johnson 32. F.D. Roosevelt 3. Jefferson 18. Grant 33. Truman 4. Madison 19. Hayes 34. Eisenhower 5. Monroe 20. Garfield 35. Kennedy 6. J.Q. Adams 21. Arthur 36. L. Johnson 7. Jackson 22. Cleveland 37. Nixon 8. Van Buren 23. B. Harrison 38. Ford 9. W.H. Harrison 24. Cleveland 39. Carter 10. Tyler 25. McKinley 40. Reagan 11. Polk 26. T. Roosevelt 41. George H.W. Bush 12. Taylor 27. Taft 42. Clinton 13. Fillmore 28. Wilson 43. George W. Bush 14. Pierce 29. Harding 44. Obama 15. Buchanan 30. Coolidge

What We Encode Encoding by meaning Encoding by images Encoding by organization For some examples, look at Handout 8-4… Preview Question 3:What effortful processing methods aid in forming memories?

Encoding Meaning Processing the meaning of verbal information by associating it with what we already know or imagine. Encoding meaning (semantic encoding) results in better recognition later than visual or acoustic encoding.

Visual Encoding Mental pictures (imagery) are a powerful aid to effortful processing, especially when combined with semantic encoding. Both photos: Ho/AP Photo Showing adverse effects of tanning and smoking in a picture may be more powerful than simply talking about it.

Mnemonics Imagery is at the heart of many memory aids. Mnemonic techniques use vivid imagery and organizational devices in aiding memory.

Organizing Information for Encoding Break down complex information into broad concepts and further subdivide them into categories and subcategories. Chunking Hierarchies

Chunking 1-7-7-6-1-4-9-2-1-8-1-2-1-9-4-1 Organizing items into a familiar, manageable unit. Try to remember the numbers below. 1-7-7-6-1-4-9-2-1-8-1-2-1-9-4-1 If you are well versed with American history, chunk the numbers together and see if you can recall them better. 1776 1492 1812 1941.

Acronyms are another way of chunking information to remember it. HOMES = Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior ROY G. BIV = Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet

Hierarchy Complex information broken down into broad concepts and further subdivided into categories and subcategories.

Encoding Summarized in a Hierarchy p.336

Homework Read p.337-345 “Asked later what we heard or read, we recall not the literal text but what we encoded. Thus, studying for an exam, you may remember your lecture notes rather than the lecture itself.” - David Myers