Memory & Learning AP Psychology

Memory  Can you remember your first memory? Why do you think you can remember certain events in your life over others?

Memory  Memory as Information Processing  similar to a computer  write to file  save to disk  read from disk  Encoding  processing of info into the memory system  Acoustic, Visual, & Semantic Encoding  Storage  retention of encoded information over time  Retrieval  process of getting info out of memory

Encoding

Types of Memory  Episodic – specific events in your life  Semantic – generalized knowledge of the world that does not involve a specific event  Procedural (skill memory) – knowledge of how to perform a physical task

Explicit v. Implicit Memory  Explicit Memory – used to deliberately remember something  Implicit Memory – unintentional influence of prior experiences

Storing New Memories  Sensory Memory  initial recording of sensory info in memory system  holds info for a fraction of a second  Working Memory  focuses more on processing of briefly stored information  allows us to mentally work with, or manipulate, information being held in our memory  Try This: How many windows are on the front of your house or apartment building? What did you do to remember this?

Storing New Memories  Short-Term Memory (STM)  holds a few items briefly  disappears in seconds w/o further processing  Immediate memory span = 7 +/- 2  Long-Term Memory (LTM)  relatively permanent and limitless storehouse

Storing New Memories  Chunking  organizing into familiar, manageable units  like horizontal organization  often occurs automatically  use of acronyms  HOMES--Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior  ARITHMETIC--A Rat In Tom’s House Might Eat Tom’s Ice Cream

Retrieval: Getting Information Out  Recall  retrieve information learned earlier  as on a fill-in- the blank test  Recognition  identify items previously learned  as on a multiple- choice test

Retrieval Cues  déjà vu -- cues from current situation may subconsciously trigger retrieval of an earlier similar experience  Mood-congruent Memory  emotions, or moods serve as retrieval cues  State-dependent Memory  what is learned in one state (while one is sober, drunk, depressed, excited, in a certain location, etc.) can more easily be remembered when in same state

Forgetting  Forgetting = encoding failure  Information never enters the long-term memory External events Sensory memory Short- term memory Long- term memory Attention Encoding failure leads to forgetting

Forgetting  Forgetting as encoding failure  Which penny is the real thing?

Retrieval  Forgetting can result from failure to retrieve information from long-term memory External events Attention Encoding Retrieval failure leads to forgetting Retrieval Sensory memory Short-term memory Long-term memory

Forgetting- Interference  Motivated Forgetting  unknowingly revise memories  Repression  defense mechanism  banishes anxiety- arousing thoughts, feelings, and memories from consciousness

Memory Construction  We filter info and fill in missing pieces  Misinformation Effect  incorporating misleading information into one's memory of an event

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

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