Memory

Memory The persistence of learning over time through the storage and retrieval of information –Your memory is your mind’s storehouse, the reservoir of your accumulated learning

Sensory Information Every second all potential memories What do you pay attention to I.e. – walking down the hall – who do you remember? Why?

Memory – Information Processing Encoding – the processing of information into the memory system Storage – the retention of encoded information over time Retrieval – the process of getting information out of memory storage

Encoding Encoding is the processing of information into the memory system – the first step of building a memory is sensory input

Sensory input can occur in two ways: –Automatic process –Effortful process Encoding

Automatic Process – some sensory information is encoded without any conscious effort or awareness at all – noticing the color of your friends shirt, following the route from one class to another, the smell of the bathroom, …..you didn’t have to do anything at the time you were doing these things in order to remember them later

Effortful Processing – gathering information requires both your attention and a conscious effort Two effortful practices include rehearsal and spacing

Encoding – Rehearsal – the conscious repetition of information

Encoding – Spacing Effect – rehearsing information repeatedly, over time. Spaced studying beats cramming. Rehearse a bit, take a break, begin rehearsing as you start forgetting things, take a break, rehearse again as you begin to forget, etc.

Encoding – To encode the meaning of a difficult piece of poetry, we might re-write the poem using modern words and phrases that we use everyday.

Encoding – Remembering Your midterm information 1. Colored index cards – different one per Chapter 2. Word on one side – 3. other side definition – in your own words – other info

Encoding – Effortful Processing Semantic Encoding – the encoding of meanings, especially of words Acoustic Encoding – the encoding of sounds Visual Encoding – the encoding of picture images

Encoding – Effortful Processing Semantic Encoding - in order to process the definitions of words, the meaning of a reading, our conversations with people, the directions we’ve read on a box, etc., you will need to be able to encode them within a context that is meaningful to you

Encoding – Effortful Processing Semantic Encoding Flashbulb Memories – a clear memory of an emotionally significant moment or event –Where were you when 9/11 occurred, or when Kennedy was shot? –You clearly remember your first hit in Little League, your 21 st birthday, your first kiss, the first day of high school, a funeral, a wedding….. you have a clear recollection of a single event because it has meaning to you

Encoding – Effortful Processing Visual Encoding Applies the idea of mental pictures to words and concepts, in order to put them into memory easier. Where did you go yesterday, who was with you, where did you eat, and what did you wear? Remembering visual information is often easier than remembering formulas, definitions, names and dates.

Encoding – Effortful Processing Visual Encoding – Mental Imagery When you are reading a passage from a book, imagine it as a script being played out on a movie screen in your mind. After reading a book you may not remember all of the features and personal traits of all of the characters. But, if you mentally pictured a famous actor playing each role while you reading the book it may be easier to describe the literary characters later on a test.

Encoding – Mental Imagery A mental picture of Lady Macbeth. While reading John Grisham’s “The Firm”, you picture Tom Cruise as the main character.

Encoding – Mental Imagery When encoding a list of words, apply a mental picture to each word. IE. Typewriter, fire, cigarette, scary.

Acoustic Encoding - Sounds Enhances the processing of information by applying rhyme schemes, stories, songs, etc. to the information.

Acoustic Encoding - Sounds Trying to remember the concept that alcohol lowers inhibitions and encourages socialization?…..”What sobriety conceals, alcohol reveals”. “If the glove doesn’t fit, you must acquit,” is easily remembered by jurors when a lawyer is fighting for his client’s innocence.

Encoding – Acoustic Encoding 30 Days past September, April, June and November. All the rest have 31, except February. In fourteen hundred and ninety-two Columbus sailed the Ocean Blue. "i" before "e," except after "c," or in sounding like "ay" as in "neighbor" or "weigh."

Encoding – A uditory Encoding Songs are another great way to remember things – SCHOOL HOUSE ROCK !!

Encoding – More Strategies (Mnemonics) Chunking – Organizing items into familiar, manageable units Acronyms – Organizing items by creating words or sentences from the first letters of the words or information to be remembered

Encoding –Chunking Who’s coming to the party? Sally, Dave, Sean, Barry, Cindy, Melissa, Rebecca, Tim…… –How to make it easier? Make the list alphabetical. Group the names by gender. Barry, Cindy, Dave, etc. Sally, Rebecca, etc…..Dave, Barry, etc.

Encoding –Chunking 1,8,1,2,1,7,7,6,1,9,4,1,1,4,9,2

Much easier to encode the numbers into our memory if we “chunk” them: Try to remember these numbers: 1812, 1776, 1941, 1492

Encoding –Chunking

Where they easier to remember? They were the same numbers as before…

1,8,1,2,1,7,7,6,1,9,4,1,1,4,9,2 1812, 1776, 1941, 1492

Encoding –Chunking Encode these random words? –nickels seven any in stitch don’t saves ago a score time and nine wooden four years take –Much easier to remember them as: Don’t take any wooden nickels Four score and seven years ago A stitch in time saves nine

Encoding –Acronyms Need to learn the names of North America’s five “Great Lakes”? –HOMES – Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior

Encoding – Effortful Processing Acronyms National Basketball Association – NBA Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus – SCUBA

Encoding – Effortful Processing Acronyms Can’t remember how to spell Arithmetic? –A Rat In Toms House Might Eat Toms Ice Cream

Encoding –Acronyms How does a doctor diagnose Depression? DEAD SWAMP: Depressed mood most of the day Energy loss or fatigue Anhedonia Death thoughts (recurrent), suicidal ideation or attempts Sleep disturbances (insomnia, hypersomnia) Worthlessness or excessive guilt Appetite or weight change Mentation decreased (ability to think or concentrate, indecisiveness) Psychomotor agitation or retardation

–My Dear Aunt Sally - mathematical order of operations: Multiply and Divide before you Add and Subtract –Never Eat Slimy Worms (North- East – South – West)

Memory – Information Processing Atkinson and Shiffrin’s “Three- Stage Processing” Model Memories are created through a three-step process of sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory

Memory – Information Processing Sensory Memory – the immediate, initial recording of sensory information Short-Term Memory – activated memory that holds a few items briefly, and then the information is either stored, or forgotten Long-term Memory – the relatively permanent and limitless storehouse of memories