1. The Persistence of Memory

2. Review of Long-term Memory
Working or
Short-term
Memory
Sensory
Input
Attention
Encoding
Retrieval
Maintenance Rehearsal
key words: long-term memory; retrieval; forgetting

4. Forgetting theories Poor encoding theories Decay theories
Interference theories
Retrieval-cue theories
key words: forgetting; encoding; decay theories; interference theories; retrieval cues

5. When do we forget? It can occur at any memory stage Sensory memory
Retrieval from long-term memory
Depending on interference,retrieval
cues, moods, and motives, some
things get retrieved, some don’t.
Long-term storage
Some items are altered or lost.
Short-term memory
A few items are both noticed
and encoded.
Sensory memory
The senses momentarily register
amazing detail.
It can occur at any memory stage
key words: forgetting

6. Forgetting as encoding failure
Info never encoded into LTM
Encoding X
Long-term
memory
Encoding failure
leads to forgetting
Short-term
key words: forgetting; encoding

7. Which is the real penny? (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) (i) (j)
(k) (l) (m) (n) (o)
key words: forgetting; encoding

8. Answer (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) (i) (j) (k) (l) (m) (n) (o)
key words: forgetting; encoding

9. Decay theories Memories fade away or decay gradually if unused
Average
percentage of information
retained 20
mins 1 hr 8
hrs 24 2
days 6 31
Interval between original learning of nonsense syllables and memory test
100%
Memories fade away or decay gradually if unused
Time plays critical role
key words: forgetting; retrieval; decay theories

10. Interference theories
“Memories interfering with memories”
One memory competing with or replacing another memory
key words: forgetting; retrieval; interference theories

11. Two types of interference
Retroactive
Interference
Proactive
key words: forgetting; retrieval; interference theories;retroactive interference; proactive interference

12. Retroactive interference
When a NEW memory interferes with remembering OLD information
Example: When new phone number interferes with ability to remember old phone number
key words: forgetting; retrieval; interference theories; retroactive interference

13. Retroactive interference
Example: Learning a new language interferes with ability to remember old language
Study French
papier
livre
plume
école
Study Spanish
papel
libro
pluma
escuela
French 101
Mid-term
exam F-
key words: forgetting; retrieval; interference theories; retroactive interference
Notes:
This is similar to an upcoming slide for proactive interference. The foreign language example can be used to demonstrate both retroactive and proactive interference, depending upon how you present it. Thus, examples of both are included. However, I generally only present only one of the two examples to avoid confusion for the students. For instance, I'll use the foreign language example for retroactive interference and the parking lot example for proactive interference.
retroactive interference

14. Proactive interference
When an OLD memory interferes with remembering NEW information
Example: Memories of where you parked your car at school the past week interferes with ability find car today ?
key words: forgetting; retrieval; interference theories; proactive interference

15. Proactive interference
Example: Previously learned language interferes with ability to remember newly learned language
Study French
papier
livre
plume
école
Study Spanish
papel
libro
pluma
escuela
SPANISH 101
Mid-term
exam F-
key words: forgetting; retrieval; interference theories; proactive interference
Notes:
This is similar to the slide for retroactive interference. The foreign language example can be used to demonstrate both retroactive and proactive interference, depending upon how you present it. Thus, examples of both are included. However, I generally only present only one of the two examples to avoid confusion for the students. For instance, I'll use the foreign language example for retroactive interference and the parking lot example for proactive interference.
proactive interference

16. Retrieval cue theories
Retrieval cue - a clue, prompt or hint that can help memory retrieval
Examples:
key words: forgetting; retrieval; retrieval cues

17. Which retrieval cues work best?
Encoding specificity principle - cues used during initial learning more effective during later retrieval than novel cues
key words: forgetting; retrieval; retrieval cues; encoding specificity principle; context-dependent effects

18. Which retrieval cues work best?
Context-dependent memory - improved ability to remember if tested in the same environment as the initial learning environment
Examples: class, smell
key words: forgetting; retrieval; retrieval cues; encoding specificity principle; context-dependent effects

19. Context dependent effects
Time of day is also important 9 6 12 3
Learn at 3pm
Perform better at 3pm
Than 9pm
key words: forgetting; retrieval; retrieval cues; context-dependent effects

20. Context-dependent effects
Percentage
of words
recalled
Different contexts
for hearing
and recall
Same contexts
for hearing
and recall
kWords heard underwater are best recalled underwater
Words heard on land are best recalled on land
y words: forgetting; retrieval; retrieval cues; context-dependent effects
Notes:
This graph refers to a study by Duncan Godden and Alan Baddeley (1975). In this study, scuba divers listened to a list of words either while they were on land or while they were underwater. They were later asked to recall as many words as possible. Results indicate that contextual consistency (i.e. land-land or water/water) results in better performance.
Land/
land
Land/
water
Water/
water
Water/
land

21. State-dependent effects
Recall improved if internal physiological or emotional state is the same during testing and initial encoding
key words: forgetting; retrieval; retrieval cues; context-dependent effects; state-dependent effects

22. State-dependent effects
Mood or emotions also a factor
Bipolar depressives
Info learned in manic state, recall more if testing done during manic state
Info learned in depressed state, recall more if testing done during depressed state

23. State dependent effects
Drunk during
learning
Recall better
if drunk
Than if sober
key words: forgetting; retrieval; retrieval cues; state-dependent effects
Notes:
Example of state-dependent effect: A person who hides money while drunk may forget the location until drunk again.
For this example, I usually stress that this this is not a call to get drunk before an exam in order to improve your grade. I point out that subjects who are sober at the initial time of learning and during testing do significantly better than those in an intoxicated state.

24. Memory Video -Loftus
Show this one
( Bunny Effect)

25. Eyewitness testimony
Schema - mental representation of an object, scene or event
Example: schema of a countryside may include green grass, hills, farms, a barn, cows etc.
Key words: eyewitness testimony; memory distortion; schemas; scripts

26. Loftus experiment Subjects shown video of an accident between two cars
Leading question:
“About how fast were the cars going
When they smashed into each other?”
Memory construction
Subjects shown video of an accident between two cars
Some subjects asked: How fast were the cars going when the smashed into each other?
Others asked: How fast were the cars going when the hit each other?
Key words: eyewitness testimony; memory distortion; Loftus; misleading information

27. Loftus results Word Used Average in Question Speed Estimate 41 m.p.h.
smashed
collided
bumped
hit
contacted
41 m.p.h.
39 m.p.h.
38 m.p.h.
34 m.p.h.
32 m.p.h.

28. Memory Video -Loftus
Show this one
( Bunny Effect)