1. Encoding: Getting Information in the Brain

2. Flashbulb Memories
It’s as if our nervous system takes a multimedia snapshot of the sounds, sights, smells, weather, emotional climate, even the body postures we experience at certain moments.”
Events that were surprising, consequential, or emotional were most likely to be judged as having “flashbulb” quality.

3. Automatic Processing: Unconscious encoding of incidental information.
Space: Visualize the location of something you read, saw, etc.
Time: you unintentionally note the sequence of the day’s events. This enables you to “retrace your steps” if needed.
Frequency: you effortlessly keep track of how many times things happen.
Ex) By the end of the day, you can recall how many times you saw Billy in the hall without realizing you were counting.

4. Effortful Processing: encoding that requires conscious effort.
Rehearsal: conscious repetition of information to maintain it in consciousness or encode for storage.
The next-in-line effect: when we are next in line, we focus on our own performance and often fail to process the last person’s words.

5. Information processed seconds before sleep is lost
Information processed seconds before sleep is lost. Information processed in the hour before sleep is well remembered.
Spacing effect: we retain information better when distributed over time. Spaced study beats cramming!
Serial position effect: You remember the last and first items better than those in the middle.
Ex.) Try to write down all the lyrics to the first verse of the national anthem of the U.S.

6. The Answer:
Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming? Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight, O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?