1. Cognitive Processes: Memory and Thought
(Crash Course)
Psychology I
Mrs. Hart

2. The Processes of Memory
Memory refers to the processes that are used to acquire, retain, and later retrieve information. The three major processes involved in memory:
Encoding
Storage
Retrieval.

3. Stage Model of Memory
Atkinson and Shiffrin (1968) – theorized that there are three separate stages of learning:
Sensory memory
Short-term memory
Long-term memory

4. Sensory Memory Earliest stage of memory
Stored for a short period of time (1/2 second for visual data, 3-4 seconds for auditory information).
Some data passes into short-term memory.

5. Short-Term Memory Information currently being thought about.
Most information is stored fro seconds, then forgotten.
Some information continues into long-term memory.

6. Long-Term Memory Continuous storage of information.
Can be called into working memory when needed.
Capacity of long-term memory appears to be limitless.
Four types: semantic, episodic, declarative, procedural.

8. Long-Term Memory Loss

9. Retrieving Information
Stored information is useless unless in can be retrieved.
Need to store many thousands of items in a way that they can be found when needed.
The solution to retrieval is organization.

10. Memory Retrieval
Retrieval is the process of accessing stored memories.
Retrieval cues or prompts trigger the retrieval of long-term memory.
Four basic ways of retrieving memory; recognition, recall, relearning, and recollection

11. Recognition
Recognition involves identifying an object, idea, situation or other information after experiencing it again.

12. Recall
Involves a person being able to reconstruct previously learned material without being cued.
Involves a person’s knowledge, attitudes, and expectations.
Eidetic memory (photographic memory) is one type of recall.

13. Relearning
Involves relearning information that has been previously learned.
Can improve the strength of memories.
Makes it easier to remember and retrieve information.

14. Recollection
Involves reconstructing memory, utilizing logical structures, partial memories, narratives, or clues.

15. Forgetting
Information that once entered long-term memory and is unable to be retrieved, is said to be forgotten.
Involves decay, interference, or repression/ amnesia.

16. Decay
Some information fades away or decays over time, happening quickly in sensory storage or short-term memory.
Long-term memories seem to remain, but may be difficult to retrieve.
Forgotten information may be recovered through meditation, hypnosis, or brain stimulation.

17. Meditation
Meditation gives a person more time by making the mind calmer and more focused, allowing the person to retrieve memories more easily.

18. Hypnosis
Hypnosis, also referred to as hypnotherapy or hypnotic suggestion, is a trance-like state in which you have heightened focus and concentration. Hypnosis is usually done with the help of a therapist using verbal repetition and mental images. The subject is alert the whole time. It is most often compared to daydreaming, or the
feeling of "losing yourself" in a book or movie. The person is fully conscious, but tunes out most of the stimuli around him/her. Focus is on the subject at hand, and outside thoughts are excluded.

19. Interference
Refers to memory being blocked or erased by previous or subsequent memories.
Two types; proactive interference, retroactive interference.
May erase some memories permanently, while other information is merely difficult to assess because it can’t be found.

20. Repression and Amnesia
Data is not lost, only blocked.
Exists in a person’s memory, but has been made inaccessible because it may be disturbing due to an embarrassing, tragic, or frightening experience.

21. Repression and Amnesia
A loss of memory that may occur after a blow to the head or as a result of brain damage.
May also be the result of drug use, alcohol abuse, or severe psychological stress.

22. Improving Memory
Flash cards: Flash cards and memory card games spruce up the mental synapses, making your memory work harder.
Test games: Lay out a number of objects on a tray. Try to memorize them. Place a cloth over the tray and write down every object that you remember. Check back and see how you did. If you did too well, add more objects.

23. Improving Memory
Elaborative rehearsal: Relate the new information that you need to learn to something
you already know.
Over-learning: To protect a memory from interference is
to over-learn it. Keep on rehearsing something, even if you think you know it well.
Distributed practice: Space out learning, to avoid absorbing too much information at one time.

24. Improving Memory Mnemonic devices: Techniques
that use associations to memorize information are called mnemonic devices. Some of these devices include forming mental pictures, making up words (acronyms), stories, or rhymes. For example, ROY G BIV (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet) stands for each color of the rainbow.
Variation: Another way to increase recall is to occasionally change the study routine. If accustomed to studying in one specific location, try moving to a different spot during the next study session.