Do you have a good memory?

Do you have a good memory? Memory of college student

Processes of Memory • 1. Encoding • 2. Storage • 3. Retrieval

Process of memory • 1. Encoding – must be able to encode info properly – otherwise – why bother? • You must store it correctly – or – why bother? • You can develop better ways to retrieve what is already there

Encoding-Attention • Role of attention – obviously important if we want to actively encode and store info • Sometimes we don’t realize what we are attending to, which is why we can’t recall it (although, interestingly, it does tend to show up in dreams) • Next-in-line effect-

Encoding - Attention • Cocktail party phenomenon – • i.e., hearing your name mentioned

Levels of processingCraik & Lockhart • 1. structural encoding • 2. phonemic encoding • 3. semantic encoding

How to encode better…. • Elaboration- • visual imagery -dual coding theory – when memory is enhance by forming semantic and visual codes • Mnemonic devices

How to encode better • self-referent: • Method of Loci - pegword Method of loci- 1-bun 2-shoe 3-tree 4-door 5-hive 6-sticks 7-heaven 8-gate 9-wine 10-hen

Storage and Retrieval • 2. Storage – • 3. Retrieval –

Types of memory • 1. Sensory – • You usually only perceive the afterimage, not the actual stimulus itself

Sensory Memory • Iconic vs. Echoic • Iconic – • Echoic –

Short-term memory • 2. Short-term memory • The capacity of short-term memory depends upon chunks of info – • Information is held for • Rehearsal – helps get it into long-term memory (phonemic encoding)

Short term memory • Chunking-the smaller lists are generated randomly from the single large list – items are not necessarily related • Clustering-the smaller lists are generated according to some kind of criterion –items are usually related

Short-term memory cont’d • Serial position effect – the tendency to remember the first and last part of list but forget the middle part • Primacy effect – • Recency effect –

Working Memory • Part of short-term memory • Works to actively move information from short-term to long-term memory • Rehearsal loop, elaboration, etc.

Baddely’s 4 components of working memory 3. executive control system- 4. episodic buffer- • 1. phonological rehearsal loop – • 2. visuospatial sketchpad-

Long-term memory 3. Long-term memory Permanent or not? May be poor retrieval skills Flashbulb memories – accurate or not?

Long-term memory • Types of memories – • Declarative memory-holds factual info (conscious and effortful) • Episodic – • Semantic – Nondeclarative – memory for actions, skills, conditioned and emotional responses (not consciously remembered) • Procedural –

Long-term memory • Explicit vs. Implicit • Explicit – memory that we are consciously aware of – can describe the memory. Tasks where we have to intentionally remember. • Implicit – memories which we have without realizing how we encoded them. Tends to happen on tasks where we did not have to intentionally remember

Context-dependent vs. State Dependent • Context-dependent – remembering best in similar situations • State-dependent – remember best in the same mood as when you learned material

Retrospective • Prospective memory–

Ahhh – the repressed memory • No one knows for sure how accurate they are • It appears that there are many things that may be added in that may have actually happened, but not at that time • Questions about sexual abuse allegations

Witnesses who truly believe that they are correct may appear convincing, but they appear to be as accurate as someone who is not sure of themselves • Juries like witnesses who appear to be sure of themselves • Often, the witness may have the general context right, but the details are often wrong

Freud and forgetting • Freud discussed the concept of motivated forgetting • that is, a person will forget what has happened to them because they don’t want to think about what has happened to them

Elizabeth Loftus and Memory • Has demonstrated that eyewitness memory may be more distorted than we would like to think • Studies have revealed that subjects can be lead to an answer • Some say this new info may replace old info, others say it simply interferes with recall of old info – either way, there are certainly implications for our judicial system Car Chase

Source vs Reality Monitoring • Source Monitoring – • Reality Monitoring –

Organization of Memories Clustering – organizing memory into specific groups – helps us to recall easier Schema – how we view the world – helps us group and organize material better Scripts – what we expect about situations are based on our schemas – when it does not match up, we experience incongruence Semantic networks – much like mind mapping skills of taking notes

Types of questions – problems for some • 1st two questions – first recall, then recognition • Pros and cons to both • How to answer your multiple-choice questions – first recall, then recognition

How to improve your recall of info... • Often, we have the tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon – feeling like the information is just out of reach • - Incubate • -Use context cues – referred to as context-dependent memory

We may be able to recall info better when we are in the same mood upon recall as when we stored the info • Referred to as mood-dependent or state-dependent • Research a bit iffy on this one

So…Why do we forget? • Ineffective encoding • Decay • Interference – 2 types • Retroactive – • Proactive –

` • Amnesia – organic amnesia is when there is actually a head injury – chap 14 will discuss amnesia due to psychological events • Retrograde amnesia – • Anterograde amnesia –

Why do we forget details of stories we are told? • 1. Leveling – where we simplify material and weed out unimportant details • 2. Sharpening – highlighting or overemphasizing only those details that we deem important to us • 3. Assimilation – changing details to fit your schema

Do you have a good memory?