Chapter 8 Memory
The Phenomenon of Memory
Memory The persistence of learning over time, through the encoding, storage, and retrieval of information
Measuring Memory
Recall
Retrieving information that is not currently in your conscious awareness but was learned at an early time (fill-in-the-blank test)
Recognition
Identifying items previously learned (multiple choice test)
Relearning
Learning something more quickly when you learn it another time (studying for a final exam)
Information Processing Model
Memory
Encoding -> Storage -> Retrieval
Working Memory
Because we cannot focus on all the sensory information received, we select information that is important to us and actively process it into our working memory
Working Memory o A newer understanding of short-term that involves conscious, active processing of incoming auditory and visual-spatial information, and of information retrieved from long-term memory Working memory has a limited capacity (7+/-2 items) and a short duration (20 seconds) Ways to increase capacity of working memory: : Chunking Mnemonics : Method of loci - Hierarchies
Chunking
The process of organizing items into familiar, manageable units
Mnemonics
Memory aids that use vivid imagery or acronyms
o ROY G.BIV HOMES Method of loci Based on the assumption that you can best remember places that you are familiar with, so if you can link something you need to remember with a place that you know very well, the location will serve as a clue that will help you remember Hierarchies
Composed of a few broad concepts that are subdivided into narrower concepts and facts Helps us retrieve information efficiently Outline format is helpful when taking notes, attempting to remember information Encoding Can occur by: o Meaning-content Images -- visual stimuli Organization -- chunking, mnemonics, hierarchies Encoding by meaning demonstration
Context Effects
Retrieval is better when the learning and the retrieval occur in the same location/context Scuba divers recall more words underwater when they learned the words underwater and vice versa Encoding Meaning Imagery Organization o Chunks o Hierarchies
Forgetting
Forgetting is just as important for memory as remembering is o We can discard the "clutter" by forgetting unimportant/useless information -- it's adaptive Memory loss can be insidious when it is part of neurodegenerative process but it is also a normal process of aging o Memory problems can occur in the encoding, storage or retrieval processes
Memory Construction and False Memories
Research of Elizabeth Loftus Implications for eyewitness testimony, memory construction, and improving memory over