MEMORY

1. MEMORY Dr. Bani Barman Roy ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR (H.O.D., Deptt. of Education) Radhamadhab College, Silchar

2. MEANING AND DEFINITION OF MEMORY Memory means the ideal revival of an object or event or experience. It is the recall of an old personal experience which had temporarily dropped from our consciousness. It is the exact recollection and reproduction of our past experiences For a layman, memory implies the power to remember the past experience. Psychologists have attempted to define memory in different ways. A few definitions are as follows: • Stout’s view. “Memory is ‘the ideal revival’ of past experiences ,as far as possible, in the manner and order in which they originally occurred.” • Woodworth’s view. “ Memory consists in remembering what has previously been learnt.” He regards memory as involving learning, retaining, recall and recognition. 3. James Drever in Dictionary of Psychology defines memory as the “ characteristics of living organism in virtue of what they experience, leaves behind effects which modify future experience and behaviour.’

3. Memory consists in: (i) Learning something by certain experience (ii) Each experience leaves behind certain impressions (iii) These impressions are recalled in order ( iv) Recall of impressions modifies future behaviour. Memory is therefore, the conservation of past experiences to be utilized later, as and when the occasion arises

4. STAGES OR FACTORS OF MEMORY

5. LEARNING • . Learning is the first step in memory. Whenever something is learnt, it leaves behind a record or impression. The impression is registered in our mind in the form of memory traces. Learning depends upon the various conditions such as attitude, interest and motives of learner, type of material, length of lesson, rate of presentation, the method of learning and so. The other three factors are depend upon learning.

6. RETENTION • Every experience leaves behind its traces which are retained and they help its subsequent recall. This fact of retaining the traces is named retention or retentiveness. Retention is defined as longing state of impressions received by the mind. Retention depends upon several factors such as the individual mind, health, interest and thinking. Individual differences play a great role in learning and retention.

7. RECALL • Recall is the reproduction of the material learnt and retained in the mind. It implies the reviving of the memory trace of brain structure. A perception or an idea related to the original experience tends to recall the later by association. If an idea is associated frequently, recently and vividly with an event, the recall of the later is prompter than otherwise. Recall is of two types—Spontaneous and Deliberate recall. In spontaneous recall no special effort is needed to recall an event but in deliberate recall we exert our mind to remember certain facts.

8. RECOGNITION • This is the last and most important factor of memory. Whenever an event or an experience is recalled, it must be recognized to be our own. Recognition simply means consciousness that we have experienced the recalled event before. Whenever we recognize something, it seems familiar to us. • Recognition is impossible without retention. And retention is useless without recollection. Again, retention and recollection both would be meaningless without recognition.

9. CHARECTERISTICS OF GOOD MEMORY Good memory is a great asset. A number of characteristics distinguish good memory from bad memory. These are mentioned below. 1.Rapid Learning: Good memory facilitates learning and not much time is wasted. Certain other factors like concentration, attention, interest are also involved in rapid learning. 2.Longer Retention: Good memory helps a person in retaining the learnt material for a longer time. 3. Early and Accurate recall: Early recall is another mark of good memory. Good memory facilitates rapid and accurate recall when a certain occasion demands it so. 4. Rapid Recognition: Early recall must be accompanied by quick recognition of the definite idea needed for certain occasion. Thus, a good memory is always serviceable and helps in recalling the required details with ease, speed, accuracy and promptness. According to Stout, rapidity, quickness in length of time and duration, promptness and accuracy are the chief marks of good memory.

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