Memory

1. Taylor Ferguson Jessica Robinson Austin Ignaczak Marcus Blair CarlyPellerin Memory

2. Memory – the persistence of learning over time through the storage and retrieval of information Flashbulb memory – a clear memory of an emotionally significant moment or event Encoding – the processing of information into the memory system Storage – retention of encoded information over time Retrieval – process of getting information out of memory storage Sensory memory – immediate, very brief recording of sensory information in the memory system Short-term memory – activated memory that holds a few items briefly, before the information is stored or forgotten Long-term memory – relatively permanent and limitless storehouse of memory system; includes knowledge, skills, and experiences Working memory – newer understanding of short-term memory involves conscious, active processing of incoming auditory and visual-spatial information, and of information retrieved from long-term memory Automatic processing – unconscious encoding of incidental information, such as space, time, and frequency, and of well-learned information, such as word meanings Effortful Processing – encoding that requires attention and conscious effort Rehearsal – conscious repetition of information, either to maintain it in consciousness or encode it for storage Spacing effect – tendency for distributed study or practice to yield better long-term retention than is achieved through massed study or practice Serial position effect – our tendency to recall best the last and first items in a list Visual encoding – encoding of picture images Acoustic encoding – encoding of sound, especially sound of words Semantic encoding – encoding of meaning, including meaning of words Imagery – mental pictures; powerful aid to effortful processing, especially when combined with semantic encoding Mnemonics – memory aids, especially those techniques that use vivid imagery and organizational devices Chunking- organizing items into familiar manageable units often occurs automatically Vocabulary

3. Iconic memory- a momentary sensory memory of visual stimuli a photographic or picture-image memory lasting no more than a few tenths of a second Echoic memory- A momentary sensory memory of auditory stimuli; if attention is elsewhere, sounds and words can still be recalled within 3 or 4 seconds Long-term potentiation(LTP)- An increase in synapse’s firing potential after brief, rapid stimulation, Believed to be a neural basis for learning memory. Amnesia- The loss of memory Implicit memory- retention independent of conscious recollection (also called procedural memory.) Explicit memory- memory of facts and experiences that one can consciously know and “declare”(also called declarative memory.) Hippocampus- A neural center that is located in the limbic system and helps process explicit memories for storage Recall- A measure of memory in which the person must retrieve information learned earlier, as on a fill-in-the-blank test. Recognition- a measure of memory in which the person need only identity items previously learned, as on a multiple choice test. Relearning- A memory measure that assesses the amount of time saved when learning material for a second time. Priming- The activation, often unconsciously, of particular associations in memory, Ask a friend two rapid fire questions. Déjà vu- That eerie scene that “I’ve experienced this before,” Cues from the current situation may subconsciously trigger retrieval of an earlier experience Mood-congruent memory- The tendency to recall experiences that are consistent with one’s current good or bad mood. Proactive interference- the disruptive effect of prior learning on the recall of new information. Retroactive interference- The disruptive effect of new learning on the recall of old information Repression- in psychoanalytic theory, the basic defense mechanism that banishes from consciousness anxiety-arousing thoughts, feelings and memories. Source amnesia- Attributing to the wrong source an event we have experienced, heard about, read about, or imagined; (also called source misattribution.) Source amnesia along with the misinformation effect, is at the heart of false memories.

4. Memory is the persistence of learning over time through the storage and retrieval of information. Our memory is like a computer’s information processing system. To remember any event we must get information from our brains (ENCODING) retain that information (STORAGE) and get it back out later (RETREIVAL). Richard Atkinson and Richard Shiffrincame up with the 3 stages of memory. At first a person takes in information they want to remember as Sensory memory, then it is put in the short-term memory, and later is encoded into long-term memory. The Phenomenon of Memory

5. There are two ways we absorb information to our memory or encode. • Automatic Processing: Space, Time and frequency. • Effortful processing: rehearsal and conscious repetition (Ebbinghau’s retention curve) • Three types of encoding: • Semantic (type). Easiest • Acoustic (rhymes with). Moderate • Visual (written n capital?). Hardest Encoding: Getting Information In

6. Ionic (visual) and Echoic (auditory) memory At any given time, we can focus on and process only about seven items of information (either new or retrieved information from our memory system) without rehearsal, information disappears within seconds from short-term memory and is forgotten. Our capacity for storing information permanently in long-term memory is essentially unlimited. Hippocampus: neural center in limbic system that helps process explicit memories for storage Storage: Retaining Information

7. Retrieval Cues • The process of retrieving a memory is much like the web of a spider. There are pathways to and from the memory, much like there are to and from the spider. • Mnemonic devices, tastes, smells, and sights are ways to retrieve a memory. • Ex: ROY G BIV helps us to remember the colors of the rainbow.

8. Context Effects • Wanting to do something and then not being able to remember what you wanted to do based on a change in context. • Ex: You are doing homework and you want to sharpen your pencil. You go downstairs and forget why you went. You go back to your room and immediately remember why you went downstairs.

9. Deja Vu • The eerie sense that you have experienced something before. • This is caused by recognizing characteristics of certain things that retrieve another memory and make you feel as if you have been there before.

10. Moods and Memories • Our memories are somewhat mood congruent. • Being depressed sours memories and makes us associate them with sad feelings. • Moods also influence how we interpret other peoples’ behavior.

11. Misinformation and Imagination Effects • Misinformation and Imagination Effects: Many people tend to “remember” things that did not actually occur when given subtle misinformation. • Ex: A study was done where people watched a video of a car accident. Some people were asked how fast the cars were going with they hit each other, and some were asked how fast the cars were going when they smashed into each other. The ones that were asked how far they were going when they smashed were likely to say the cars were going faster.

12. Source Amnesia • Source Amnesia: attributing to the wrong source an event that we have experienced, heard about, read about, or imagined. • Ex: Preschoolers interacted with “Mr. Science”, and three months later they were read stories about things they had done and things they had not done with him. When asked what they did with Mr. Science, the preschoolers said they did things that were only in the stories.

13. Discerning True and False Memories • We can not be sure a memory is real by how it feels. • Older people are more susceptible to suggested false memories, making them more vulnerable to scams. • Ex: A repairman can overcharge by telling someone that they agreed to pay a certain amount when they actually did not.

14. Children’s Eyewitness Recall • Children are more suggestible, therefore they may remember things that did not actually happen. • Ex: If children are asked if a thief in their preschool stole food, they may say yes just because the idea was put into their head.

15. The three sins of forgetting: • Absent mindedness: inattention to details produces encoding failure. • Transience: storage decay after time. • Blocking: inaccessibility of stored information • The one sin of intrusion: • Persistence: unwanted • People can implant memories with suggestion, it is very easy to sway children. Forgetting

16. The sins of distortion • Misattribution: confusing the source of information suggestibility… the lingering effects of misinformation • Bias: belief, closed recollection • People can implant memories with suggestion, it is very easy to sway children. • Memories recovered from drugs and hypnosis are mostly fake Forgetting continued..

17. Study repeatedly to boost long-term recall Make material personally meaningful or us mnemonic devices Refresh memory by activating retrieval cues, minimize interference Recall events while fresh, before encountering misinformation Test knowledge, to rehearse and determine what you don’t yet know Spend more time rehearsing or thinking about the material Improving Memory

18. The end!