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Improving Memory Through Elaborative Processing

This chapter explores factors that influence memory encoding and storage, emphasizing the importance of meaningful elaboration. Techniques such as self-generated elaborations, question-making, and advance organizers are examined. The chapter also discusses incidental learning and flashbulb memories. Neural correlates of encoding, including brain processing and activation, are explored as well.

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Improving Memory Through Elaborative Processing

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  1. Cognitive ProcessesPSY 334 Chapter 6 – Human Memory: Encoding and Storage

  2. Factors Influencing Memory • Study alone does not improve memory – what matters is how studying is done. • Shallow study results in little improvement. • Semantic associates (tulip-flower) better remembered than rhymes (tower-flower), 81% vs 70%. • Better retention occurs for more meaningful elaboration.

  3. Elaborative Processing • Elaboration – embellishing an item with additional information. • Anderson & Bower – subjects added details to simple sentences: • 57% recall without elaboration • 72% recall with made-up details added • Self-generated elaborations are better than experimenter-generated ones.

  4. Self-Generated Elaborations • Stein & Bransford – subjects were given 10 sentences. Four conditions: • Just the sentences alone – 4.2 adjectives • Subject generates an elaboration – 5.8 • Experimenter-generated imprecise elaboration – 2.2 • Experimenter-generated precise elaboration – 7.8 • Precision of detail (constraint) matters, not who generates the elaboration.

  5. Advance Organizers • PQ4R method – use questions to guide reading. • 64% correct, compared to 57% (controls) • 76% of relevant questions correct, 52% of non-relevant. • These study techniques work because they encourage elaboration. • Question making and question answering both improve memory for text (reviewing is better than seeing the questions first).

  6. Meaningful Elaboration • Elaboration need not be meaningful – other sorts of elaboration also work. • Kolers compared memory for right-side-up sentences with upside-down. • Extra processing needed to read upside down may enhance memory. • Slamecka & Graf – compared generation of synonyms and rhymes. Both improved memory, but synonyms did more.

  7. Incidental Learning • It does not matter whether people intend to learn something or not. • What matters is how material is processed. • Orienting tasks: • Count whether work has e or g. • Rate the pleasantness of words. • Half of subjects told they would be asked to remember words later, half not told. • No advantage to knowing ahead of time.

  8. Flashbulb Memories • Self-reference effect -- people have better memory for events that are important to them and close friends. • Flashbulb memories – recall of traumatic events long after the fact. • Seem vivid but can be very inaccurate. • Thatcher’s resignation: • 60% memory for UK subjects, 20% non-UK

  9. Neural Correlates of Encoding • Better memory occurs for items with stronger brain processing at the time of study: • Words evoking higher ERP signals are better remembered later. • Greater frontal activation with deeper processing of verbal information. • Greater activation of hippocampus with better long-term memory.

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