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Memory. What is memory?. It is an information processing system that retrieves, stores, organises, alters and recovers information These things are central to our thinking processes, so we refer to memory as a; cognitive process – thinking, knowing or mentally manipulating information
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What is memory? • It is an information processing system that retrieves, stores, organises, alters and recovers information • These things are central to our thinking processes, so we refer to memory as a; • cognitive process – thinking, knowing or mentally manipulating information • Has 3 functions: ENCODING, STORAGE and RETRIEVAL
ENCODING • Process of converting incoming sensory information into a form that can be stored and represented in the memory system • This happens; • Acoustically (sound) • Visually (sight) • Semantically (meaning)
Acoustic Encoding • Presented phonetically as a sequence of sounds - eg. If you get introduced to someone called Ted and you forget his name, you will be more likely to call him a name that sounds like Ted ie) Fred, Ned etc.
Visual Encoding • As images • Occurs when it is important for someone to remember a series of pictures that are hard to put into words
Semantic Encoding • Represents experiences by their meaning • Involves comparing new information with information already stored in our long term memory and encoding it according to its apparent meaning
Example.. • You see a spider: - You encode the information acoustically by thinking or saying ‘spider’, you visually encode the broad features of your image as it is cast onto your retina and you semantically encode it by thinking ‘danger!’
STORAGE How we store and retain information
Storage • Refers to the retention of information over time. • Duration: how long the information is stored for • Capacity: the amount that is stored • Heaps of info enters our memory, so we use selective attention to attend to some info and discard other info. It acts as a filter so our memory system is not overcrowded.
Retrieval • The process of locating info stored in the memory so it can be recovered. • Retrieval can be affected by: • May not have encoded info carefully • May have encoded it but not stored it • May have stored it but cant find the right cues to retrieve it
MEASURES OF RETENTION The three R’s Recall, recognition and relearning
RECALL • Least sensitive measure, meaning its not the best way to retrieve info • Involves trying to retrieve info that is not in your conscious awareness but is stored in your long term memory • what did you get for your eighth birthday? • who played who in football 6 weeks ago? • When you answer exams without the use of a cheat sheet you are using recall
Types of Recall • Free recall: requires you to produce info from your memory in any order without any specific cues • Serial recall: when you produce info from your memory in the order it was presented • Cued recall: you reproduce info from your memory with cues that will assist recall
How many pictures can you recall in any order? There were 10 pictures
Now try to recall these in the order they are presented Folders, balloons, present, Christmas tree, hair dryer, salt/pepper shakers, plane, chair, globe, Santa
absence hello submarine justify inextricably yellow bruise
h--o j-----y bru--- su----ine in------ably ab----e y----w
RECOGNITION • A sensitive but fallible measure • Involves identifying previously learned material from among alternatives • eg. a multiple choice test, you only have to recognise the answer • Recognition is easier because retrieval cues have being provided • Retrieval cue: any stimulus associated with a specific memory
Distracters • False items that are included with the items to be recognised. If a distracter is very similar to the correct item, recognition may be poor and unreliable eg) a lineup • False positive: when only one choice looks like it could be correct – creates an incorrect sense of recognition as you are presented with a group of incorrect items and one seems to be the only correct option. Eg.
Which one of he following statements most correctly describes the cerebrum ? A: Telencephalon" refers to the embryonic structure, from which the mature cerebrum develops. The dorsal telencephalon, or pallium develops into the cerebral cortex B: The cerebrum is the same size in every animal C: The cerebrum still operates at 100% capacity even when it has huge chunks removed D: The cerebrum doesn’t play a very important role in the body
RELEARNING • The most sensitive measure • Refers to when you learn something that has been learned previously • Is measured by a saving score • Eg. If you memorise all the terms if this chapter it might take you 1 hour. In 2 years time if you did it again it may only take 45 minutes. So you have saves 15 minutes, your score would then be 25% original learning time – relearning time / original learning time = 15/60 x 100/1
The Multi-store Model of Memory or Information Processing Model
Multi-store Model • Constant stream of date flows through multiple levels of memory • All levels operate at same time by independent of one another and they are interrelated • To be stored for a long time info must pass through these 3 systems • Sensory memory: less than a few seconds • STM: 1.5-4 secs • STM: if unrehearsed lost after 18-20 secs • If rehearsed can be maintained and sent to LTM, can be stored for life but may be lost over time
SENSORY MEMORY Iconic Echoic
Sensory memory • The info from environment: touch, taste, smell, sound is taken in by our senses and enters out sensory memory • Hold for only a few seconds or less • Unlimited capacity – can hold a lot of info if only for short period • We don’t select all if it so we are not overwhelmed • Sensory register: memory is held just long enough to transferred in STM
Iconic Memory • System that deals with representing visual information such as shape, size, colour and location • How long it lasts depends on the strength of the stimulus eg how bright it is • eg when you look at a bright light then close your eyes you see the icon • Last for 1/3 to 1/2 a second - Read Eidetic memory on pg 206 and focus on research pg 207
Echoic memory • Sensory system that processes auditory information • eg ability to mentally play back what someone has said • Sound remain as an echo: brief continuation of activity in auditory system 3-4 secs – long enough to be encoded and selected for interpretation • If storage was shorter we would communicate with sounds not words - eg we only hear the word aeroplane as aeroplane because we have held the aero long enough to hear the plane and put them together
Short-term memory • Most active system • Stores limited amount of info for a short period • Info enters from sensory memory and LTM
Encoding in STM • Acoustic, visual and semantic (acoustic is most dominant) • Automatic: little conscious effort eg. time, space, frequency • Effortful: requires attention and conscious effort eg. an exam
STM: capacity and duration • Is limited (unlike sensory memory) • Magic number 7 plus or minus 2 • Chunking: grouping digits together increases amount of info able to be stored • Can only be held for 18-20 seconds unless we use rehearsal techniques
Maintenance rehearsal • Repeating information a number of times • Is effected by interferences • Effective for storing meaningless info for longer but doesn’t assist with LTM retention
Elaborative Rehearsal • Connects new info with info already stored in LTM or other new info • Self-referencing: when you connect new info to yourself and your personal experiences • Is better for LTM retention however requires more effort and relies on us retrieving LTM info
Working Memory Another view on STM
Working memory • Theory that STM is actually made up of very specialised memory systems used for different tasks (Alan Baddeley 1986) • Not just for transfer of info to LTM, but rather a three-part system that holds and manipulates info as we perform cognitive tasks eg. thinking , planning and analysing • Consists of three components...
1. Phonological Loop • Stores sounds from echoic register and/or LTM for up to 2 seconds eg. when you are preparing to speak you rehearse what you are going to say • Phonological store: inner ear - holds representation of sounds for 1.5-2 seconds • Articulatory control system: rehearsal mechanism, repeats sounds for up to 2 seconds
2. Visuospatial Sketchpad • Stores visual info from sensory or LTM • Input: info stored in the form of visual features such as size, shape, colour • Output: You could close your eyes and visualise how to get home
3. Central Executive • Monitors, coordinates and integrates info from phonological loop and visuospatial sketchpad • Plays a big role in attention – decides which info needs to be attended to • Plays big role in planning and controlling behaviour as it selects strategies to deal with a problem – eg pro’s and con’s of leaving school • Limited capacity – 18-20 secs if unrehearsed
Long-term memory • Info that has been attended to and undergone further processing is knows as LTM – permanent and unlimited and mainly stored on basis of meaning and importance • Consolidation is the process where a LTM is formed – it becomes relatively permanent • Consolidation theory: 30mins for a new memory to be transferred from STM to LTM • Amnesia: can result in memory loss • Interference: old memories can effect retrieval of new memories and vice versa
Hippocampus • Structure deep within the bran thought to be involved with consolidation of new memories, regulation of emotions and spatial navigation • People with damage to this are has difficulty storing new memories
Types of LTM Procedural Declarative Semantic Episodic
False LTM’s • Where gaps in LTM are filled my information from STM and then confused • Eg. if someone was the victim of a crime they might later identify someone in a line-up who was not the criminal but rather someone they have seen in a photo recently
Procedural memory • How to do things, learned actions or skills eg walk, talk, ride a bike • Usually contain a complicated sequence of movements that we are unaware of • Resistant to forgetting and damage
Declarative memory • Factual information eg. names, faces, dates, ideas • Thought to be divided into semantic and episodic
Semantic memory • Information about the world that does not involve the memory of a personally specific event • Eg. days of week, months, words and language, seasons • Encyclopaedia of basic knowledge