Memory

AP Psychology

Memory Can you

remember your first memory? Why do you think you can remember certain events in your life over others?

Memory Memory as Information Processing

similar to a computer write to file save to disk read from disk

Encoding processing of info into the memory

system Acoustic, Visual, & Semantic

Encoding Storage

retention of encoded information over time

Retrieval process of getting info out of

memory

Encoding

Types of Memory Episodic – specific

events in your life Semantic –

generalized knowledge of the world that does not involve a specific event

Procedural (skill memory) – knowledge of how to perform a physical task

Explicit v. Implicit MemoryExplicit Memory – used to deliberately remember something

Implicit Memory – unintentional influence of prior experiences

Storing New Memories Sensory Memory

initial recording of sensory info in memory system

holds info for a fraction of a second

Working Memory focuses more on processing of

briefly stored information allows us to mentally work with,

or manipulate, information being held in our memory Try This: How many windows are on the

front of your house or apartment building? What did you do to remember this?

Storing New Memories Short-Term Memory (STM)

holds a few items briefly disappears in 20-30

seconds w/o further processing

Immediate memory span = 7 +/- 2

Long-Term Memory (LTM) relatively permanent

and limitless storehouse

Storing New Memories Chunking

organizing into familiar, manageable units like horizontal organization--1776149218121941

often occurs automatically use of acronyms

HOMES--Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior ARITHMETIC--A Rat In Tom’s House Might Eat Tom’s

Ice Cream

Retrieval: Getting Information Out Recall

retrieve information learned earlier

as on a fill-in-the blank test

Recognition identify items

previously learned as on a multiple-

choice test

Retrieval Cues déjà vu -- cues from current situation may

subconsciously trigger retrieval of an earlier similar experience

Mood-congruent Memory emotions, or moods serve as retrieval cues

State-dependent Memory what is learned in one state (while one is sober,

drunk, depressed, excited, etc.) can more easily be remembered when in same state

Retrieval Cues

After learning to move a mobile by kicking, infants had their learning reactivated most strongly when retested in the same rather than a different context (Butler & Rovee-Collier, 1989).

Forgetting

Forgetting = encoding failure Information never enters the long-term

memory

Externalevents

Sensorymemory

Short-term

memory

Long-term

memory

Attention

Encoding

Encoding

Encodingfailure leadsto forgetting

Forgetting Forgetting as encoding

failure

Which penny is the real thing?

Retrieval Forgetting can result from failure to retrieve

information from long-term memory

Externalevents

Attention

Encoding

Encoding

Retrieval failureleads to forgetting

Retrieval

Sensorymemory

Short-termmemory

Long-termmemory

Forgetting- Interference

Motivated Forgetting unknowingly revise

memories Repression

defense mechanism banishes anxiety-

arousing thoughts, feelings, and memories from conciousness

Memory Construction

We filter information and fill in missing pieces

Misinformation Effect incorporating misleading

information into one's memory of an event

Source Amnesia attributing to the wrong source

an event that we experienced, heard about, read about, or imagined (misattribution)

Memory Construction

Eyewitnesses reconstruct memories when questioned

Depiction of actual accident

Leading question:“About how fast were the carsgoing when they smashed intoeach other?”

Memoryconstruction

Improve Your Memory

Study repeatedly to boost recall

Spend more time rehearsing or actively thinking about the material

Make material personally meaningful

Use mnemonic devices associate with peg words--

something already stored make up story chunk--acronyms

Improve Your Memory

Activate retrieval cues--mentally recreate situation and mood

Recall events while they are fresh-- before you encounter misinformation

Minimize interference Test your own knowledge

rehearse determine what you do not yet

know