Psychology 7. Memory

MEMORY PROCESS OF MEMORYPsychologists distinguish between three necessary stages in the learning and memory process: encoding, storage, and retrieval (Melton, 1963). Encoding is defined as the initial learning of information; storage refers to maintaining information over time; retrieval is the ability to access information when you need it. HERMANN EBINGGHAUSHermann Ebbinghaus, (born January 24, 1850, Barmen, Rhenish Prussia [Germany]—died February 26, 1909, Halle, Germany), German psychologist who pioneered in the development of experimental methods for the measurement of rote learning and memory. When looking at his results for evidence of forgetting, Ebbinghaus found, unsurprisingly, that he tended to forget less quickly the lists that he had spent the most time memorizing, and that recall is best performed immediately after learning. Ebbinghaus also uncovered an unexpected pattern in memory retention. AMNESIAAmnesia is a form of memory loss. Some people with amnesia have difficulty forming new memories. Others can't recall facts or past experiences. People with amnesia usually retain knowledge of their own identity, as well as motor skills. MNEMONIC DEVICESMnemonic devices are techniques a person can use to help them improve their ability to remember something. In other words, it's a memory technique to help your brain better encode and recall important information. EXAMPLEWith this type of mnemonics, the first letters of the words within a phrase are used to form a name. Memorization of the name allows for memorization of the associated idea. For example, Roy G. Biv is a name used to remember the colors of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. STAGES OF MEMORYThe three main forms of memory storage are sensory memory, short-term memory, and longterm memory. The three main stages of memory are encoding, storage, and retrieval. PROCESS OF MEMORY: Memory Processes. Memory is essentially the capacity for storing and retrieving information. Three processes are involved in memory: encoding, storage, and retrieval. All three of these processes determine whether something is remembered or forgotten. THEORIES OF MEMORYAn influential theory of memory known as the multi-store model was proposed by Richard Atkinson and Richard Shiffrin in 1968. This model suggested that information exists in one of 3 states of memory: the sensory, short-term and long-term stores. SUMMARY OF MEMORY DATA“Memory is the means by which we draw on our past experiences in order to use this information in the present' (Sternberg, 1999). Memory is the term given to the structures and processes involved in the storage and subsequent retrieval of information. ... Without memory, we could not learn anything. REPRESSED MEMORIESThe term repressed memories refers to the rare psychological phenomenon in which memories of traumatic events may be stored in the unconscious mind and blocked from normal conscious recall. ... As such, the APA reports that it is currently not possible to determine the veracity of memory without corroborating evidence. SCHEMASIn psychology and cognitive science, a schema (plural schemata or schemas) describes a pattern of thought or behavior that organizes categories of information and the relationships among them. SENSORY MEMORYSensory memory is one of several memory types that make up your ability to process and recall what you see. Sensory memory is a brief precursor to short-term memory that allows you to process and recall the sensations you take in. CONFIDENCE & MEMORYConfidence in one's memory is generally believed to be a sign of memory accuracy, but this is not always the case. ... In short, the study shows that very confident people tend to be more inaccurate, compared to less confident people, when they distinguish between strongly related objects. NORMS & HEURISTICS NORMS: Norms are the unwritten but understood rules of a society or culture for the behaviors that are considered acceptable and expected. For example, in some countries it is the norm to put large piercings through the face as decoration or indication of belonging to a particular group. HEURISTICS: A heuristic is a mental shortcut that allows people to solve problems and make judgments quickly and efficiently. These rule-of-thumb strategies shorten decision-making time and allow people to function without constantly stopping to think about their next course of action.