Post on 04-Jan-2016
Understanding Memory
We are what we remember.
3 Essential Questions
1. How does information get into memory?
2. How is information maintained?
3. How is information pulled back out of memory?
3 Essential Questions1. How does information get into
memory?Encoding – requires attention.
Discuss penny2. How is information maintained?Storage – “tip of the tongue”
3. How is information pulled back out of memory?
Retrieval
Memory Challenge
See how many you can remember?
Apple
candy
sugar
tooth
pie
chocolate
tart
soup
nice
month
clock
sour
dog
regret
snow
Check and Double Check1. Apple2. Candy3. Sugar4. Tooth5. Pie6. Chocolate7. Tart8. Soup
9. Nice10. Month11. Clock12. Sour13. Dog14. Regret15. Snow
Memory Challenge
See how many you can remember?
Write down as many as you can in the the correct order if you can.
Images1. Calculator2. Microphone3. Strawberries4. Ice pack5. Rabbit6. Stapler7. Magician8. Hammer9. Telephone10. Kite11. Banana12. Snowman13. Rooster14. Watch15. Keys
One More Try
Ator
botam
crov
difim
firap
glimoc
ricul
hilnim
jolib
kepwin
leptav
lumal
mib
natpem
peyrim
Write down as many as you can in the the correct order if you can.
Results
Memory
Memory is the ability to code, store and retrieve information
Memory involves encoding the input of the senses (visual, auditory, taste, smell, touch) What do you associate with each?
Memory is rarely perfect Forgetting refers to memory failure
Three Stages of Memory
Sensory Memory is a brief representation of a stimulus while being processed in the sensory system Visual Info – ½ second Auditory – 2 seconds
Short-Term Memory (STM) is working memory Limited capacity (7 items) Duration is about 30 seconds
Long-Term Memory (LTM) has a large capacity and long duration -- unknown
ICONIC MEMORY GEORGE SPERLING
P Y F G
V J S A
D H B U
Overview of Memory Model
Memory as a Computer
How is this model flawed?
Effective Encoding of Information 2 Types
Automatic encoding – does not require deliberate effort
ex. where you sit in class Effortful encoding – concentrated effort is required
Ex.
Depending how meaningful the words are affects encoding Concrete vs. Abstract vs. Nonsense Words
Concreteness - the ability of a word to form a mental image Apple Boredom Car theory
Rehearsal Rehearsal – the review or practice of material
while you are learning it. Without rehearsal memories fade quickly from
(STM) Can persist (H.M.) more than an hour Phone number experiment
Why might we have a harder time remembering phone numbers today?
2 Types Maintenance Rehearsal – rote repetition of material in
order to maintain its availability in short-term memory Elaborative Rehearsal – association of new information
with already stored knowledge and analysis of the new information – better for creation of long-term.
Define thalamus Aka “traffic officer” Part of the _________ system Relays all sensory info except ________
Deep Processing - National Spelling Contests
Does knowing too much about something make it less likely you will remember it?
An Encoding Failure “Next-in-Line Effect” Interference
Ex.
Concepts and Key Points 3 Components of Memory
Encoding Storage Retrieval
What are two types of encoding? Automatic Effortful
What is required during Encoding? Think about the penny. Attention
What Phenomenon demonstrates the need for attention? “Next-In-Line Effect”
What type of Memory was being challenged by the tests? Short-Term
What is its capacity – size and time 7+/- 2 & 30 seconds
How long does visual sensory memory last? ½ second
What type of rehearsal is better for creating LTM? Elaborative
Long-Term Memory Information transferred from STM to LTM is
coded into categories and stored in terms of meaning REM sleep may play a key role in categorizing
new items within LTM Memories retrieved from LTM are not an exact
replica of the original event Memories are reconstructed and can be altered
during the retrieval process
Parallel Distributed Processing
PDP model of memory recognizes that our brain processes multiple operations and involves a vast network of processing units that operate simultaneously.
PDP model suggests that our memory does not work like a computer, which is more serial distribution.
Integrating Approaches
Varieties of LTM
Organization of LTM
Items in LTM are organized in categories that form a hierarchy with multiple paths (direct and indirect) to each item Sometimes the cues required to recall an item
are not sufficient Tip-of the tongue phenomenon: person can’t
easily recall the item, but shows some recall for its characteristics (“…it begins with the letter ….”)
Memory Measures
Recognition is when a specific cue is matched against LTM
Recall is when a general cue is used to search memory• E.g. Who wrote “Common Sense”
Relearning refers to a situation in which a person learns material a second time. (second time faster)
Priming – A method for measuring implicit memory – example - words with the word stem def
Priming Pass out demonstration sheets
Priming demonstration
Unscramble the following word:
L T E P A
Answer:
P E T A LP L A T E
Priming Why did half the class say plate and
the other half say petal? They were primed to do so There were two different sheets of
unscrambled words
Priming sheet 1
Unscramble the following word:
F I N E K O P O N S K R O F P U C E C U S A R L T E P A
Answer:
K N I F ES P O O NF O R KC U PS A U C E RP L A T E
Priming sheet 2
Unscramble the following word:
N Y P A S F E L A K T A L S D U B L O B S O M S L T E P A
Answer:
P A N S YL E A F S T A L K B U D B L O S S O M P E T A L
Priming Do priming demonstration
Priming
Seeingthe word rabbit Seeingthe word rabbit
Activates concept
Primes spellingthe spokenword hair/hareas h-a-r-e
Priming
Activation of one or more existing memories by a stimulus
Activation not a conscious decision BUT, can affect subsequent thoughts
and actions Two types of priming
Two types of priming Conceptual Priming Perceptual Priming
Conceptual priming
When priming stimulus influences your flow of thoughts
Thought to involve activation of concepts stored in semantic memory
Example: Previous priming demonstration Example: If you hear a story about a pitbull,
when someone later asks you to name a dog, you’re more likely to say “pitbull”
Perceptual priming
Can you identify the fragmented stimulus below?
Perceptual priming
What if you were asked to unscramble the word earlier?
Biological Perspective Long-term Potentiation - As a response is
learned, specific neural pathways are established that become progressively more excitable and responsive Synapses are strengthened by stimulation of
dendrites to grow more spines Ability of a neuron to release its neurotransmitters
can be increased or decreased
Flashbulb Memories
Where were you when you first heard: That the spaceship Columbia/ Challenger had exploded
during landing? That the federal building had been bombed in Oklahoma
City? That Princess Diana had been killed in a car wreck?
Most are personal ex. Duke Students asked
85 A car accident 82 When you first met your college roommate 81 High school graduation 78 Senior Prom
Forgetting
Forgetting is the inability to recall previously learned information
Why is it necessary? How is it adaptive?
Study Strategies
Distributed practice refers to spacing learning periods in contrast to massed practice in which learning is “crammed” into a single session
Distributed practice leads to better retention
Serial Position Effect
Remembering information at the beginning and end of a list better than material in the middle
Theories of Forgetting Decay theory: memory trace fades with time when
not accessed Doesn’t account for persistent declarative and
procedural Spanish test 50 years later / swimming riding a bike etc
Replacement theory – new memory can wipe out old memories Stop sign – “Did you see the car in front of the yield
sign” Interference theory argues that information
competes for retrieval• Proactive interference: old information interferes
with recall of new information• Retroactive interference: new information
interferes with recall of old information
Interference and Memory
Retroactive – Problem with remembering old information because of new informationProactive – the opposite
Cue-dependent memory How can you use this to find your lost keys
State-dependent memory How can it contribute to depression?
Motivated forgetting: involves the loss of painful memories
Encoding failure: may contribute to information never being encoded from STM to LTM and thus forgotten.
Retrieval failure: the information is still within LTM, but cannot be recalled because the retrieval cue is absent
Amnesia Amnesia is forgetting produced by brain
injury or trauma Retrograde amnesia refers to problems with
recall of information prior to a trauma Anterograde amnesia refers to problems with
recall of information after a trauma
Point of Trauma
Retrograde amnesia Anterograde amnesia
Psychogenic amnesia – causes of forgetting are psychological and not organic (injury) Quite rare Involves massive memory loss, personal identity and
usually ends suddenly Traumatic Amnesia – involves the forgetting of a
specific traumatic event When it comes back it is perfectly accurate Part of a defensive mechanism (repression) of
threatening or upsetting information to the unconscious What arguments are presented against the existence of this
type of amnesia? Concentration Camps Not rehearsing Intentional distracting Dangers associated with confabulation and power of suggestion
Childhood Amnesia – the inability to remember events and experiences that occurred during the first 2-3 years of life Problem encoding and retaining episodic memories and
carrying them into later childhood Biological – the prefrontal cortex is not yet fully
developed Cognitive Lack of a sense of self Impoverished encoding Focus more on the routine then the distinctive aspects When we begin to think like adults we no longer have
access to the cues and information we once used as a schema
Patient H.M. Patient H.M. suffered from chronic brain seizures In the 1950’s, surgeons removed portions of his
hippocampus in order to reduce the seizures Since the surgery, Patient H.M. shows chronic
anterograde amnesia He has normal STM He has normal recall for material learned prior to the
surgery Patient H.M. has learned very little since the surgery
Patient H.M. would have no idea of the significance of: Watergate The Challenger explosion The death of Princess Diana
Issues in Memory Memory recall may involve reconstruction and
thus may not be accurate Reasons for inaccuracy of memory:
Source amnesia: attribution of a memory to the wrong source (e.g. a dream is recalled as an actual event)
Sleeper effect: a piece of information from an unreliable source is initially discounted, but is recalled after the source has been forgotten Apply to political campaigning
Sleeper Effect
Eyewitness Testimony Primarily because of the constructive nature
of memory, the reliability of eyewitness testimony is questioned.
Repressed Memories The area of repressed memories is a hotly
contested debate The reliability of repressed memories is called
into question due to: the constructive element of memory source amnesia the sleeper effect
Memory Strategies Mnemonic devices are strategies to
improve memory by organizing information Method of Loci: ideas are associated with a
place or part of a building Peg-Word system: peg words are associated
with ideas (e.g. “one is a bun”) Word Associations: verbal associations are
created for items to be learned
Improving memory Use rehearsal
techniques Improve organization Counteract the serial
position effect Avoid massed
practice
Manage time Use the encoding
specificity principle Employ self-
monitoring and over learning
Use mnemonic devices
Attention “Next-in-line-effect”