When Memory Fails:When Memory Fails:

Why we ForgetWhy we Forget

Memory: The Memory: The persistence of learning persistence of learning

over time.over time.Encoding

Storage

Retrieval

Failure at EncodingFailure at Encoding

Information never transferred to long Information never transferred to long term memory, due to:term memory, due to:

– Lack of attentionLack of attention

– Shallow processingShallow processing

– No frame of referenceNo frame of reference

Failure during StorageFailure during Storage

Decay Theory:Decay Theory:

Memory traces fade over time, Memory traces fade over time, especially when not retrieved.especially when not retrieved.

““Use it or lose it”Use it or lose it”

ForgettingForgetting Ebbinghaus’ forgetting curve Ebbinghaus’ forgetting curve

(1885)(1885)

Failure during RetrievalFailure during Retrieval Interference Theory:Interference Theory:

– Memories are hard to retrieve due Memories are hard to retrieve due to interference from other to interference from other memoriesmemories

– Two types: Proactive and Two types: Proactive and RetroactiveRetroactive

Proactive InterferenceProactive Interference

When an OLD memory interferes When an OLD memory interferes with remembering NEW with remembering NEW informationinformation

Monday- park in

North lot

Tuesday AM- park in East lot

Tuesday PM- Look for car in North Lot

Retroactive Retroactive InterferenceInterference

When a NEW memory interferes with When a NEW memory interferes with remembering OLD informationremembering OLD information

Old phone

number

New phone

number

Try to recall old number, but

can only recall new number

Source AmnesiaSource Amnesia

The attribution of a memory to an The attribution of a memory to an incorrect source.incorrect source.

Example: This American LifeExample: This American Life

Failure during RetrievalFailure during Retrieval

““tip of the tongue” phenomenontip of the tongue” phenomenon

– Often cues can help us Often cues can help us rememberremember

AmnesiaAmnesia Memory disorder produced by brain Memory disorder produced by brain

injury or illness.injury or illness.– retrograde amnesia =retrograde amnesia = the loss of the loss of

memory for events that occurred memory for events that occurred beforebefore the amnesia onset. the amnesia onset.

– anterograde amnesia = anterograde amnesia = the inability the inability to form new memories to form new memories afterafter the the amnesia onset.amnesia onset.

Point of Onset (Injury)

Retrograde amnesia Anterograde amnesia

Other types of Amnesia:Other types of Amnesia: Infantile AmnesiaInfantile Amnesia Psychogenic AmnesiaPsychogenic Amnesia

– Repression = Freudian term, Repression = Freudian term, the ‘pushing’ of traumatic the ‘pushing’ of traumatic memories or emotions into the memories or emotions into the unconscious mindunconscious mind

– Does it exist?Does it exist?

Recovered MemoriesRecovered Memories

‘‘Believers’:Believers’:– painful memories can be painful memories can be

accurately stored in the accurately stored in the unconscious and may surface in unconscious and may surface in form of other disorder (e.g. form of other disorder (e.g. depression)depression)

– by recovering memories of trauma, by recovering memories of trauma, healing can beginhealing can begin

Recovered MemoriesRecovered Memories ‘‘Skeptics’:Skeptics’:

– no evidence for ‘repression’ no evidence for ‘repression’ mechanismmechanism

– many traumatic episodes are not many traumatic episodes are not forgottenforgotten

– why do some repress and others why do some repress and others don’t?don’t?

– therapeutic techniques used are therapeutic techniques used are questionablequestionable

Recovered MemoriesRecovered Memories

Loftus and Pickrell (1995)- ‘Lost Loftus and Pickrell (1995)- ‘Lost in a Mall’ studyin a Mall’ study– Successfully implanted false Successfully implanted false

memory of being lost in a mall in memory of being lost in a mall in 25% of subjects25% of subjects

– Some subjects provided details Some subjects provided details

Recovered MemoriesRecovered Memories APA’s viewpoint:APA’s viewpoint:

– Most people who are abused as Most people who are abused as children remember most of what children remember most of what happened to them.happened to them.

– One can construct false memories One can construct false memories for events that never happened.for events that never happened.

– Sometimes a memory of childhood Sometimes a memory of childhood abuse might be forgotten and abuse might be forgotten and remembered laterremembered later. .

The Bottom LineThe Bottom Line

Memory is a RECONSTRUCTIVE Memory is a RECONSTRUCTIVE process,process,

and confidence and confidence

is NOT correlated with is NOT correlated with accuracy.accuracy.