MODULE 6

MEMORY

Consolidated by:
Amina Thalia B. Germino, RPm

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MODULE 6 MEMORY
INTRODUCTION:
This module discusses first what memory is and the differences between the types
of memories. Define and explain what memory is and how each type and kind of
memories differ from each other such as the episodic memories, prospective memory,
explicit memory, etc. This module also discusses the functions of sensory, long-term and
short-term memory. And identify the underlying contributors to forgetting. Lastly,
discusses the biological aspects of memory and how this works to help us understand
human being.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
After reading this module, you are able to:
1. Define memory and differentiate between types of memories.
2. Explain the processes of memory.
3. Describe the functions of sensory memory.
4. Describe the functions of short-term memory.
5. Describe the functions of long-term memory.
6. Identify contributors to forgetting.
7. Describe the biological aspects of memory.

LEARNING CONTENT
“Without memory, there is no past.”
Kinds of Memory
Episodic memories- memories of events that take place in one’s life.
Prospective memory- remembering to do something in the future.
Various memory systems:
1. Explicit Memory- also referred to as declarative memory—is memory for specific
information. Things that are explicit are clear, or clearly stated or explained. The
use of the term declarative indicates that these memories state or reveal (i.e.,
declare) specific information. The information may be autobiographical or refer to
general knowledge.
Two kinds of explicit memories

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 a. Episodic memory- memories of the things that happen to us or take place in our
progress. Also referred as “autobiographical memory”
b. Semantic memory- general knowledge. It concerns meanings.
2. Implicit Memory- referred to as nondeclarative memory—is memory of how to
perform task. It is the act itself, doing something. Implicit memories involves
procedures and skills , cognitive, and physical and are also referred to as
procedural or skill memories.
Priming- the activation of specific associations in memory, often as a result of
repetition and without making a conscious effort to access the memory.

Retrospective memory versus Prospective Memory

Retrospective memory- memory for past events, activities, and learning

experiences, as shown by explicit (episodic and semantic) and implicit memories.

Prospective memory- memory to perform an act in the future, as at a certain time

when a certain events occurs. There are various kinds of prospective memory for
example, the habit tasks such as getting to class on time are easier to remember that
occasional tasks, event-based tasks are triggered by events such as remembering to take
one’s medicine at breakfast or brush your teeth after eating and time-based tasks are to
performed at a certain time or after a certain amount of time has elapsed between
occurrences, such as tuning sin to a favorite show or taking pill after 4 hours.

Processes of Memory

1. Encoding. Encode modifies information so that it can be placed in memory;

encoding is the first stage of information processing. Visual code to try to
remember the list, you would mentally represented it as a picture. Acoustic code
representing the stimuli as a sequence of sounds. Semantic codes represent stimuli
in terms of their meaning.
2. Storage. The maintenance of information over time; the second stage of
information processing. Maintenance rehearsal by mentally repeating the list,

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 or saying it to yourself again and again. Elaborative rehearsal you are
elaborating or extending the semantic meaning of the letters you are trying to
remember.
3. Retrieval. The location of stored information and its return to consciousness; the
third information processing.

Memory is the processes by which information is encoded, stored, and retrieved.

Sensory Memory- it is the type of stage of memory first encountered by a stimulus;

sensory memory holds impressions briefly, but ling enough so that series of perceptions
are psychologically continuous.

Memory trace- is an assumed change in the nervous system that reflects the impression
made by a stimulus.

Iconic memory- the sensory register that briefly holds mental representations of visual
stimuli

Icon- a mental representation of a visual stimulus that is held briefly in sensory memory.

Eidetic imagery- photographic memory, the ability to retain exact mental representations
of visual stimuli over long periods.

Saccadic eye movements occur about four times a second, but iconic memory
holds icons for up to a second. For this reason, the flow of visual information seems
smooth and continuous. Your impression that the words you are reading flow across the
page, rather than jumping across in spurts, is a product of your iconic memory.

echoic memory is the sensory register that briefly holds mental representations of
auditory stimuli
echo a mental representation of an auditory stimulus (sound) that is held briefly in
sensory memory
short-term memory (STM) the type or stage of memory that can hold information for
up to a minute or so after the trace of the stimulus decays; also called working memory

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working memory another term for short-term memory
serial-position effect the tendency to recall more accurately the first and last items in a
series
chunk a stimulus or group of stimuli that are perceived as a discrete piece of information
displace in memory theory, to cause information to be lost from short-term memory by
adding new information
long-term memory (LTM) the type or stage of memory capable of relatively permanent
storage
repression in Freud’s psychodynamic theory, the ejection of anxiety-evoking ideas from
conscious awareness
schemas a way of mentally representing the world, such as a belief or an expectation,
that can influence perception of persons, objects, and situations
Your long-term memory is a biochemical “hard drive” with no known limits on
the amount of information it can store.
levels-of-processing model of memory, which holds that memories tend to endure
when information is processed deeply—attended to, encoded carefully, pondered, and
related to things we already know.
tip-of-the-tongue (TOT) phenomenon the feeling that information is stored in
memory although it cannot be readily retrieved; also called the feeling-of-knowing
experience
context-dependent memory information that is better retrieved in the context in
which it was encoded and stored,
or learned
state-dependent memory information that is better retrieved in the physiological or
emotional state in which it was encoded and stored, or learned
nonsense syllables meaningless sets of two consonants, with a vowel sandwiched in
between, that are used to study memory
paired associates nonsense syllables presented in pairs in experiments that measure
recall
method of savings a measure of retention in which the difference between the number of
repetitions originally required to learn a list and the number of repetitions required to
relearn the list after a certain amount of time has elapsed is calculated

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savings the difference between the number of repetitions originally required to learn a list
and the number of repetitions required to relearn the list after a certain amount of time
has elapsed
interference theory the view that we may forget stored material because other learning
interferes with it
retroactive interference the interference of new learning with the ability to retrieve
material learned previously
proactive interference the interference by old learning with the ability to retrieve
material learned recently
dissociative amnesia loss of memory of personal information that is thought to stem
from psychological conflict or trauma
infantile amnesia inability to recall events that occur prior to the age of three or so; also
termed childhood amnesia
hippocampus a structure in the limbic system that plays an important role in the
formation of new memories
anterograde amnesia failure to remember events that occurred after physical trauma
because of the effects of the trauma
retrograde amnesia failure to remember events that occurred prior to physical trauma
because of the effects of the trauma
engram an assumed electrical circuit in the brain that corresponds to a memory trace
long-term potentiation (LTP) enhanced efficiency in synaptic transmission that follows
brief, rapid stimulation

MODULE ACTIVITY
Activity 1: What Type of Memory Is It?: Read each statement below and state what
type of memory or what type of organizational technique is being used.
1. Susie is baking blueberry muffins and goes through the following steps: she preheats
the oven, mixes all the ingredients in the order in which they are presented, greases the
muffin pan, places the batter in separate cups, places the pan in the oven, and then sets
the timer.
Type of Memory: ____________________

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2. In school, John is asked to name the first president of the United States and answers,
“George Washington.”
Type of Memory:____________________

3. Johanna is giving a talk in her speech class about her most memorable birthday, her
Sweet 16 birthday party.
Type of Memory: ____________________

4. Thomas is trying to remember various items on a list for Christmas shopping. He

organizes the items in the following way: DVDs for his daughter, PS2 games for his son,
a new microwave for his sister in college, a new TV for his parents, and a new diamond
tennis bracelet for his wife.
Type of Memory: ____________________

5. Rebecca goes into a restaurant with her five-year-old niece and sits down. The niece
seems fidgety and wants to eat, because she is hungry. Rebecca explains to her that they
need to wait to order. She knows that since this is a not a fast-food restaurant they will
have to wait first for the server to bring them some menus. Then they will have to put in a
drink order and, finally, when the server comes back, give him or her their dinner order.
Salads will then be brought out first, and when they are finished with them, their dinners
will be presented. Finally, they will finish their meal with dessert.
Type of Memory: ____________________

MODULE 6 - Memory - Activity 2

Instruct students to complete the following:
1. Write down a memory that you feel has been especially important in making you who
you are.
______________________________________________________________________
2. What are some characteristics of this self-defining memory?
______________________________________________________________________
3. What do you think the memory says about you?

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________________________________________________________________________
4. How does this memory relate to your current goals and aspirations?
________________________________________________________________________
5. Do you think of this memory often? Why or why not?
________________________________________________________________________

END OF DISCUSSION
Good job in finishing this module.
Next topic is Thinking, Language, and Intelligence

LEARNING REFERENCES:
1. Spencer A. Rathus. (2020) Psychology 6th Edition, Cengage Learning Asia Pte Ltd

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