Memory
3 Kinds of Memory
• Episodic Memory
• Semantic/Generic Memory
• Procedural/Implicit memory
Episodic memory
• Memory that consists
of events that people
have experienced or
witnessed
• Flash bulb memory-
Able to recall great
detail of the event
Generic/Semantic
Memory
• General knowledge
usually not able to
remember when we
acquired the
information
• E.g.. Washington was
our first president
Procedural/Implicit
Memory
• Skills or procedures
we have learned..once
the skill has been
learned it usually stays
for many years
• E.g. How to make a
sandwich or ride a
bike or swimming
3 Processes of
Memory
• Encoding
• Storage
• Retrieval
Encoding
• The translation of
information into a form
that can be stored
• Visual codes-picture it in
your mind
• Acoustic codes-hear it
• Semantic codes-make
sense of it
Storage
• Maintenance of encoded
information over a period of time-
stored
• Maintenance rehearsal-
Repeating over and over to
rehearse
• Elaborative rehearsal-Relate to
info already known
• Organizational systems-The more
organized the storage the better
chances for retrieval
Retrieval
• Locating
information and
returning it to
conscious thought
• Retrieval of info
stored previously
like a computer
retrieves and locates
files
Context-Dependent Memory
Retrieval continued
• Dependent on the place
where the memory was
stored i.e.. the
environment
• E.g.. Visiting
Elementary school and
some memory from that
experience comes back
State-Dependent Memory
Retrieval continued
• Easier to retrieve these
type of memories when
the same emotion or
mood is achieved that is
similar to when the
memory was encoded
• E.g..Happy times
triggers memories of
other happy times
On the Tip of the Tongue
Retrieval continued
• Sometimes we are
so close to
retrieving
information it is
said to be on the
Tip of the tongue
Three Stages of Memory
Sensory Memory
• First stage of memory-initial recording
of information through our senses
1. Iconic memory -Snapshots very
accurate photographic memories short
period of time
2. Eidetic Memory- Visual memories over
a long period of time
3. Echoic Memory-Mental traces of sound
(acoustic easier t remember than visual)
Stage 2: Short-Term Memory
aka Working Memory
• Information is transferred from the Sensory
memory to this second stage of memory
processing
• Consciously thinking about the information
here
• Rapidly begins to fade after several seconds
so attention must be paid to the information
to pass it along further to the LT memory
Memory cont.
• Primacy effect-recall initial items in a sequence
• Recency effect- Tendency to remember the last
items of a sequence
• Chunking- organization of units into manageable
familiar units
• Interference-When new information takes the
place of old information in the working memory
Long-Term Memory
• Third and final stage of memory
• No limit to the capacity of long-term
memory (infinite)
• We tend to remember or reconstruct
memories based on our life experiences and
our view of the world
Schemas
• An idea or mental framework
• Organizing bits of information into
knowledge
Basic Memory tasks
• Recognition-Identifying objects or events
that have been encountered before
• Recall-Bring back to mind
• Relearning-Relearn things forgotten e.g..
Algebra 25 years later
“Stock is Best!”
Forgetting
• Repression- Pushing painful, unwanted
memories into the subconscious mind
• Amnesia- Severe memory loss due to brain
damage
Amnesias
• Infantile Amnesia-
forgetting early infancy
memories are forgotten.g.
birth
• Anterograde Amnesia-
Memory loss that prevents
a person’s brain from
forming new memories
• Retrograde Amnesia-
Forgetting the period of
time that leads up to a
traumatic event
Improving Memory
• Drill & Practice-Going over and over again
(maintenance rehearsal)
• Relate things to What you Already Know
(elaborative rehearsal)
• Form Unusual Associations
• Construct Links between already established
patterns e.g. learning languages
• Mnemonics devices-Systems for remembering
information
Encoding through
Storage
senses
Process Cognition Process
Thinking
20-30 seconds
S Stage 2 Stage 3
E Stage 1 Working Long-
N
S Sensory (Short- Term
E Memory term) Memory
S Memory
Retrieval
Process