Transcript Memory Processing

Memory Processing
Encoding and Retrieving
Memories
Hippocampus
• Neural center in the
limbic system, and is
significant toward
storing and
retrieving memories.
• Role is to more
temporarily store
elements of
memories, then they
are stored elsewhere
- many regions of
the brain are active
during all steps of
memory processing.
Putting Information In
• Some information is automatically processed,
other information we have to work hard to put
in.
• Because the brain parallel processes we don’t
have to think about it, but we automatically
process information about space, time, and
frequency.
• Also with practice we process information much
easier - think reading or video games.
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Effortful Processing
• Process information
through thought and
effort.
• Rehearsal - conscious
repetition helps
remember, and takes
less time to re-learn
(spreading out rehearsal
leads to better longterm memory!)
• Serial Position Effect
Encoding Meaning
• We tend to not remember exactly
what happened, we remember
what we encoded.
• Which is best:
– Visual encoding of images?
– Acoustic encoding of sounds?
– Semantic encoding of meaning
• chair
Was the word in capital letters?
• BRAIN
Does the word rhyme with train?
• gun
Would the word fit into this
sentence:
The girl had a ____ in her hand.
When we apply meaning memory comes easier.
• The procedure is actually quite simple.
First you arrange things into different
groups. Of course, one pile may be
sufficient depending on how much there
is to do…After the procedure is
completed one arranges the materials
into different groups again. Then they
can be put into their appropriate places.
Visual Encoding
• Often we can recall our life
through snapshots - best and
worst moments.
• Mnemonic devices - associate an
image or acoustic to remember.
Organizing Information
• Chunking - grouping
information to make
recall easier.
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Retrieval - Getting Info Out
• Memory is not just about recall,
but also about recognizing and
speed of re-learning.
– Recall: retrieving specific info that
was learned earlier.
– Recognition: identify info that was
previously learned (can only recall
when supported by cues).
Retrieval Cues
• We cannot recall everything, so we
use cues to help us remember.
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How do you remember computer
passwords?
Context Cues
• We are more likely to recall info if
we are in the same context as
when it was processed. Similar
with moods/emotions.
• We have different types of
memory, so we can use episodic
cues to help our recall of semantic
memories (think Mean Girls).