Transcript Intro to Memory PPT

Memory
Chapter 7
A.P. Psychology
Basic Terminology
 Encoding: involves forming memory code
 Storage: involves maintaining encoded
information in memory over time
 Retrieval: involves recovering information
from memory stores
 **Think of your Memory as a computer system you have to code the information, store it on a
hard-drive and eventually retrieve it**
Encoding
 Attention: involves
focusing awareness
on a narrowed range
of stimuli
 You have to pay
attention to
information if you
intend to remember
it
 Cocktail Party
Phenomenon: in a
crowded party, people
tend to focus on one
conversation, but if
someone else mentions
a person’s name, they
may notice it, even
though they have been
ignoring that
conversation
Encoding
 Levels of Processing Theory: proposes that deeper
levels of processing result in longer-lasting memory
codes - not all attention is created equal
 1. Shallow Processing
 Structural Encoding - emphasizes the physical structure of the
stimulus
 2. Intermediate Processing
 Phonemic Encoding - emphasizes what a word sounds like
 3. Deep Processing
 Semantic Encoding - emphasizes the meaning of verbal input
Fig 7.4 – Levels-of-processing theory. According to Craik and
Lockhart (1972), structural, phonemic, and semantic encoding—which can
be elicited by questions such as those shown on the right— involve
progressively deeper levels of processing, which should result in more
durable memories.
Enriching Encoding
 Elaboration - linking a stimulus to other
information at the time of encoding; using
examples to illustrate an idea
 Visual Imagery - the creation of visual images
to represent the words to be remembered;
imagery facilitates memory because it provides a
second kind of memory code and 2 are better
than one
Visual Imagery
 “It was a dark and
stormy night…”
 “Once upon a time in a
magical kingdom…”
 With a picture to go along
with the words, the impact
is greater
 Dual-Coding Theory:
holds that memory is
enhanced by forming
semantic and visual
codes
Maintaining Information in Memory
 Sensory Memory - preserves info in original
sensory form for a fraction of a second
 Example: An Afterimage
 Remember the Jesus Illusion from chapter 4
 This gives you extra time to try to recognize stimuli
Maintaining Information in Memory
 Short-Term Memory - a limited capacity store
 Usually lasts about 20 sections
 Capacity = 7 items + or - 2
 Rehearsal - repetitively verbalizing or thinking
about the information
Without rehearsal, information is lost within 20 seconds
Maintaining Information in Memory
 Short-Term Memory (cont.)
 CHUNKING
 A group of familiar stimuli stored as a single unit
Increases Capacity of STM
Example: Remember this pattern of letters
F B I M A C C I A I B M
 A string of 12 letters is too long for STM so
CHUNK common letter patterns together
FBI
MAC
CIA
IBM
 Much easier to remember & 4 remains within
STM capacity limit
Maintaining Information in Memory
 Long-Term Memory - an unlimited capacity
store - holds information for a long time
 Some believe it might be permanent
 Flashbulb Memories - unusually vivid and detailed
recollections of momentous events
 Can you think of an example?
Are Short-Term and Long-Term
Memory really separate?
 Some theorists believe that these actually work
together
 Short-Term memory is really just the tiny and
constantly changing portions of long-term memory
 Some others think that there is only one, general
memory store that is governed by one set of rules
and processes
 Decide for yourself!
Self-Referent Encoding
 Making material personally meaningful;
people’s recall of information tends to be
slanted in favor of material that is personally
relevant