Transcript Chap7b

Cognitive Processes
PSY 334
Chapter 7 – Human Memory:
Retention and Retrieval
Retrieval and Inference
 Much of memory is inference at the time
of recall – not actual recall of facts.
 Bransford et al. -- inference can lead to
incorrect recall:
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Turtles resting on or beneath log.
Subjects were most confused by
sentences whose meaning was implied by
the studied sentences.
Inference-Based Intrusions
 Sulin & Dooling – subjects add details
not present during learning:
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Carol Harris vs Helen Keller
“She was deaf, dumb and blind.”
5% Carol Harris but 50% Helen Keller
subjects falsely recognized the sentence.
 Inferences are made at test-time.
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More inferential errors occur with delay.
Plausible Retrieval
 Reder – much of recall is plausible
inference not actual recall.
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Darth Vader inferred to be evil, not
remembered to be evil.
Heir to hamburger chain story – subjects
asked to recall exact details and make
plausible inferences.
 After a delay, plausible inference is
faster and does not decay as much as
exact memory, with no fan effect.
Inference and Elaboration
 Elaboration leads to more inferences.

Information added as a “theme” to a story
results in better recall of studied material
and more inferences.
 Intruded inferences are not necessarily
“errors” but help guide our thinking and
behavior.
 Listerine court case – false inferences,
not just false statements, not permitted.
Memory Errors
 When exact memory is needed,
inferences and reconstructive processes
can be misleading.
 Loftus -- additional details and
suggestion can change what is recalled.
 John Dean’s recall vs what Nixon
recorded – gist was right but not details.
 False memory syndrome – memories
that never happened can be “planted.”
Structure and Retrieval
 Memory is helped by prompts that are
closely associated with what is to be
recalled.
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We prompt ourselves when trying to recall.
 Organized material is easier to learn
because it provides a structure for
prompting recall:
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Trees for minerals, animals, clothing,
transportation.
Mnemonics
 Method of Loci – place items in a
location, then take a mental walk.
 Peg-word System – use peg words as a
structure and associate a list of items
with them using visualization.
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Create acronyms for lists of items.
 Convert nonsense syllables (DAX, GIB)
into meaningful items by associating
them with real words (e.g., DAD).