Transcript Ch. 6: Memory

Chapter 6: Memory
Memory: the ability to store and retrieve information over time.
Encoding: the process by which we transform what we perceive, think or feel into an
enduring memory.
Storage: the process of maintaining information in memory over time.
Retrieval: the process of bringing to mind information previously encoded and stored.
Visual Imagery Encoding: storing new information by converting it into mental pictures.
Organizational Encoding: process of categorizing information according to the relationships
among a series of items.
Here—you categorize the items you need to remember by creating categories:
Survival Encoding: we tend to remember information that is relevant to our survival:
Examples?
Sensory Storage: holds sensory information for a few seconds or less.
Short Term Storage and Working Memory:
• Short-term memory, also known as primary or active memory, is the
information we are currently aware of or thinking about. The information
found in short term memory comes from paying attention to sensory
memories.
• A quick overview:
• Short-term memory is very brief. When short-term memories are not
rehearsed or actively maintained, they last mere seconds.
•
Short-term memory is limited. It is commonly suggested that short-term
memory can hold seven plus or minus two items.
• The Duration of Short-Term Memory
• Most of the information kept in short-term memory will be stored for
approximately 20 to 30 seconds, but it can be just seconds if rehearsal or
active maintenance of the information is prevented. Some information can
last in short-term memory for up to a minute, but most information
spontaneously decays quite quickly.
• For example, imagine that you are trying to remember a phone
number. The other person rattles off the phone number, and you
make a quick mental note. Moments later you realize that you
have already forgotten the number. Without rehearsing or
continuing to repeat the number until it is committed to memory,
the information is quickly lost from short-term memory.
• You can increase the duration of short-term memories to an
extent by using rehearsal strategies such as saying the
information aloud or mentally repeating it. However, information in
short-term memory is also high susceptible to interference.
• Rehearsal: process of keeping information in short term
memory by mentally repeating it.
• Chunking: combining small pieces of information into
larger clusters or chunks that are more easily held in short
term memory.
• Working memory: active maintenance of information in
short term storage.
• Long term memory: type of storage that holds information
for hours, days, weeks or year.
• Long term memory: you can recall up to 10,000 words in
your native language and thousand of facts like what’s
one city in Israel or the capital of France is Paris. Also—
lots of personal experiences are in your long term
memory.