Memory
Contents
1. Defining of Memory
2. Three System of Memory
3. Working Memory
4. Why We Forget
5. Decay and Interferences Theory
6. Memory Dysfunction
What is Memory?
Human memory is an information
processing system that works
constructively to encode, store, and
retrieve information.
̶ The process by which we
encode, store, and retrieve
information.
Information Processing Model
Encoding - getting information into the
memory system
Storage - the retaining/maintaining of
encoded information over time
Retrieval - getting encoded information
out of memory storage/(Recalling
memories)
Memory’s Three Basic Tasks
Encoding Storage Retrieval
Memory’s Three Basic Functions
Encoding Storage Retrieval
Involves Elaboration –
modification of Deliberate encoding in
which you connect a
information to fit the
new concept with
preferred format of existing information
the memory system
Memory’s Three Basic Functions
Encoding Storage Retrieval
Involves retention
of encoded material
over time
Memory’s Three Basic Functions
Encoding Storage Retrieval
Involves the
location and
recovery of
information
from memory
Encoding
The processing of information into the memory
system.
Getting a girls name at a party
Typing info into a computer
Storage
The retention of encoded material over
time.
Pressing Ctrl S and Trying to remember her name
saving the info. when you leave the party.
Retrieval
The process of getting the information out of
memory storage.
Seeing her the next day
Finding your document and calling her the wrong
and opening it up. name (retrieval failure).
How Does Memory form?
1st step in forming memory is Encoding.
Everyday we experience thousands of pieces of new
information: i.e – new terms in psychology classes.
How is this information encoded into memory?
1. Some inf. is encoded with little or no effort
– Automatic Processing.
e.g.-(What you had for breakfast?)
is the effortless encoding of inf.
● It is not under conscious control.
2. Effortful Processing ̶ requires attention,
rehearse, practice & mental work in
learning new information.
i) Maintenance Rehearsal – Simple repetition
of information.
ii) Elaborative Rehearsal – Analyzing the meaning of the
new information and relating it to information already
in long term memory.
The Three System (Stages)of Memory
Short term
Sensory Long-term
(Working)
Memory Memory
Memory
The Three Stages of Memory
Sensory Working Long-term
Memory Memory Memory
Preserves brief
sensory
impressions of
stimuli
The Three Stages of Memory
Short-Term
Sensory (Working) Long-term
Memory Memory Memory
Preserves recently
perceived events or
experiences for less
than a minute without
rehearsal, also called
short-term memory or
STM
The Three Stages of Memory
Sensory Working Long-term
Memory Memory Memory
Stores information on a
relatively permanent basis
(organized according to
meaning), also called
LTM.
Sensory Memory
The brief, initial coding of sensory information in the memory
system
Iconic (image) store – visual information,
½ second
Echoic store – sound information, 2-3
seconds
Information held just long enough to make a decision on its
importance
Sensory Memory
It can store an enormous amount of information,
almost everything that we see/hear
All but three or four items disappear before they
can enter consciousness
It can store these inf. for only a very brief period
of time
There is a separate sensory register for each
sense
Psychologists believe that, in this stage, memory
images take the form of nerve impulses
Working/Short-Term Memory
Magic number Seven Plus or minus 2
The list of magic sevens
Seven wonders of world
Seven seas
Seven deadly sins
Seven primary colors
Seven musical scale notes
Seven days of the week
Short – Term Memory
It is a temporary storage system with the capacity to store a
limited amount of inf. for a limited length of time or duration
Capacity: 7 plus or minus 2
Duration: 15 to 25 sec.
By repeating inf. in short term memory over & over, it will
remain there indefinitely.
Maintenance rehearsal is the process of keeping inf. in STM.
e.g: home Shopping Centre
Rehearsing
Encoding and Storage in Working Memory
Chunking –
i)Organizing(/grouping) pieces of information into a smaller
number of meaningful units.
ii)The process of recording, or reorganizing, the
information is called Chunking.
Maintenance rehearsal –
Process in which information is repeated or reviewed to
keep it from fading while in working memory
Encoding and Storage
in Working Memory
Elaborative rehearsal –
Process in which information is actively
reviewed and related to information already
in LTM
Making connections to previous memories will
improve retrieval of new memory
Long – Term Memory
Memory that stores information on a relatively
permanent basis, although it may be difficult to
retrieve
Capacity: Indefinite (An average adult has One
billion bits of inf. in memory)
Duration: Lifetime.
Long-Term Memory
Procedural memory (IMPLICIT)–
Memory for skills and habits, such as ridding a bike.
Division of LTM that stores memories for how things are done
Declarative memory (EXPLICIT) –
Memory for factual information: names, dates, faces.
Division of LTM that stores explicit information
(also known as fact memory)
Memory for specific information.
TYPES OF MEMORIES
Long-Term Memory
Episodic memory –
Subdivision of declarative memory that stores a
record of the events of our lives
memories for personal events, or “episodes” that occur
in a particular time, place, or contexts.
Semantic memory –
Subdivision of declarative memory that stores
general knowledge and facts, including meanings
of words and concepts
Ebbinghause and Nonsense
Forgetting curve
Nonsense Syllables
wyx
ghe
jek
lsm
Why Do We forget?
Forgetting – the inability to recall a particular piece
of information accurately.
Forgetting can take place in Encoding, Storage, or
retrieval.
Psychologists ‘ve proposed Four (4) views of
forgetting:
(i) Encoding Failure (ii) Decay Theory
(iii) Interference theory (iv) Retrieval Failure
Why Do We forget?
Encoding Failure– we cannot remember
information because we never stored the
information in memory to begin with.
we may not have paid attention to the material in the
first place.
Why Do We forget?
Decay Theory – memory spontaneously fades or
loses/decays with the passage of time through nonuse.
Experiment: Stimuli: 10 nonsense syllables
Participants: 2 Adults
Task: They learned the list of that syllables
After Task: 1st participant went to sleep
2nd participant continued normal activities
Result: When participant went to sleep they could
recall much more information.
Why Do We forget?
Interference Theory – other memories interfere with the
retrieval of the particular memory we are searching for.
(a)Proactive interference: old information interferes with the
recall of new information.
Interference
Study Study Attempt to
Urdu Hindi recall Hindi
Older information New Information
Why Do We forget?
(b)Retroactive interference: new information interferes with
the recall of old information.
Interference
Study Study Attempt to
Hindi Urdu recall Urdu
New information Old Information
Why Do We forget?
Retrieval Failure – memory cannot be recalled
because the proper retrieval cues are not available.
e.g.,- You lost keys at the library.
Improving Memory
Memory could be strengthened and improved through
exercise.
“Paradise Lost”..Memorized..No Improvement
(i) Chunking –Organizing(/grouping) pieces of
information into a smaller number of meaningful units
Improving Memory
(ii) Chunking –Organizing(/grouping) pieces of
information into a smaller number of meaningful units.
(iii) Elaborative rehearsal –
Process in which information is actively reviewed and
related to information already in LTM.
Improving Memory
(iv) Periodic Retrieval – rehearse the material
whenever the occasion arises.
(iv) Organization and Mnemonies –
a) Mnemonic – is a technique for organizing
information in long term memory.
e.g., “Thirty days hath the September, April,
June & November………”
--The material into a logical framework – a
“Rhyme”.
Improving Memory
b)The method of Loci – involves imagining items
to be remembered and associating each
image with a place already stored in
memory.
c) The Keyword Method
iv) The SQ3R Method
Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review
