Memory part2

Why Do We Forget?

• Encoding failure• Storage failure• Retrieval failure• Interference theory

The curve of forgetting. This graph shows the amount remembered (measured by relearning) after varying lengths of time. Notice how rapidly forgetting occurs. The material learned was nonsense syllables. Forgetting curves for meaningful information also show early losses followed by a long gradual decline, but overall, forgetting occurs much more slowly.

Why Do We Forget?

The Influence of Emotional Arousal• More emotional arousal = More memory

Detail?• More emotional arousal = More detail of central • More emotional arousal = Less detail of peripheral

Valence?• More positive emotion = more positive memories• More negative emotion = more negative memories

Ways to Improve Memory

• Encoding

Create learning strategy– Spaced practice = more

frequent shorter sessions rather than one big study session

– Progressive Part Learning = breaking learning task into a series of short sections

– Overlearning = studying is continued beyond bare mastery

– Knowledge of Results = Feedback allowing you to check your progress

– SPAR = Survey, Process, Ask, Review

Create learning tools– Selection = Selecting most

important concepts to memorize

– Elaboration = linking a stimulus to other information at the time of encoding

– Self-Referent Encoding = Making information personally meaningful

– Organization = organizing difficult items into chunks; a type of reordering

– Recitation = Summarizing aloud while you are rehearsing material

– Rehearsal = Reviewing information mentally (silently)

Ways to Improve Memory

• Encoding

– Mnemonic devices= any memory aid that relies on encoding each item in a special way

•Verbal versus Visual•Acronyms (e.g, Roy G. Biv)

•Verse (e.g., put info to song)

•Loci (e.g., associate idea with locations)

•Substitute (e.g., ox sip it all)

•Allegory (e.g., create a metaphor)

Ways to Improve Memory

• Encoding• Storage

– Rehearsal = reviewing information again and again

– Sleep = more sleep means less memory loss

Ways to Improve Memory

• Encoding• Storage• Retrieval

– Cues = any stimulus associated with a memory

– State-dependent memory = synch between emotion at encoding and retrieval

Amnesia After Brain Damage

• Amnesia is a severe loss or deterioration of memory.

Infant Amnesia

• Few people can remember events earlier than age 5 or 6. Though children younger than this can describe earlier events in their own lives, these memories tend to fade.

• The scarcity of early declarative memory is called infant amnesia or childhood amnesia. Why does this happen?

Amnesia of Old Age

• Some older people suffer from Alzheimer’s and other dementias that impair attention and memory.