The Nature of Memory

& Schema Theory

Today’s Goals

I can explain what memory is and begin to explain how it

works.

C5- Evaluate schema theory with reference to research

studies.

Warm-Up

Rewrite the story which I read to you at the

end of last class period. Do your best to

remember all the details and ideas from the

story.

Memory Model

With your group, create a list of things you think you know

about memory, how it works, or ideas that make you think of

memory.

Create a Metaphor/Simile for Memory and how it works.

(Example: Memory is like a photograph because…)

What is Memory?

The capacity to retain and retrieve

information, and also the mental structures

that account for this capacity.

Explicit Memory Declarative Memory

Implicit Memory Procedural Memory

Explicit Memories

Explicit Memory – Conscious, intentional

recollection of an event of an item of

information.

Declarative Memory – Memories that can be

consciously recalled such as facts and details.

Recall- Retrieve and reproduce memory from previously

encountered material.

Recognition – The ability to identify previously encountered

material.

Recall - How did you do?

Recognition Test

Dumby

Happy

Chubby

Doc

Sleepy

Bashful

Smarty

Braty

Laughy

Coughy

Dopey

Cutey

Toughy

Milky

Grumpy

Sneezy

Implicit Memory• Implicit Memory - The unconscious retention of

previous experiences that creep into our current

thoughts/actions.

• Procedural Memories- Memories that help you

perfrom certain procedures and tasks.

Early Research into Memory

Ebbinghaus – 1885

Used self as subject

Tested his memory using lists of 3-letter nonsense syllables (like KAF, PEB, LEV)Nonsense because he didn’t want his existing

knowledge to be able to help out his memory

Method: Relearning Task – Learned a list, set it aside for a period of time, then later relearned the material to the same level.

Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve

Remember as many numbers as

you can.

682375987728092623596

Now Try This

482-972-460-173-081-749-375

Chunking- When people reorganize and group

information into small groups.

Miller’s Magic Number 7

Plus/Minus 2 760234983

The War of the Ghosts

The War of the Ghosts

What similarities/accurate recollections are

there?

What differences/errors did you make?

What might this show about your memory?

Bartlett (1932)

Schema Theory (C5) Aim: To determine whether a person’s memory is impacted

by the knowledge (schemas) and the extent to which memory

is reconstructive.

Method: Had British citizens read the story and then rewrite it

based on their memory over several months.

Finding/Results: Participants remembered the main ideas but

remembered it as shorter. Unfamiliar elements were changed

to make sense of the story in terms of their own culture.

Conclusion: Memory is an ACTIVE PROCESS that is

influenced by our experiences and understanding of how the

world works SCHEMA THEORY IS BORN!!!!

The Office

Brewer and Treyens (1981)

Aim: To investigate whether people’s

memory for objects in a room is influenced

by their existing schemas.

Method:

30 university students were asked to wait in

an office before being called into a research

study.

Participants were taken out of the office and

asked to write down everything they could

remember from the room.

Brewer and Treyens (1981)

Findings:

Most participants recalled the schematic objects (desk,

typewritter).

Some participants reported things that would be expected

but were not present (books, telephone, etc.)

Many participants recalled non schematic items such as

the skull…Unusual items resulted in better memory than

schema theory predicted.

Conclusions: Schemas do impact memory, but

only to a certain extent.

Strengths Limitations

Evaluation of Schema Theory

Lots of research that

defends schemas.

Helps understand the

reconstructive nature

of memory/perception.

“Social Schemas” help

explain stereotypes.

Not entirely clear how

schemas are acquired

and how they actually

influence cognitive

processes.

Too vague to be useful.

Evaluate Schema Theory

What are the strengths of schema theory?

What are the limitations of schema theory?

What applications are there for schema theory beyond memory?

Do you trust the research done on schema theory? Why or why not?

The Case of Clive Wearing(C7 Biological Impact on Memory)

Clive Wearing Video (Sorry for the blurry

picture)

How does Clive Wearing’s story relate to

what we already know about memory?

What memories does Clive still have and

what ones does he not have?

How does Clive Wearing’s Memory

problems relate to the models of memory?

Tonight’s Homework

Watch the two Prezis on Models of Memory

and record information for each model of

memory in your notes. We will discuss

them next time.