human memory

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chimp_Brain_in_a_jar.jpg

types of memory

seconds

timescale

short-term memory (STM)

long-term memory (LTM)

mezzanine memory

sensory memory

minutes

hours/days

lifetime

mechanism

long term – physicalsynapse growth

short term – electrical7±2 neuron firing

mezzanine – chemical?(no ‘proper’ name) LTP (long term potentiation)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:GFPneuron.png

sensory memory

at the sensors

after images

habituation

... always sense change

in the brain

buffers for stimuli received through sensesiconic memory: visual stimuliechoic memory: aural stimuli

... what did you say?haptic memory: tactile stimuli

continuously overwritten

short-term memory

short-term memory

short-term memory (STM)

also called ‘working memory’

scratch-pad for temporary recallrapid access ~ 70msrapid decay ~ 200mslimited time ~ 30s without rehearsallimited capacity – 7± 2 chunk

Millers 7+/-2

2832

1387430

212348278493202

421945200110664219452001106642 1945 2001 42 1945 2001 10661066

seven ‘chunks’meaning matters

0121 414 2626

HEC ATR ANU PTH ETR EET

HEHEC ATC ATR ANR ANU PU PTH ETH ETR TR EEEETT

long-term memory

long-term memory

repository for all our knowledge... and

who we are

slow access – relative to STM

slowly created – rehearsal

slow decay, if anyhuge or unlimited capacity

types of (explicit) LTM

episodicserial memory of eventsmay be hard to recall out of order

semantic / declarativestructured memory of facts, concepts, skillslinks and associations

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_Tyger_BM_a_1794.jpg

associative

concepts linked to one anotherfinding a start point?external cues

recognition vs. recall

e.g. menus vs command line

explicit memory

episodic & semantic memoryexplicit / conscious

you know that you know

not all memory like that ....

implicit / tacit knowledge

motor memoriesplaying an instrument

automatic reactionsPavlov and Skinner

expert knowledge

http://www.flickr.com/photos/protographer23/358987856/

linked

from explicit to implicitproceduralisation

from implicit to explicitintrospection and

externalisation

implicit associations activate explicit recall

mezzanine memory

mezzanine memory

what you are doing nowcontext – activates LTM

what you have been doing recently

short-term episodic memory

where studied

cockpits and control roomssituation awareness

readinglong-term working

memory

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Swiss_Saab_2000_Cockpit.jpg

reliable memories?

Charlotte walked through the door ...

semantic not photographic

all memories are constructed confabulation

false memories

e.g. Deb Roy @ MIT, first steps

perception

encode

memories

reconstruct