Lecture 14: Memory

Question 1

Three processes of memory

Answer 1

Encoding, storage, retrieval
(ESR) - electricity stuns rapidly

Question 2

Encoding

Answer 2

Set of processes involved in transforming external events & temporary long lasting memories

Question 3

Storage

Answer 3

Retaining information in memory

Question 4

Short-term memory (STM)

Answer 4

Capacity, chunk, duration

Question 5

Long-term memory (LTM)

Answer 5

Potentially long duration (lifetime)
- Huge capacity
- Multi store system
- past experiences & events
- thoughts & feelings
- identity & sense of self

Question 6

Biological structure of memory (brain)

Answer 6

• Striatum - habit formation
• Amygdala - memories about emotions
• Hippocampus - semantic memory, consolidation of memories
• Cerebellum - procedural memory

Question 7

Retrieval and its three components

Answer 7

Retrieval: bringing to mind information stored in memory

1. Recall - generate a mental representation of information/stimuli now absent
2. Recognition - notice that information/stimuli is like the one experienced before
3. Reconstruction - piece together memory based on information/stimuli that can be recalled

Question 8

5 factors affecting LTM

Answer 8

1. Stress/arousal
2. Serial position of information
3. The context
4. Failure to encode
5. Networks of association

Question 9

Emotional arousal

Answer 9

Flashbulb memories - strong, vivid (usually visual) and detailed memories based on dramatic events
- resistant to decay
- emotional arousal triggers adrenaline —> enhanced memory

Question 10

Serial position

Answer 10

Primacy - first items (LTM)
Recency - last items (working memory)
Clinical context - important info

(PRC) - People relax comfortably

Question 11

Other factors affecting retrieval

Answer 11

External and internal context can affect retrieval
- environment
- state

Encoding specificity - the context embedded with info the more overlap between the conditions, the better retrieval

Question 12

Failure to encode

Answer 12

• failing to effectively put material into LTM
• too much stress
• serial position
• lack of attention
• no elaboration of the information

Question 13

Forgetting

Answer 13

• Distinction between availability of info/did it make it into the LTM
• Rate of forgetting is steepest for most recent material learned

Question 14

Factors of forgetting

Answer 14

1. Decay
2. Interference
3. Motivated forgetting

Question 15

Decay

Answer 15

Memory fades over time, points to impermanence of memory, storage, relates to how frequently recalled

Question 16

Interference

Answer 16

Confusion of entanglement of similar memories, greatest when competing info most similar

Question 17

Motivated forgetting

Answer 17

Forgot what you don’t want to think about, this is usually due to trauma