Chapter 7-Systems and Types of Memory Flashcards
Mnemonic devices
def: methods to improve recall such as coming up with an acronym, song, or rhyme.
e.g. BEDMAS (brackets, exponents, multiplication, division, addition, subtraction) which helps children remember the order of operations in math. children are also taught another mnemonic to make it even more memorable; “Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally.”
Non-mnemonic strategies: rehearsal
-repeated practice
-checks mastery
-be aware of the testing and serial position effects
*testing: even if you’re testing yourself and you don’t immediately get it right, over time you’ll improve.
*serial position: people tend to have better memory for items at the beginning or end of a list as opposed to the middle.
Non-mnemonic strategies: distributed practice and minimal interference
-practice in intervals/take breaks (as opposed to cramming).
-study different subjects on different days to avoid interference.
Non-mnemonic strategies: deep processing and organizing info
-depth>frequency; how well you study something is more important than how often you study it.
*it’s so important to really understand something when you’re first studying/learning it.
-personalize material if possible; self-referent encoding (how is it personally relevant?).
-use an outline (clustering & hierarchies).
Mnemonic devices: Acrostic
phrases/poems wherein 1st letter/line is a recall cue.
e.g. My Very Energetic Mother Just Served Us Nachos (the planets).
Mnemonic devices: Acronyms
word made of 1st letters from a series of words.
e.g. ROY GBP (colours of the rainbow).
Mnemonic devices: Link method
-mental image formation linking items to remember.
-visual mnemonic to remember a list of items.
Mnemonic devices: Method of loci
imaginary walk with set item images at set locations.
e.g. pen on the desk, apple on the counter, book on the bed, etc.
Mnemonic devices: Music
information to encode is presented musically.
e.g. jingles, which are commonly used in ads, and stimulates parts of the brain linked to memory (amygdala).
Implicit memory
refers to the unconscious, automatic memories that influence behaviour without requiring deliberate recall. it includes skills, habits, and conditioned responses.
-info: perceptual & motor events.
-brain locus: cerebellum.
example: riding a bike, tying shoes, or responding to a fear-inducing stimulus after conditioning (e.g., Kandel’s sea slug experiment).
Explicit memory
involves conscious recall of information, such as facts, or events. it requires intentional effort to retrieve the memory.
-info: facts & events.
brain loci: hippocampus & temporal lobe.
example: recalling the capital of a country or the details of a birthday party.
Declarative memory
-a subtype of explicit memory
-conscious and effortful
-foci: explicit memories, facts
-examples: people’s names, definitions, etc.
-greater memory decline (requires rehearsal/upkeep)
Non-declarative memory
-a subtype of implicit memory
-automatic & less effortful
-foci: actions, skills, conditioned responses, operations
-examples: driving, phobic responses
-less memory decline (does not require conscious effort to retain)
Semantic memory
-focus: general facts, not chronological
-can be retained in amnesiacs
-can merge with episodic memory to form autobiographical memories
**autobiographical memories; consist of personal, meaningful experiences from an individual’s life.
Episodic memory
-focus: personal facts, chronological (e.g., first time you lost a tooth)
-hyperthymestic syndrome can occur in extreme cases
-uses: personal record, time travel
**hyperthymestic syndrome: memory of your own life that is so vivid that it causes issues when engaging with others (e.g., interrupting people to talk about yourself, only talking about yourself, or not listening to others because you’re thinking about your own experiences, etc.)
Prospective memory
-focus: future actions
-examples: remembering to feed your pet, set your alarm, or take your meds
-prompted remembering
-costly errors (it’s imperative to feed your pets, take your pills, and set your alarms. there can be major consequences if you forget. another example being pilots doing a safety check before takeoff; many people’s lives are at risk)
-age based differences; the older you get, the worse your prospective memory becomes
Retrospective memory
-foci: past events or past info
-examples: lecture content, childhood
-unprompted remembering
Consolidation (defintion)
consolidation is a hypothetical process involving the gradual conversion of new, unstable memories into stable, durable memory codes stored in long-term memory.
Bonus candidate: Mnemosyne (goddess of memory)
-Greek goddess of memory and the mother of the Nine Muses.
-she is associated with the power of memory and oral tradition.
-through Zeus, she gave birth to the Muses, who inspire creativity in arts, literature, and sciences.
-her name is the root of the modern term ‘mnemonic’, which is a technique used to aid memory.
eidetic memory
-ability to vividly recall an image, sound, or event with high precision for a short period after exposure.
-often associated with photographic-like memory, but true eidetic memory is very rare and typically seen in children.
iconic memory
-a type of sensory memory that holds visual information for a fraction of a second after it is perceived.
-allows the brain to process and integrate visual stimuli before they fade.
