---how can we improve our memory

Question 1

Alcohol and memory performance

Answer 1

• Moulton et al. (2005).
• Improved memory when alcohol is consumed shortly after learning!
• Not recommended, of course!
• Alcohol consumption inhibits the formation of new memories that may interfere with the consolidation process for the information learned before drinking.

Question 2

Alcohol and memory consolidation

Answer 2

• Goodwin et al. (1970)
• The 86-Proof Bourbon Experiment
• In 1970 researchers gave 10 men (suffering with alcohol addiction) a pint of 86-proof bourbon in a four-hour period.
• An hour later, they’re asked to learn a set of images
• Then asked at different time periods to recall the information learnt:
• 2 mins later: Fine! They all remember the learnt stimuli
• 30 mins later: half could not remember any of the stimuli
• 24 hours later: Stimuli mostly forgotten!
• The authors concluded that the blackouts were caused by an inability to transfer information from short-term to long-term memory when blood alcohol levels were rising.

Question 3

visual imagery: method of loci

Answer 3

• Method of loci.
• A memory technique for associating items to be learned with familiar locations.
• Better recall when based on locations on the way to work than in a home (Massen, Vaterrodt-Plünnecke, Krings, & Hilbig (2009).
• Potential proactive interference when using same locations.

Question 4

visual imagery: pegword system

Answer 4

• Also relied on visual imagery.
• Memorise the pegwords.
• Each pegword rhymes with a number.
• Will aid in recalling the correct order of items.
• The pegwords (once learned) can be associated with words to be learned.
• For example, if the first word to be remembered is ‘castle’, you can imagine a ‘bun’ (pegword for one) together with a ‘castle’.

Question 5

example of pegwords

Answer 5

• One = Bun
• Two = Shoe
• Three = Tree
• Four = Door
• Five = Hive
• Six = Sticks
• Seven = Heaven
• Eight = Gate
• Nine = Wine
• Ten = Hen