Memory Flashcards
What are the different types of memory
Sensory memory (< 1 sec)
Short-term memory (< 1 min)
Long-term memory (life-time)
- Explicit memory (conscious) or Declarative memory (facts, events)
o Episodic memory (events, experiences)
o Semantic memory (facts, concepts)
- Implicit memory (unconscious)
Elaborate more on explicit memory
Info you consciously work to remember
e.g. identifying who the current president is, writing a research paper, and remember the time you’re meeting a friend for a movie.
How does explicit memory work?
Are encoded to memory and later retrieved
Are often formed deliberately through rehearsal
Can be encoded unconsciously and tied to emotions
May be drawn into awareness through associations
How does implicit memory work?
Can begin with learning skills and mastering a task
Becomes automatic over time with repetition
Recall is often dependent upon context and cues
Elaborate more implicit memory.
Info remembered unconsciously and effortlessly
Things that people don’t purposely try to remember. This kind of memory is unconscious and unintentional.
While implicit memories are not consciously recalled, they still influence how you behave as well as your knowledge of different tasks.
What is the differences between semantic and episodic memory?
Semantic memory: object knowledge learned over many interactions (“Just the facts”)
Episodic memory: memory for specific events you have experienced and tend to be autobiographical (“It’s all about me”)
Name examples of episodic memory.
- I had a salad for lunch today
- I graduated from college in 1994
- I drove to the mall an hour ago and parked my car on the west side
- I remember where I was on Sept 11, 2001 (or other important date)
Name examples of semantic memory
- Paris is the capital of France
- Lions and tigers are mammals
- Tequila is made from the bulb of the blue agave plant
- The speed of light is 229,792,458 kilometers per second
What is another term for explicit memory? Elaborate.
Explicit memory is also known as declarative memory since you can consciously recall and explain the information.
What is another term for implicit memory? Elaborate.
Implicit memories are often procedural and focused on the step-by-step processes that must be performed in order to complete a task.
Procedural memories - such as how to perform a specific task like swinging a baseball bat or making toast, are one type of implicit memory.
What are the three stages of memory process?
Encoding: Information is converted for storage
Storage: Information is retained in memory
Retrieval: Information is retrieved from memory
Why do we forget memories?
Forgetting happens when there is FAILURE at any one of the three memory process stages
Elaborate on encoding failure.
Failure to pay attention to details
Memory was never formed in the first place
Ask yourself: “Have I been encoding the information in the first place?”
Elaborate on the two storage failure.
Memory Decay:
“leaky bucket”: new information pours in and rapidly fades away and replaced by newer information
Disuse:
When memory traces fade from infrequent retrieval
Elaborate on retrieval failure
Absence of retrieval cues
Cue-Dependent Forgetting: (Nairne, 2002): the presence of appropriate cues almost always enhances memory.
State-dependent learning: (Neath & Surprenant, 2003): the bodily state that exists during learning can be a strong retrieval cue for later memory.
