Memory Flashcards
What is memory?
An active system that allows people to retain information over time
What is forgetting?
The inability to retrieve previously stored information.
What are the two factors important in not forgetting?
Rehearsal or practice frequency = how often you use that memory
Retention Interval = how long since you last used that memory.
What are the two long-term types of memory?
Explicit, Implicit
What is Explicit memory?
Explicit – Memory that is consciously known, facts and memories of events. (also called declarative memory)
What is Implicit memory
Implicit – unconscious knowledge, the effects of experience
What are the two types of explicit memory and give examples
1) Semantic memory – memory of facts e.g. chameleons can change colour; my name is Nicola; -9 is smaller than +9
2) Eposodic memory – memory of first-hand experiences e.g. that was a great night out last night; last time I went to sleep in a lecture someone yelled at me.
Recall vs Recognition tests
Recall tests e.g. exam essays use explicit memory as you are asked to recall specific facts
Recognition tests e.g. multi choice tests are easier because you only have to recognise the right answer, not recall it. (Good MCQs find ways to make you do both!) A retrieval cue
recall involves actively reconstructing the information and requires the activation of all the neurons involved in the memory in question, whereas recognition only requires a relatively simple decision as to whether one thing among others has been encountered before
What is recall? (Explicit)
The information is reproduced from explicit memories
What is recognition? (Explicit)
the presentation of the information provides a cue that the information has been seen before
What is relearning?? (Explicit)
Relearning tests measure how long it takes to relearn forgotten facts e.g. relearning Irish vocabulary you haven’t used for years. Possibly the most relevant but hard to measure in an exam.
What are the three types of implicit learning?
1) Procedural memory
2) Classical conditioning memory
3) Priming
What is procedural memory and give example
Memory of how to do things, esp. those learned by trial and error e.g. making toast; building a lego house.
Also complex movements you don’t now think about e.g texting; riding a bike
What is classical conditioning memory and example
Associations learned aren’t consciously recalled most of the time. E.g. the dog doesn’t remember the fact “bell means food” it unconsciously drools when it hears the bell.
What is priming and give example
changes in behaviour as a result of experiences that have happened recently or frequently.
a technique whereby exposure to one stimulus influences a response to a subsequent stimulus, without conscious guidance or intention.e.g. Seeing the word kindness makes you both more able to think of words and actions which are related to kindness, and also more likely to be kind.
Priming in advirtisement - Seeing someone smoking makes you more likely to: what
Seeing someone smoking makes you more likely to:
A) notice the next smoker you see
B) smoke yourself, even though your conscious brain is telling you that you would be stupid to do so.
How do we test if priming is powerful and unconscious?
Training:
- Asked 3 groups of students to unscramble sentences like:
-in Florida retired live people
- bingo man the forgetful plays
Groups 1 and 2 got sentences like this, portraying stereotypes about the elderly
Group 3 got sentences about random subjects (control)
Test: After the task, the researchers filmed and timed groups 1 and 3 on their way to the lift. They asked group 2 whether they saw any link between the sentences they had unscrambled.
What were the results of the priming experiment?
- Group 1 (old-person sentences) walked to the lifts significantly slower than Group 3 (control).
- Group 2 did not notice the theme in the sentences.
What was the conclusion of the priming experiment?
- Interpretation: Group 1 were primed to think about the elderly, and this changed their behavior so they acted more like the elderly i.e walked slower
- Group 2 shows they were probably entirely unaware of this priming effect.
What is sensory memory?
A process that can hold only a limited amount of information-an average of seven items- for only a short period of time, 2 to 30 seconds
Short term buffer for sensory information giving the brain time to process it.
What is short term memory?
A process that can hold only a limited amount of information-an average of seven items- for only a short period of time, 2 to 30 seconds
What is long term memory?
lengthy storage, only of selected useful things – no known limit in size
What is the three stage memory model?
Divides memory into three sequential stages:
1) sensory
2) short-term
3) long-term memory
What are the two types of sensory memory?
1) Iconic memory
2) Echoic memory
