Memory: retrieval Flashcards
Retrieval
“bringing it back out”; the process of bringing information out of long-term storage and into conscious awareness; Last step in memory process
Retrieval cues
means by which people retrieve information from long-term memory; the more cues that are associated with the memory, the easier it will be to retrieve; Example is Cues of flags in memorization
Context Specific Memory
people will recall information better if the context in which the information is learned is the same as when it is being recalled; has context shift effect
Context shift effect
if asked to learn something in one context and apply in a different context, it will be difficult; if asked to learn something in one context and apply in same context later, will remember a whole lot better
Example: Scuba Divers memorizing list of words underwater; When asked to recall them the next day, the scuba divers underwater recalled them much better than the scuba divers who stayed on land
Serial Position Effects
Experiment with memorizing list of words; Better at remembering the words in the beginning and end
Why do people remember the words at the beginning and end, but not the middle?
Beginning items are in long-term memory; Last items are still in short term memory
What would happen If you were distracted for about 30 seconds just after I finished reading the list of words?
Would remove recency effect
Flashbulb memories
vivid memories for highly significant, traumatic, or emotional experiences and events; Called this because it feels like brain has photograph of memories; Some have vivid memories of when significant history happens
Example: childhood trauma, 9/11, covid shutdowns, shooting of JFK
Why are flashbulb memories so easy to encode and seem to be so vivid?
Amygdala working with the hippocampus; amygdala is the emotional center of the brain
(Amygdala highly emotional in the moment, so hippocampus decides this to be a significant moment with such high emotions, creating a vivid memory that has easy cues and retrieval)
Forgetting
Assumption of forgetting: as time passes, we forget
How much do we forget?
thought some savings still there; may learn something and forget next day, but if you learn again the learning process goes quicker
Ebbinghaus and Forgetting
Memory affected about how meaningful something is
Example: Tried remembering 100 words to recite back ; After being able to recite all 100 words, a stopwatch was used; Stop watch was counting time that was passing and how many words would be recited after periods of time
Why can’t we always retrieve everything that is stored in long-term memory, especially older memories?
Interference: retroactive and proactive
Retroactive interference
new information interferes with our ability to remember old information; Example: your new phone number interferes with your ability to remember your old one
Proactive Interference
old information interferes with our ability to remember new information; Example: all of the times taking daily pills in the past interfere with your ability to remember if you took it today
Are there any of the episodes and events that we experience recalled with complete accuracy?
NO; Memories are reconstruction, like missing a few puzzle pieces; Brain tries to put pieces in together with that memory to make sense of it; Based SOLELY on sensory input that was successfully encoded and successfully retrieved
