Essentials of Psychology Chapter 8 PDF

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Professor Eve Sledjeski...

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Chapter 8.1: How Memory Functions Learning Objectives: • • • •

3 basic functions of memory 3 stages of memory storage Procedural and declarative memory Sematic and Episodic memory

Memory • •

Information processing system Memory- set of processes used to encode, store, and retrieve information over different periods of time

Encoding > Storage > Retrieval •

Encoding- process that inputs information into the memory system - Paying attention, taking in information

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Automatic processing- encoding of details like time, space, frequency, and the meaning of the words

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Effortful processing- requires work and attention to encode information

Three Types of Encoding • • •

Semantic encoding- encoding of words and their meaning Visual encoding- encoding of images Acoustic encoding- encoding of sounds (words)

Storage •

Storage- creation of a permanent record of information - How people retain encoded information

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Memories go to storage by passing through three stages: - Sensory memory - Short-term memory - Long-term memory

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Sensory memory- storage of brief sensory events, such as sights, sounds, and visuals

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Short-term memory- temporary storage system that processes incoming sensory memory - Storage lasts 15-30 seconds

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Rehearsal- moves information from short to long-term memory

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Long-term memory- continuous storage of information - Memory storage capacity is believed to be unlimited - People are able to remember things that occurred more than a few minutes before

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Explicit memories- memories we consciously try to remember, recall, and report

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Episodic memory- information about events we have personally experienced

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Semantic memory- knowledge about words, concepts, and language-based knowledge and facts

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Implicit memories- long-term memories that are not part of our consciousness - Procedural: how to do things - Priming: stimulus exposure affects responses to a later stimuli - Emotional conditioning: classically conditioned emotional response

Chapter 8.2: Parts of Brain involved with Memory Learning Objectives: • •

Brain functions involved in memory Roles of hippocampus, amygdala, and cerebellum

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Engram- the group of neurons that serve as the “physical representation of memory”

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Equipotentiality hypothesis- if part of one area of the brain involved in memory is damaged, another part of the same area can take over that memory function

The Amygdala • Main role is to regulate emotions • Plays a role in how memories are stored because storage is influenced by stress hormones The Hippocampus • •

Main role is memory - Has to do with normal recognition and spatial memory Gives memories meaning and connects them with other memories

The Cerebellum & Prefrontal Cortex • •

Cerebellum- able to create implicit memories Prefrontal cortex- process and retain information - Not fully developed until age 25 - Allows people to plan ahead and suppress impulses - Has to do with higher order thinking

Neurotransmitters • Involved with process of memory: - Epinephrine - Dopamine - Serotonin - Glutamate •

Flashbulb memory- clear recollection of important event

Chapter 8.3: Problems with Memory Learning Objectives: • • • • •

Two types of amnesia Unreliable eyewitness testimony Encoding failure Memory errors Two typed of inference

Amnesia •

Amnesia- loss of long-term memory as a result of disease, physical trauma, or psychological trauma

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Anterograde amnesia- unable to make new memories as a result of brain trauma

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Retrograde amnesia- loss of memory for events that occurred prior to trauma - Cannot remember some or all of their past

Memory Construction and Reconstruction •

Construction- formulation of new memories reconstruction-process of bringing up old memories

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Suggestibility- describes the effects of misinformation from external sources that leads to the creation of false memories

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Misinformation effect paradigm- after exposure to additional and possibility inaccurate information - Person may misremember the original event

Controversies over Repressed and Recovered Memories •

False memory syndrome- recall of false auto-biographical memories

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Forgetting- refers to loss of information from long-term memory

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Encoding failure- memory loss that happens before the actual memory process begins

Memory Errors •

Schacter’s Seven Sins of Memory- 7 ways our memories fail us - Transience: accessibility of memory decreases over time - Absentmindedness: forgetting caused by lapses in attention - Blocking: accessibility of information is temporarily blocked - Misattribution: source of memory is confused - Suggestibility: false memories - Bias: memories distorted by current belief system - Persistence: inability to forget undesirable memories

Interference •

Information stored in our memory, but it is inaccessible - Proactive interference: when old information hinders the recall of new information - Retroactive interference: new information hinders recall of old information

Chapter 8.4: Ways to Enhance Memory Learning Objectives: • •

Memory-enhancing strategies Effective study techniques

Memory- Enhancing Strategies • • • •

Rehearsal- repetition of information to be removed Chunking- organize information into manageable bits or chunks Elaborate rehearsal- technique in which you think about the meaning of new information and its relation to knowledge already stored in your memory Mnemonic devices- memory aids that help us organize information for encoding

How to Study Effectively • • • • • • • • •

Use elaborative rehearsal Apply the self-reference effect Use distributed practice Rehearse Study efficiently Be aware of interference Keep moving Sleep Make use of mnemonic devices...