Memory

Contents
1. Defining of Memory
2. Three System of Memory
3. Working Memory
4. Why We Forget
5. Decay and Interferences Theory
6. Memory Dysfunction
What is Memory?

Human memory is an information

processing system that works
constructively to encode, store, and
retrieve information.
̶ The process by which we encode,
store, and retrieve information.
 Information Processing Model

Encoding - getting information into

the memory system
Storage - the retaining/maintaining
of encoded information over time
Retrieval - getting encoded
information out of memory
storage/(Recalling memories)
 Memory’s Three Basic Tasks

Encoding Storage Retrieval

 Memory’s Three Basic Functions

Encoding Storage Retrieval

Involves Elaboration –
modification of Deliberate encoding in
which you connect a
information to fit
new concept with
the preferred existing information
format of the
memory system
 Memory’s Three Basic Functions

Encoding Storage Retrieval

Involves
retention of
encoded
material over
time
 Memory’s Three Basic Functions

Encoding Storage Retrieval

Involves the
location and
recovery of
information
from memory
 Encoding
The processing of information into the
memory system.

Getting a girls name at a

Typing info into a computer
party
 Storage
The retention of encoded
material over time.

Pressing Ctrl S and Trying to remember her

saving the info. name when you leave
the party.
 Retrieval
The process of getting the information out
of memory storage.

Seeing her the next

Finding your day and calling her
document and the wrong name
opening it up. (retrieval failure).
 How Does Memory form?

1st step in forming memory is Encoding.

Everyday we experience thousands of pieces of
new information: i.e – new terms in psychology
classes.

How is this information encoded into memory?

1. Some inf. is encoded with little or no effort
– Automatic Processing.
e.g.-(What you had for breakfast?)
is the effortless encoding of inf.

● It is not under conscious control.

2. Effortful Processing ̶ requires attention,
rehearse, practice & mental work in
learning new information.

i) Maintenance Rehearsal – Simple repetition

of information.
ii) Elaborative Rehearsal – Analyzing the meaning of the
new information and relating it to information already
in long term memory.
 The Three System (Stages)of Memory
Short term
Sensory Long-term
(Working)
Memory Memory
Memory
 The Three Stages of Memory

Sensory Working Long-term

Memory Memory Memory
Preserves brief
sensory
impressions of
stimuli
 The Three Stages of Memory
Sensory Working Long-term
Memory Memory Memory

Preserves recently
perceived events or
experiences for less
than a minute without
rehearsal, also called
short-term memory or
STM
 The Three Stages of Memory

Sensory Working Long-term

Memory Memory Memory

Stores information on a
relatively permanent basis
(organized according to
meaning), also called
LTM.
 Sensory Memory
The brief, initial coding of sensory information in the
memory system
Iconic (image) store – visual
information, ½ second
Echoic store – sound information,
2-3 seconds

Information held just long enough to make a decision

on its importance
 Sensory Memory
It can store an enormous amount of
information, almost everything that we
see/hear
All but three or four items disappear
before they can enter consciousness
It can store these inf. for only a very brief
period of time
There is a separate sensory register for
each sense
Psychologists believe that, in this stage,
memory images take the form of nerve
impulses
 Working/Short-Term Memory

Magic number Seven Plus or minus 2

The list of magic sevens
 Seven wonders of world
 Seven seas
 Seven deadly sins
 Seven primary colors
 Seven musical scale notes
 Seven days of the week
 Short – Term Memory
It is a temporary storage system with the capacity to
store a limited amount of inf. for a limited length of time
or duration
Capacity: 7 plus or minus 2
Duration: 15 to 25 sec.
By repeating inf. in short term memory over & over, it will
remain there indefinitely.
Maintenance rehearsal is the process of keeping inf. in
STM.
e.g: home Shopping Centre
Rehearsing
Encoding and Storage in Working Memory

Chunking –
i)Organizing(/grouping) pieces of information into
a smaller number of meaningful units.
ii)The process of recording, or reorganizing, the
information is called Chunking.
Maintenance rehearsal –
Process in which information is repeated or
reviewed to keep it from fading while in working
memory
 Encoding and Storage
in Working Memory
Elaborative rehearsal –
Process in which information is actively
reviewed and related to information
already in LTM
Making connections to previous memories
will improve retrieval of new memory
 Long – Term Memory
Memory that stores information on a
relatively permanent basis, although it may
be difficult to retrieve
Capacity: Indefinite (An average adult has
One billion bits of inf. in memory)
Duration: Lifetime.
 Long-Term Memory
Procedural memory (IMPLICIT)–
Memory for skills and habits, such as ridding a bike.
Division of LTM that stores memories for how things are
done
Declarative memory (EXPLICIT) –
Memory for factual information: names, dates, faces.
Division of LTM that stores explicit information
(also known as fact memory)
Memory for specific information.
TYPES OF MEMORIES
 Long-Term Memory

Episodic memory –
 Subdivision of declarative memory that stores a
record of the events of our lives
memories for personal events, or “episodes” that
occur in a particular time, place, or contexts.

Semantic memory –
Subdivision of declarative memory that stores
general knowledge and facts, including meanings
of words and concepts
 Ebbinghause and Nonsense

 Forgetting curve
 Nonsense Syllables
wyx
ghe
jek
lsm
 Why Do We forget?
Forgetting – the inability to recall a
particular piece of information accurately.
Forgetting can take place in Encoding,
Storage, or retrieval.
Psychologists ‘ve proposed Four (4) views of
forgetting:
(i) Encoding Failure (ii) Decay Theory
(iii) Interference theory (iv) Retrieval Failure
 Why Do We forget?
Encoding Failure– we cannot
remember information because we
never stored the information in memory
to begin with.

we may not have paid attention to the

material in the first place.
 Why Do We forget?
Decay Theory – memory spontaneously fades
or loses/decays with the passage of time
through nonuse.
Experiment: Stimuli: 10 nonsense syllables
Participants: 2 Adults
Task: They learned the list of that syllables
After Task: 1st participant went to sleep
2nd participant continued normal activities
Result: When participant went to sleep they could
recall much more information.
 Why Do We forget?
Interference Theory – other memories interfere
with the retrieval of the particular memory we are
searching for.
(a)Proactive interference: old information interferes
with the recall of new information.

Interference

Study Study Attempt to

Urdu Hindi recall Hindi

Older information New Information

 Why Do We forget?

(b)Retroactive interference: new information

interferes with the recall of old information.

Interference

Study Study Attempt to

Hindi Urdu recall Urdu

New information Old Information

 Why Do We forget?
Retrieval Failure – memory cannot be
recalled because the proper retrieval cues
are not available.
e.g.,- You lost keys at the library.
 Improving Memory

Memory could be strengthened and
improved through exercise.

“Paradise Lost”..Memorized..No Improvement

(i) Chunking –Organizing(/grouping)

pieces of information into a smaller number of
meaningful units
 Improving Memory

(ii) Chunking –Organizing(/grouping)
pieces of information into a smaller number of
meaningful units.

(iii) Elaborative rehearsal –

Process in which information is actively
reviewed and related to information already
in LTM.
 Improving Memory
(iv) Periodic Retrieval – rehearse the
material whenever the occasion arises.
 (iv) Organization and Mnemonies –
a) Mnemonic – is a technique for organizing
information in long term memory.
e.g., “Thirty days hath the September, April,
June & November………”

--The material into a logical framework – a

“Rhyme”.
 Improving Memory
b)The method of Loci – involves imagining items
to be remembered and associating each
image with a place already stored in
memory.
c) The Keyword Method

iv) The SQ3R Method

Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review