Memory Storage Memory Storage Thru the 3 Basic Thru the 3 Basic

StagesStages

February 5February 5thth, 2009 , 2009

Objective: Review memory techniqueObjective: Review memory technique Review chart (finish it now if you didn’t Review chart (finish it now if you didn’t

already!)already!) Discuss memory techniquesDiscuss memory techniques Stations (hopefully we will at least get to start Stations (hopefully we will at least get to start

them!)them!) Do Now:Do Now:

RESPOND TO THE QUESTION - RESPOND TO THE QUESTION - Do we register every single thing we come into Do we register every single thing we come into

contact with?contact with?

What is sensory Memory?

Very brief memory storage immediately following initial stimulation of a receptor Iconic (visual) Echoic (auditory)

This information is only there for a few seconds before it disappears unless we pay attention to it. This way we are not overwhelmed by all the information that we are constantly bombarded with!

How was this discovered? In 1960, George

Sperling studied memory.

He showed subjects 3 rows of letters each for 1/20th of a second.

The subjects were only able to recall about half of them.

What is Sensory Memory? (Continued) Sperling decided to change things up a

bit.

Instead of asking the subjects the name all 9 letters, he had them recall a specific group of letters by flashing them and immediately sounding a tone.

Now the subjects rarely missed a letter!!

What is Sensory Memory? (Continued) This experiment displayed that for

a brief instant, all nine letters were available in the mind for recall.

This fleeting memory is called Iconic Memory (visual).

If the tone was delayed for even a second, the memory was lost.

What is short-term memory

Memory that is limited in capacity to about seven items and in duration by the subject’s active rehearsal Maintenance rehearsal – repetition without linking

meaning to it Chunking – breaking into groups to make them

easier to remember

How much info can we hold in Short-term Memory?

In 1959, Lloyd and Margaret Peterson asked people to memorize three letters shown in a group.

To keep them from practicing, the subjects were asked to count backwards from 100 by 3’s.

After about 3 seconds, the subjects recalled the letters about half the time.

After 12 seconds, they rarely were able to recall them.

Short-term Memory (Continued)

This experiment displayed that without active processing, short-term memory is very limited.

Short-term memory is also limited in capacity.

It can only hold about 7+ chunks of information.

“At any given moment, we can consciously process only a very limited amount of

info.”

Let’s take a BRAIN BREAK…Let’s take a BRAIN BREAK…

• Look at each box and try to decipher Look at each box and try to decipher the meaning of each rebusthe meaning of each rebus

Try Stand2

JobinjobF F FR R RU U US S S

So, how do we keep this So, how do we keep this knowledge from knowledge from disappearing?disappearing?

Encoding

•To keep info in our minds, we will encode it.

•This will be done either through the content of a sentence or through imagery.

Types of memory• Semantic – knowledge of language

(rules, words, meaning)• Episodic – chronological retention of the

events of one’s life• Declarative – stored knowledge that can

be called forth consciously as needed• Procedural Memory- permanent storage

of learned skills that does not require conscious recollection.

Long-Term MemoryLong-Term Memory Our brain has nearly Our brain has nearly limitless limitless

capabilities to store capabilities to store informationinformation. We only use a . We only use a small portion of our brain’s small portion of our brain’s long-term memory.long-term memory.

Mnemonic Device – Memory technique to remember and retrieve information.

Elaborative rehearsal – linking new information to information already known

Interference – blockage of memory by new or previous memories.

Confabulation – filling in memory gaps

Reconstructive processes - changed memories as a result of an individuals experiences attitudes, inferences

Decay – fading of memories

Another Brain Break… (sort of)

1. When I forget someone’s name it is because it only made it in to this type of memory

2. What is the length of a dollar bill?3. A memory of an event is called a ….4. How many full moons are there in a year?5. PEMDAS is an example of …6. How do we get information into our LTM?7. About how much can your STM remember?