Psychology 3717Psychology 3717

Dr. David BrodbeckDr. David Brodbeck

IntroductionIntroduction

Memory is a part of cognitive psychologyMemory is a part of cognitive psychologySo, let’s start by defining cognitionSo, let’s start by defining cognitionMatlin (1994)Matlin (1994)

Cognition, or mental activity involves the Cognition, or mental activity involves the acquisition, storage, retrieval and use of acquisition, storage, retrieval and use of knowledgeknowledge

Gietman (1984)Gietman (1984)What organisms know and how they know itWhat organisms know and how they know it

More definitionsMore definitions

Ellis and Hunt (1983)Ellis and Hunt (1983)Cognitive psychology proceeds with its study Cognitive psychology proceeds with its study

of mental functioning through the scientific of mental functioning through the scientific method…method…

Tulving (1972)Tulving (1972)One of the unmistakable characteristics of an One of the unmistakable characteristics of an

immature science is [its] looseness of immature science is [its] looseness of definitionsdefinitions

You have to think about these You have to think about these ideas in terms of the study of ideas in terms of the study of

memorymemory

There are some commonalities about There are some commonalities about these definitionsthese definitions

Pattern recognition for examplePattern recognition for exampleAttentionAttentionKnowledge about the worldKnowledge about the worldAutobiographical eventsAutobiographical events imageryimagery

More commonalitiesMore commonalities

Problem solvingProblem solvingCreativityCreativityYou need to use memory, indeed to You need to use memory, indeed to

acquire, store and retrieve information in acquire, store and retrieve information in order to do any of these thingsorder to do any of these things

We can look at memory as the persistence We can look at memory as the persistence of learningof learning

Pretty much everything we do as humans Pretty much everything we do as humans needs the use of memoryneeds the use of memory

So without memory we could not do those So without memory we could not do those other cognitive thingsother cognitive things

It may be said that memory is the core of It may be said that memory is the core of cognitioncognition

Question about memoryQuestion about memory

All science begins with the statement ‘I do All science begins with the statement ‘I do not know’not know’

Are memories permanent?Are memories permanent?Where are they stored?Where are they stored?Can I improve my memory?Can I improve my memory?How are they stored?How are they stored? If I forget stuff is it really gone?If I forget stuff is it really gone? Is our memory similar to other species?Is our memory similar to other species?

There is a catchThere is a catch

We of course want to study it scientificallyWe of course want to study it scientificallyScience is about measurement, control Science is about measurement, control

and predictionand predictionScience is about experimentationScience is about experimentationScience is about cause -> effect Science is about cause -> effect

relationshipsrelationshipsHow do we measure and control How do we measure and control

something we ‘can’t kick?’something we ‘can’t kick?’

Operationalize!Operationalize!

We have to say we will measure variable We have to say we will measure variable A, which we believe to be correlated with A, which we believe to be correlated with memory or the result thereofmemory or the result thereof

So, percentage of words recalledSo, percentage of words recalledWord fragments completedWord fragments completedTypes of errors madeTypes of errors made

analogiesanalogies

Wax tabletWax tabletThe sieveThe sieveThe libraryThe libraryThe workbenchThe workbenchThe networkThe networkThe filing cabinetThe filing cabinetThe computerThe computer

What is common about those?What is common about those?

Memory is seen as a thingMemory is seen as a thingA kind of space if you willA kind of space if you willEncodingEncodingStorageStorageRetrievalRetrieval (some have more of each than others)(some have more of each than others)

Attributes of memoryAttributes of memory

AcquisitionAcquisitionRepresentationRepresentationDirect experiences are primary memoryDirect experiences are primary memoryPrevious states, working on stuff with Previous states, working on stuff with

other info is secondary memoryother info is secondary memoryWilliam James said this and we still say it William James said this and we still say it

today!today!

EbbinghausEbbinghaus

Three different ways of retrievalThree different ways of retrievalRecollect the past intentionallyRecollect the past intentionallyUnintentional tooUnintentional tooMemory can show up without awarenessMemory can show up without awarenessAgain we still use distinctions like this Again we still use distinctions like this

today!today!

Other attributesOther attributes

Memory can be reconstructiveMemory can be reconstructiveBasically memory is multidimensionalBasically memory is multidimensionalThere are many forms, everything from There are many forms, everything from

knowing the capital of Viet Nam to knowing the capital of Viet Nam to knowing how to ride a bike to knowing knowing how to ride a bike to knowing what you had for breakfast (and knowing what you had for breakfast (and knowing what breakfast is)what breakfast is)

Investigating memoryInvestigating memory

There are some general principlesThere are some general principlesForgetting curveForgetting curvePower law of practicePower law of practiceEncoding specificityEncoding specificity

Free recallFree recallRecognitionRecognitionSentence verificationSentence verificationprimingpriming

More investigations…More investigations…

Practice effectsPractice effects ImagingImagingAnalysis of errorsAnalysis of errors

Models, Atkinson-ShiffrinModels, Atkinson-Shiffrin

Sensory Register

Short Term

Memory

LongTerm

Memory

Neural networksNeural networks

Separate processors or nodesSeparate processors or nodesDeal with recognizing different things, Deal with recognizing different things,

attributes, characteristics what have youattributes, characteristics what have youSay from lines to letters to words to Say from lines to letters to words to

conceptsconceptsConnections, MANY connectionsConnections, MANY connections

Other modelsOther models

Episodic v semanticEpisodic v semanticProcedural v declarativeProcedural v declarativeWorking v referenceWorking v referenceAgain, share some commonalitiesAgain, share some commonalities

conclusionsconclusions

Memory is a diverse and exciting fieldMemory is a diverse and exciting field It is possible to measure memory, It is possible to measure memory,

indirectly, and now, maybe directlyindirectly, and now, maybe directlyThere is a place for the neuro types, but There is a place for the neuro types, but

the psychologists still need to be aroundthe psychologists still need to be around