Types of Memory:

EQ: What are the types of memory and how do they help us remember?

I. Episodic Memory:

• When we remember a specific event that occurred in our lives, we call it an episodic memory

• This might be something trivial, like what color shirt you wore yesterday.

• It might be something important, like when your husband proposed to you

Why Might You Remember This Ride???

Why Might You Forget This Ride???

II. Semantic Memory:

• These are general things that you know that do not involve a specific event from your life

• Your semantic memory will be based on your life experiences

• If I were to ask you, “What is a Walrus?” you would be able to answer that question, not because you have ridden your pet Walrus, but you have seen them in books, at the zoo, or in other instances

What is this???

III. Procedural Memory:

• When we remember how to do things, we call that procedural memory

• Most of the time we do this by repeated practice of a routine

• Although we seldom think about what we are doing, we have the ability to learn and remember vastly complex and difficult tasks, not do them for decades, but still do them later on

• Muscle memory is permanent

How do I???

IV. Explicit Memory

• Every day, we are called upon to remember information that is vital for us to pass classes and be successful in school

• We must intentionally try to remember this information

• We call this explicit memory• Example: “The first president of the United

States was__________.”

The English Monarchy:

V. Implicit Memory

• Every day, we are also learning new information and having new experiences

• Most of these will be forgotten, but some may make their way into our memory

• When we remember things, even when we are not trying to, we call this implicit memory

• Example: When your future husband proposes to you, you will remember that moment “forever”

Why do I Remember This???

VI. Flash-Bulb/Snap Shot Memory

• A type of episodic memory that is remembered because of the intensity of the situation

• These are very rare, but can be brought on when we are overwhelmed by a deep sense of emotion

• While many of these memories may be brought on by a sense of shock, that does not always mean they will be negative

Where Were You???

VII. Short-Term Memory

• This part of our memory is designed to store limited amounts of memory for a limited amount of time (between 15-30 seconds)

• The reason this information is “flushed” quickly is that most of it is irrelevant

• Example: I go to a website that lists other websites. Once I find the website I am looking for and go to that website, I forget the previous website

What’s His Name???

VIII. Working Memory

• A part of our short-term memory is dedicated to our working memory

• This is information that is stored within our short term memory that we need to keep long enough to do a task

• If I cram for 5 minutes before my quiz, I am trying to manipulate my working memory, but there is little chance that it will help me in the long-term.

How do I put this Together???

IX. Long-Term Memory

• When we remember something for a longer period of time (maybe a lifetime) we call that our long-term memory

• Sometimes, like in the case of snapshot memory, this can be instantaneous.

• Other times, it is a conscious (Explicit) process to remember something

• Anything can be committed to our long-term memory if we practice it enough

• My grandmother, for example knew dozens of recipes from memorization and could “eyeball” the ingredients

IX. Long-Term Memory