Memory PowerPoint

Students were asked to name the seven dwarfs from the movie, “Snow White”. See if you can RECALL the seven dwarfs off the top of your head.

Memory is the persistence of learning over time through the storage and retrieval of information.

Elephants are said to have an astounding memory that goes beyond the capability of our human species. This is why elephants are seen to morn over the deceased longer than that of a human.

Memory is such an important feature of our abilities. Imagine if you could remember everything. Would you want to? Why might this be a good thing and why might this be a bad thing?

Students were then asked to turn their recall paper over and skim through the different names. The task was to recognize the seven dwarfs out of misleading information.

Is this easier or harder?

There are some confounding variables on whether or not the tasks were easy or hard. Think about the last time you watched the movie, “Snow White.” Was the seven dwarf’s names even meaningful to remember? Why would that be important involving memory applications?

The seven dwarfs.

Recall vs. Recognition

Recall is the ability to retrieve information from your memory. For example, fill-in-the-blank or essay tests. FRQ’s will be recall on the AP Psychology Exam on May 7th.

Recognition is the ability to identify the target among misleading targets. For example, multiple-choice tests.

There are three steps in The Memory Process: (must know)1.Encoding: the processing of information into the memory system2.Storage: the retention of encoded material over time. 3.Retrieval: the process of getting the information out of memory storage. Encode to then store to then later retrieve.

The Three stage Theory of Memory (must know different from The Memory Process)

Information from the environment then is absorbed from the senses which is known as Sensory Memory. This information can either be retained for brief retention or transferred into Short-Term Memory (STM). Here, information can last for up to 30 seconds before decay occurs or transferred into Long-Term Memory (LTM). LTM has no limit on the length of time information can be held.

Sensory Memory is obtained from your senses (taste, touch, auditory (hearing), visual, and smell). It is the first encounter with new stimuli, only holding that stimuli for all sensory information. Iconic Memory deals with your visual cortex. Echoic Memory deals with your auditory cortex. Both only hold information for a short time. Such as when you first came to this slide, what letters did you first notice? Students were shown for a brief moment.

Short Term Memory is the information we encode from the sensory memory.

Events are encoded visually (images), acoustically (sounds), or semantically (meanings)(note** semantics only begins in STM).

STM only holds about 7 plus or minus 2 items for about 20 to 30 seconds.

This is why telephone numbers are 7 digits with the local area code being the same for that environment.

Sometimes, we need help to transfer STM information into LTM. This can be seen with Science Class (HA!) and you could care less about matter. Rehearsal: RepetitionChunking: this is organizing items into familiar, manageable units. Helps to not overstimulate the information making it difficult to process. Mnemonic Devices: are devices in which you make information relatable to you… and easier to recall.

Long Term Memory is the unlimited storehouse of information. All information you feel is significant enough to remember later on is LTM.

Explicit memories are declarative memories that involve semantic facts and episodic events/experiences. The emotional memory.

Implicit memory is non-declarative and is simply skills and procedures like how to shoot a basketball.

During the process of encoding information into STM…Effortful Processing can be done actively with effort and persistence while Automatic Processing can be done passively “without effort” or by accident. This is the careless information you store just for some odd reason like remembering who you first spoke to today.