Memory & Thought Learning Unit

Memory and Thought John Kingsley came to our attention in a shocking news story about an 83- year-old Alzheimer’s patient who was found unattended in his wheelchair at a dog race track outside of Spokane, Washington. Attached to his chair a note misidentifying him. John did not know who he was or how he got to the races. He could not help authorities find his family or his previous caregivers. John Kingsley, like many other patients during advanced stages of Alzheimer’s disease, is alive, but without life. Without a memory of his past, or the ability to remember anything new, John’s life is nothing but the existing moment.

Memory and Thought Think about all of the things you remember o How does all of that junk fit in your head? SSN Capital of South Dakota Star-Spangled Banner Girlfriends phone number Civil War generals Phillies lineup Best friend in first grade

Process of Memory Memory: the input, storage, and retrieval of what has been learned or experienced o To remember who your BFF was in 8 th grade you use a few processes Encoding (1 st ): transforming of info so the nervous system can process it o Acoustic Codes o Visual Codes o Semantic Codes

Process of Memory Storage (2 nd ): Process by which info is maintained over a period of time o How much info is stored depends on how much effort is put on encoding the info and its importance Retrieval (3 rd ): Process of obtaining info that has been stored in memory o Efficiency of retrieval depends on how well it was encoded and stored (plus some genetic factors)

Process of Memory You have 20 seconds – remember as much as you can…

Three Stages of Memory Sensory Memory: very brief memory storage immediately following initial stimulation of a receptor o Iconic: hold visual info for up to 1 second o Echoic: holds auditory info for 1 or 2 seconds 81VFXL53B7W481VFXL53B7W4

Three Stages of Memory Sensory Memory: Serves three functions o Prevents you from being overwhelmed Anything you don’t pay attention to vanishes in a second o Gives you some decision time Only there for a few seconds (gives you enough time to decide whether its important) o Allows for continuity and stability in your world Iconic memory makes your world smooth and continuous while Echoic memory gives you time to recognize sounds as words

Short-Term Memory Definition: Memory that is limited in capacity to about seven items and in duration by the subject’s active rehearsal o Doesn’t necessarily involve paying close attention (ask my wife) Maintenance Rehearsal: system for remembering that involves repeating information to oneself without attempting to find meaning in it o Short Term Memory lasts a little less than 20 seconds without rehearsal

Short-Term Memory Chunking: process of grouping items together to make them easier to remember o DMV o SAT o BRB o CSR o ISS o LOL o OSS o To memorize lots of info fast CHUNK ITEMS TOGETHER o This info is still only available for generally for less than 20 seconds and no more than 30 seconds o Info worth holding onto must be REHEARSED with the intent of transferring it to long-term memory

Short-Term Memory Primacy-Recency Effect: you are better able to recall information presented at the beginning of a list than at the end o Most likely you remember the first 4 or 5 items because you had more time to rehearse them (primacy effect) o You may also be able to recall the last 4 or 5 items because they’re in your short-term memory (recency effect)

Short-Term Memory Working Memory: Serves as a system for processing and working with current information o Includes short-term memory (events that just occurred) and long-term memory, now recalled for current information

Long-Term Memory Definition: storage of info over extended periods of time o Uses all of the processes from short-term memory o Think about going to see a movie…

Long-Term Memory Semantic Memory (1): knowledge of language, including its rules, words, and meanings Episodic Memory (2): chronological retention of the events of ones life Declarative Memory (3): stored knowledge that can be called forth consciously as needed Procedural Memory (4): permanent storage of learned skills that does not require conscious recollection