1. Memory
Psychology 1106
4/3/2019

2. Introduction What is memory?
Basically some indication that learning has persisted over time
Early on lots of study went into memory
Ebbinghaus and nonsense syllables
Found savings
4/3/2019

3. A teensy bit of history Then along came the behaviourists
Nobody wanted to talk about memory
WWII, information theory
Cognitive revolution
Today we study memory extensively
4/3/2019

4. A framework Information theory talks about inputs and outputs
Basically encoding, storage and retreival
Information processing approach to memory
Atkinson and Shiffrin
4/3/2019

5. The Atkinson Shiffrin Model
Sensory
Register
Short
Term
Memory
Long
Term
Memory
4/3/2019

6. Encoding Automatic vs. Effortful processing
Massed vs Distributed practice
The Spacing effect
Serial position effect
Early and later stuff better remembered
4/3/2019

7. More encoding Semantic vs. acoustic vs. visual We may encode imagery
Meaning vs. sensory properties
AKA conceptually driven vs. data driven processing
We may encode imagery
Al Paivio’s ideas
Concrete vs. abstract words
4/3/2019

8. Encoding still…. The key may be meaning (Bransford and Johnson, 1972)
If the balloons popped, the sound wouldn’t be able to carry since everything would be too far away from the correct floor. A closed window would also prevent the sound from carrying, since most buildings tend to be well insulated. Since the whole operation depends on a steady flow of electricity, a break in the middle of the wire would also cause problems. Of course, the fellow could shout, but the human voice is not loud enough to carry that far. An additional problem is that a string could break on the instrument. Then there could be no accompaniment to the message. It is clear that the best situation would involve less distance. Then there would be fewer potential problems. With face to face contact, the least number of things could go wrong.
4/3/2019

9. Context is the key
People remembered the passage much better with the picture on the left
The one on the right does not fit though it has all the same images
4/3/2019

10. Encode this
By the way, those data show how important it probably is to read the chapters BEFORE coming to class
We organize information in chunks and hierarchies
A chunk is the smallest unit of information we can remember
Phone numbers for example
Experts are better chunkers than non experts
Some forgetting is a failure of encoding
4/3/2019

11. Storage Sensory memory or register
Icon
Echo
Information lasts for a very short time in the sensory register
Information is raw in a way
4/3/2019

12. The icon JHGF MNBV PUYT X
People can’t report the G, but can report the H and the F!
Lasts maybe a second or so
4/3/2019

13. Storage in STM
Again, pretty brief if information is not processed at all
A couple of seconds
7 +/- 2 chunks
Interference
Working memory
Visuo spatial sketchpad and phonological loop
4/3/2019

14. Storage in LTM Essentially limitless capacity
Episodic vs. semantic memory
Tulving
Dissociable
4/3/2019

15. Flashbulb Memories Seem to be hyper accurate Seem to be super detailed
Almost always about shared cultural experiences
But they are NOT as accurate as they seem
4/3/2019

16. How is stuff stored? Long Term Potentiation (LTP)? New Connections?
Seems sensible, but, not clear yet
Hormonal effect on memory
Chemical effects
Stronger emotions often lead to stronger memories
4/3/2019

17. Forms of memory Episodic vs. Semantic (Tulving)
Declarative vs. Procedural (Squire)
Hippocampus is probably key
Removal of Hp leads to loss of ability to encode
Hmm
Implicit vs. Explicit Memory
4/3/2019

18. Priming Priming of implicit memory Even amnesiacs show normal priming!
Recently been shown in non humans
(Brodbeck, 1997)
4/3/2019

19. Retrieval So, how do we get stuff out of memory?
Recognition failure of recall
Why do we recognize stuff better than we recall it?
Retrieval cues
4/3/2019

20. Retrieval Cues Context effects May very well explain deja vu
State dependent learning
Drug states act as retrieval cues
Emotional states act as retrieval cues
Keeps you sad, or happy
4/3/2019

21. Interference So, forgetting may be a failure of recall
Proactive interference
Retroactive interference
Then again, competing information can help
Transfer of training, savings
4/3/2019

22. Please just listen Pin Inoculation Haystack Sharp Pointy Knitting
phonograph
4/3/2019

23. Memory construction Our memories are not perfect Its not a VCR
We fill in gaps with reasonable guesses
Like we do with ‘flashbulb memories’
Eyewitnesses can be affected by the wording of questions
Young kids are prone to this
Though adults are too
We do not forget the traumatic
4/3/2019

24. Raise you hand if you heard this word earlier
Pin
Book
Chair
Ceiling
Sharp
Pointy
Haystack
needle
4/3/2019