Memory - Memory Mysteries understanding forgetting and challenges

The Forgetting Curve

graphical representation of the rate at which memory fades over time.

• Memory loss is fastest soon after learning, as the brain deems some information non-essential.

Encoding Failure

occurs when information does not enter long-term memory due to inadequate processing at the time of encoding.

• Failure to focus adequately on the material prevents the formation of strong memory traces.

• Not linking new information to existing knowledge can hinder its transfer to long-term memory.

Proactive Interference

occurs when older memories inhibit the ability to learn and remember new information.

• More likely to occur when the old and new information are similar.

• Think 'P' for 'Prior' or 'Pre-existing'"

Retroactive Interference

occurs when new learning impairs the recall of previously encoded information.

• Especially impactful when the old and new information are closely related.

• Remember 'R' for 'Recent'

Tip-of-the-Tongue Phenomenon

common memory experience where an individual feels confident that they know a word or a name, but cannot immediately recall it.

• The correct information usually surfaces after a short delay.

Source Amnesia

the inability to remember where, when, or how previously learned information has been acquired (lost context), while retaining the factual knowledge.

Anterograde Amnesia

memory disorder characterized by an inability to form new memories following the onset of the amnesia, although memories from before the event remain intact.

• Older memories, formed before the amnesia, are usually preserved.

• Anterograde Amnesia: Think 'A' for 'After'

Retrograde Amnesia

memory disorder that involves the loss of memories formed before the onset of amnesia.

• Individuals can still learn new information and create new memories.

• Remember 'R' for 'Remember' or 'Retro in the Past'"

Infantile Amnesia

the phenomenon where people cannot recall personal memories from the early years of life, typically before age 3-4.

• Attributed to the ongoing development of the brain's memory systems, especially the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex.

Alzheimer’s Disease

progressive neurological disorder that leads to memory loss, cognitive decline, and behavioral changes.

Repression

distressing thoughts and memories are unconsciously blocked from entering conscious awareness.

• Serves to protect the individual from psychological distress by keeping painful memories out of the conscious mind.

Constructive Memory

The process by which memories are not simply retrieved but actively constructed.

• During memory consolidation, new memories can be integrated with existing ones and shaped by prior knowledge, beliefs, and experiences.

• Imagination inflation: imagining an event that never happened can increase confidence that it did occur.

Misinformation Effect

happens when new, incorrect information influences how we remember past events.

• New details can distort or replace parts of the original memory.

• People may remember the false information instead of what actually happened.

• This effect is important for understanding eyewitness accounts and the reliability of memory.