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Rathus_PSYCH_7e_PPT_CH06

Chapter Overview

  • Title: Memory: Remembrance of Things Past–And Future

  • Author: Spencer A. Rathus, Psych, 7th Edition.

  • Year: © 2022 Cengage.

Icebreaker Discussion Points (Page 2)

  • Techniques for remembering things

  • Differences in processes for short-term vs. long-term memory

Chapter Objectives (Page 3)

  • Types of Memory: Define various kinds of memory

  • Processes of Memory: Explain how memory works

  • Sensory Memory: Describe its functions

  • Short-Term Memory: Explain its functions

  • Long-Term Memory: Explain its functions

  • Forgetting: Identify contributors to forgetting

  • Biological Aspects: Describe biological aspects of memory

Kinds of Memory (Pages 5-7)

Explicit Memory

  • Definition: Memory for specific information; can be expressed clearly.

  • Types of Explicit Memory:

    • Episodic Memory: Personal experiences or events.

    • Semantic Memory: General knowledge and meanings.

Implicit (Nondeclarative) Memory

  • Definition: Memory that is not consciously recalled but influences behavior.

  • Characteristics:

    • Procedural Memory: Skill-based knowledge; how to perform tasks.

    • Priming: Improved ability to identify a stimulus after recent exposure.

Retrospective vs. Prospective Memory

  • Retrospective Memory: Memory of past events and experiences.

  • Prospective Memory: Memory for intended actions to be performed in the future.

    • Types of Prospective Tasks:

      • Habit tasks: Easier to remember.

      • Event-based: Triggered by events.

      • Time-based: Requires specific timing for performance.

Memory Processes (Pages 10-16)

Stages of Memory Processing

  1. Encoding:

    • Definition: First stage of memory, transforming information into a format suitable for storage.

    • Types of Encoding:

      • Visual (images)

      • Auditory (sounds)

      • Semantic (meanings)

  2. Storage:

    • Definition: Maintaining information over time.

    • Methods:

      • Maintenance rehearsal: Repeating information.

      • Elaborative rehearsal: Connecting new info to known info.

  3. Retrieval:

    • Definition: Locating and bringing stored information back to consciousness.

    • Challenges: Difficulty with large datasets or poorly understood information; proper retrieval cues are needed.

Sensory Memory (Pages 16-20)

  • Definition: Initial stage that holds impressions of stimuli for a very brief duration.

  • Iconic Memory: Visual sensory register; lasts about a second, holds accurate visual stimuli.

  • Eidetic Imagery: Ability to retain visual stimuli over long periods.

  • Echoic Memory: Holds auditory stimuli, lasting longer than iconic memory, aiding in retention of visual cues.

Short-Term Memory (Pages 22-30)

  • Short-Term Memory: Also known as working memory; transforms short-term to long-term memory.

  • Characteristics:

    • Information fades within 10-12 seconds without rehearsal.

    • Common encoding of visual stimuli to auditory form.

Serial-Position Effect

  • Enhanced recall of first and last items in a series due to attention and rehearsal.

Chunking

  • Grouping stimuli into discrete units to aid memory retention; average capacity of about seven items.

Interference in STM

  • New information can displace older information, preventing rehearsal.

Long-Term Memory (Pages 29-36)

Characteristics of Long-Term Memory

  • Vast storage with potential for loss due to lack of retrieval cues or repression.

  • Influenced by schemas—mental frameworks that shape our understanding.

Levels of Processing

  • Deeper processing (elaborative rehearsal) enhances memory retention.

Flashbulb Memories

  • Vivid and detailed memories tied to emotionally significant events; formed through distinct memory networks and strong emotional connections.

Forgetting (Pages 38-44)

Measuring Forgetting

  • Nonsense Syllables: Used in studies to understand memory retention and recall.

  • Ebbinghaus's Curve of Forgetting illustrates memory decay over time.

Interference Theory

  • Forgetting occurs due to interference from new information:

    • Retroactive interference: New info disrupts old memories.

    • Proactive interference: Old info hinders new learning.

Repression and Amnesia

  • Repression: Unconscious forgetting of painful memories.

  • Anterograde Amnesia: Inability to form new memories post-injury.

  • Retrograde Amnesia: Loss of pre-injury memories.

The Biology of Memory (Pages 47-50)

Neural Activity

  • Concept of engram relates to the brain's memory storage mechanisms.

  • Long-Term Potentiation (LTP): Enhanced synaptic efficiency following stimulation, influencing memory.

Key Brain Structures

  1. Hippocampus: Critical for storing new memories and relaying sensory info.

  2. Prefrontal Cortex: Involved in higher-order thinking and awareness of time.

  3. Thalamus: Important for verbal memory formation.

Key Takeaways (Page 53-54)

  • Memory encompasses the processes of encoding, storage, and retrieval.

  • Types of memory include explicit, implicit, retrospective, and prospective.

  • Forgetting mechanisms involve decay, retrieval failure, and repression.

  • Insights on memory mechanisms inform studying strategies and memory enhancement.