Forgetting Notes

Cognition: Forgetting Decay Theory (Trace Theory)

  • Key Figure: Hermann Ebbinghaus

    • Conducted seminal research on memory and forgetting.

  • Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve:

    • Describes the rate at which information is forgotten over time.

    • Characterizes forgetting as occurring rapidly initially and then leveling off with time.

Cognition: Forgetting - Continuation of Research

  • Key Researcher: Harry Bahrick

    • Continued the research on forgetting, building on Ebbinghaus’s findings.

  • Explanations for Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve:

    • Suggests a gradual fading of the memory trace within the brain, which leads to forgetting over time.

Cognition: Forgetting - Interference Theory

  • Definition:

    • Proposes that forgetting occurs due to interference from other memories.

  • Types of Interference:

    • Retroactive Interference:

    • Newly acquired information interferes with the retention of previously learned material.

    • Proactive Interference:

    • Earlier learned material interferes with the retention of new information.

Cognition: Forgetting - Retrieval Theory

  • Definition:

    • Forgetting can be attributed to failure in accessing stored memories.

  • Causes for Retrieval Failure:

    • Encoding Failure:

    • A wide range of possible causes that lead to ineffective encoding, such as distractions, lack of attention, and inadequate motivation.

    • Lack of Retrieval Cues:

    • Occurrences such as the "tip of the tongue" (TOT) phenomenon, where an individual struggles to retrieve a known word or memory despite feeling it is almost accessible.

Cognition: Forgetting - Memory Processes

  • Process Overview:

    • External Events: Influences on memory begin here.

    • Sensory Memory: Initial stage of memory.

    • Attention: Important for retaining information.

    • Working/Short-Term Memory: Holds information for short durations.

    • Long-Term Memory: Where information is stored for extended periods.

    • Encoding Failure: Leads to forgetting at various stages in the memory process.

Cognition: Forgetting - Retrieval Failure

  • Process Overview:

    • External Events → Sensory Memory → Attention → Working/Short-Term Memory → Retrieval from Long-Term Memory.

    • Retrieval Failure: Poor retrieval cues can lead to forgetting information stored in long-term memory.

Cognition: Forgetting - Problems with Memory

  • Misinformation Effect:

    • Definition: Incorporating misleading information into one's memory of an event.

    • Key Researcher: Elizabeth Loftus

    • Studied the implications of misinformation on eyewitness testimony.

  • Source Amnesia/Misattribution:

    • Definition: Attributing an event to the wrong source, which encompasses experiences based on what one has seen, heard, read, or imagined.

Cognition: Forgetting - Constructive Memory

  • Definition:

    • Each time a memory is retrieved, it can undergo modifications; therefore, our memory of events is not fixed but constructed over time.

  • Proneness to Error:

    • Memory reconstruction can lead to inaccuracies.

  • Influences:

    • Imagination, personal perceptions, beliefs, attitudes, and their changes can significantly impact memory formation and recollection.

Cognition: Forgetting - Repression (Motivated Forgetting)

  • Key Figure: Sigmund Freud

    • Pioneered the concept of repression as a defense mechanism.

  • Definition of Repression:

    • A psychological defense mechanism whereby memories that may threaten self-concept or cause anxiety are repressed.

  • Retrieval of Repressed Memories:

    • Freud believed these repressed memories could potentially be retrieved through cues or therapeutic measures.

Cognition: Forgetting - Amnesia

  • Types of Amnesia:

    • Retrograde Amnesia:

    • Loss of memory related to past events.

    • Anterograde Amnesia:

    • Loss or impairment of the ability to form or store new memories.

    • Childhood Amnesia:

    • The phenomenon where individuals cannot recall memories from their early childhood.

Cognition: Forgetting - Dementia/Alzheimer's Disease

  • Definition of Dementia:

    • A group of symptoms affecting memory, thinking, and social abilities, severely impacting daily life.

  • Alzheimer's Disease:

    • A specific type of dementia, known for its degenerative effects on the brain, particularly impacting cognitive function.