Module 2.7

Module Overview

• Title: Module 2.7 Forgetting and Other Memory Challenges

• Authors: Ruben Avalos, Jayson Palanca, Emiliano Luna

Learning Targets

• 2.7-1: Explain why we forget.

• 2.7-2: Discuss the influence of misinformation, imagination, and source amnesia on memory construction.

• 2.7-3: Assess the reliability of children's eyewitness descriptions.

• 2.7-4: Apply memory research findings to improve performance in academic settings.

Why Do We Forget? (2.7-1)

• Forgetting unimportant information is beneficial; it helps prioritize what matters.

• Forgetting outdated or negative memories is crucial for mental well-being.

• Some individuals exhibit Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory (HSAM), leading to overwhelming retention of trivial details.

  • Case Example: Jill Price, whose extraordinary memory hinders rather than helps her.

Two-Track Mind and Memory Loss

• Case Study: Henry Molaison (H.M.)

  • Underwent hippocampus removal to alleviate seizures.

  • Experienced Anterograde Amnesia: inability to form new memories.

  • Experienced Retrograde Amnesia: inability to recall past information.

  • Despite amnesia, preserved nonverbal learning ability via automatic processing.

Memory Stages and Forgetting

• Forgetting can occur at various memory stages:

  • Sensory Memory: Brief, detailed sensory registrations.

  • Working/Short-Term Memory: Limited capacity for items that are noticed and encoded.

  • Long-Term Storage: Information may be altered or lost.

  • Retrieval: Affected by interference, retrieval cues, moods, and motives.

Encoding and Storage Issues

• Encoding Failure: Much sensory input is unnoticed; what isn't encoded is never remembered.

  • Displacement: New information replaces old in short-term memory.

  • Age can impact encoding efficiency.

• Storage Decay: Information may be forgotten over time even if originally encoded effectively.

  • Ebbinghaus's Forgetting Curve: Shows rapid initial memory loss, plateauing over time.

Retrieval Challenges

• Retrieval Failure: Information is stored but inaccessible.

  • Tip of the Tongue Phenomenon: Inability to recall stored information, often aided by retrieval cues.

Interference in Memory

• Proactive Interference: Prior knowledge disrupts new learning.

  • Example: Difficulty remembering a new phone number due to an old number.

• Retroactive Interference: New information hinders recall of old information.

  • Example: Forgetting an old phone number post-memorizing a new one.

Positive Transfer

• Positive Transfer: Previous knowledge aiding the learning of new information.

  • Example: Learning French is easier for those who know Latin.

Motivated Forgetting

• Freud's theory of repression: Individuals may block anxiety-inducing memories from consciousness.

• Counterpoint: Modern research indicates repression is rare; trauma often leads to vivid, persistent memories.

Real-World Example: Flight AT236

• Study on passengers' memories of a near-crash indicated strong, vivid memories rather than repression.

• Suggests trauma may enhance memory accuracy.

Memory Construction Errors (2.7-2)

• Constructive Nature of Memory: Memories are not merely retrieved but reconstructed with influences from later experiences and expectations.

• Misinformation Effect: Corruption of memory from misleading post-event information.

• Case Study: Loftus and Palmer (1974) explored how different verb usages influenced eyewitness speed estimates.

Imagination and Memory

• Imagination Inflation: Imagining events, even fictional, can lead to increased confidence in their occurrence.

  • Example: After imagining a hot-air balloon ride, many falsely recall it vividly.

Source Amnesia

• Defined as the inability to remember the origin of information leading to misattribution of memories.

  • Example: Confusing firsthand accounts with secondhand information.

• Déjà Vu: Feeling of familiarity in new situations caused by processing errors in the brain.

False Memories and Social Influences

• False Memories: Persistent and convincingly real, often created through vivid imagination.

  • Instances where children recall fake events from altered photos; socially contagious through discussions and suggestions.

  • Implications in legal settings: 40% wrongful convictions result from eyewitness misidentification.

Distinguishing True and False Memories

• False memories can be indistinguishable from true ones due to reconstructive processes.

  • Filling in gaps with assumptions can create vivid, false memories.

Children's Eyewitness Recall (2.7-3)

• Children are highly susceptible to suggestion, which can distort their memories.

• Study on Anatomically Correct Dolls: 55% of children pointed to inappropriate areas despite no examination occurring.

  • Suggestive questioning led to false recall in preschoolers over 10 weeks of questioning.

  • Ethical implications for court cases reliant on children’s testimonies.

Recovered and Repressed Memories

• Controversy surrounds recovered memories, especially in abuse cases due to potential for false memories.

  • Genuine survivors may be doubted; innocent individuals could be wrongly accused.

• Influence of therapeutic techniques can create false memories; caution advised by professionals.

Implications in Memory (Legal and Clinical)

• Eyewitness and repressed memories can significantly affect the justice system, potentially leading to wrongful convictions.

• Mental health professionals urged to avoid suggestive techniques to prevent memory inaccuracies.

• Educated vigilance regarding cognitive biases is essential for critical thinking in judicial and educational settings.

Improving Memory Techniques (2.7-4)

• Effective Strategies:

  • Rehearse repeatedly across multiple sessions.

  • Connect new information with existing knowledge.

  • Activate retrieval cues by recreating the learning context.

  • Use mnemonic devices for better retention.

  • Avoid similar topic studies back-to-back to reduce interference.

  • Ensure adequate sleep for optimal memory consolidation.

  • Engage in regular self-testing and retrieval practice.