Information Processing

Information ProcessingModule 20

What is Memory?Process of encoding, storage, and retrieval.

Learning that persists over time.

Encoding▫ Get info inStorage▫ Retain the infoRetrieval▫ Getting the information out

In-Class Activity—A Look Into Memory

Take out a sheet of paper

Write down, in order, all responses that come to mind

Ready?

What are the names of the seven dwarfs in the story of Snow White?

Don’t ask a friend!

What are the names of the seven dwarfs in the story of Snow White?

Difficult?

Why?▫Never learned the names (encoding)▫Length of time (storage)▫Distractions (retrieval)

What if you had a list to choose from?

Grouchy Gabby FearfulSleepy Smiley JumpyHopeful Shy DroopyDopey Sniffy WishfulPuffy Dumpy SneezyLazy Pop GrumpyBashful Cheerful TeachShorty Nifty HappyDoc Wheezy Stubby

What are the names of the seven dwarfs in the story of Snow White?

The names…▫Sleepy, Dopey, Grumpy, Sneezy, Happy, Doc

& Bashful

Get more names correct with list?

Why?▫Recall vs. Recognition

What are the names of the seven dwarfs in the Disney movie Snow

White?Feel like you knew a name but couldn’t recall it?

Why?▫Tip of the tongue phenomenon▫Retrieval failure

In-Class Activity – Part 2…Turn your paper over or fold in half

Write down the names of the seven dwarfs

Easier than before?▫Short term memory vs. long term memory

Encoding: Getting Information In

Automatic Processing

▫Time▫Space▫Frequency▫Well-learned material

Effortful Processing

Encoding: Getting Information In

Effortful Processing Ebbinghaus: Rehearsal & Overlearning

How do we encode?Serial Position Effect

How do we encode?Spacing Effect

Distributed vs. CrammingRehearsal

Primacy & Recency

What do we encode?Meaningful Information

▫Personally meaningful▫Related to previously learned info

Encoded Images▫Mental “pictures”▫Mnemonics▫Kids Please Close Our Front Gate Slowly

What do we encode?Organized Information

▫Chunking ROY G BIV Phone numbers… 867-5309

▫Hierarchies

This might help you study…

Let’s test your encoding!iclicker question

According to the serial position effect, when recalling a list of words you should have the greatest difficulty remembering those:

A) at the beginning of the listB) at the end of the listC) in the middle of the listD) at the beginning and the end of the

list

iclicker questionYou are most likely to automatically encode information about:

A) Politicians namesB) New phone numbersC) What you did before and after you ate

breakfastD) What we learn today

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Storage: Retaining the Information

SensoryMemory

Working/Short-term

MemoryLong-termMemory

Encoding

RetrievalEncoding

Events

Retrieval

Storage- Retaining the Information Sensory Memory

Fleeting representation unless we attendLasts for ~ second

Iconic & Echoic

StorageWorking/Short-Term Memory

20 secs – couple minutes“Hold” a limited amount of info (7 +/- 2)

No active processing = no short-term memories disappear

StorageLong-Term Memory

Info stored; can be retrievedLasts indefinitely

Can hold billions of pieces of info

Storage- How do we do it?Synaptic Changes

Pathway of neural activation creates a stored memory

Path reinforced with use

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StorageStress Hormones

Heightened emotions = stronger memoriesBoosts activity in memory-forming brain areas

More replay= stronger connections Can we take a pill for this?

StorageImplicit Memory

▫Memory for procedures & skill acquisition▫Ex: Driving a car▫Cerebellum

Explicit Memory▫Memory for facts & experiences▫Ex: Who was your first kiss?▫Hippocampus-temporary storage site▫Cortex

Retrieval- Getting Information Out

3 Retrieval Types▫Recall: generate information ▫Recognition: identify items ▫Relearning: learn material for a second time

RetrievalRetrieval Cues:

Anchor points used to access the info later

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RetrievalContext Effects

Remember better if cues present at encoding are present at retrieval

Mood-Congruent MemoryRecall experiences consistent with current mood

Retrieval

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Déjà Vu Familiar situation can trigger feelings of “I’ve been here before”

Another Activity…2 volunteers

1 with musical knowledge (majors, private lessons)

1 with little musical knowledge

Retrieval & ExpertiseExpertise Development

Central concepts become increasingly elaborated, organized & interconnected

Iclicker QuestionWhen 80-year-old Ida looked at her old wedding pictures, she was flooded with vivid memories of the early years of her marriage, which she had not thought about in decades. The pictures served as powerful:

A) Encoding cuesB) Iconic memoriesC) Implicit memoriesD) Retrieval cues

Iclicker QuestionMemory of facts is to ________ as memory of skills is to ________.

A) Brainstem; HippocampusB) Explicit Memory; Implicit MemoryC) Automatic Processing; Effortful

ProcessingD) Short-term Memory; Long-term

Memory

So could our memory ever be too good?

The women who can’t forget…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoxsMMV538U&feature=related

Mini-writing #9You have a friend who is struggling in a class. Now that you know so much about memory, identify 2 effects that we have learned about in class that pertain to memory that could help him. Explain each effect and how each effect would improve his test performance.

Effortful processing Rehearsal OverlearningSerial position effect Spacing Effect ImageryMeaningfulness Mnemonics Chunking Retrieval Cues Hierarchies Context Effects Sleep