Psychology: Memory and Forgetting

Memory

Short Term Memory (STM)

• Limited capacity (7 ± 2 chunks of information)
• Information is held for a short period of time (seconds to a minute)
• Information is lost unless rehearsed or consolidated into Long Term Memory
• Examples: remembering a phone number long enough to dial it, recalling a list of items to pick up at the store

Long Term Memory (LTM)

• Permanent storage of information
• Capacity is virtually unlimited
• Information can be stored for an extended period of time (years or a lifetime)
• Examples: remembering childhood events, recalling how to ride a bike

Working Memory

• A system that temporarily holds and manipulates information
• Involved in tasks such as mental arithmetic, following instructions, and problem-solving
• Involves the use of attention and executive functions
• Examples: doing math in your head, following a recipe

Encoding and Retrieval

• Encoding: the process of taking in new information and making it available for storage
  • Can be influenced by factors such as attention, motivation, and emotion
• Retrieval: the process of accessing stored information
  • Can be influenced by factors such as cues, context, and practice

Forgetting

• Decay: gradual loss of information over time due to non-use
• Interference: loss of information due to the presence of new information
• Retrieval failure: inability to access stored information due to inadequate cues or context
• Motivated forgetting: intentional suppression of unwanted memories