Module 7.3: Forgetting (Memory Loss and Distortion) PDF

# Module 7.3: Forgetting ## Introduction This module covers the concept of forgetting. It explores how interference, suggestions, and amnesia can lead to forgetting. The module also discusses infantile amnesia and the best current explanation for its occurrence. ## Forgetting - Explain how int...

# Module 7.3: Forgetting ## Introduction This module covers the concept of forgetting. It explores how interference, suggestions, and amnesia can lead to forgetting. The module also discusses infantile amnesia and the best current explanation for its occurrence. ## Forgetting - Explain how interference leads to forgetting. - Describe evidence regarding how suggestions can lead to false memory reports. - Discuss amnesia and the light it shines on memory. - State what currently is the best current explanation for infantile amnesia. ### Retrieval and Interference - When trying to remember something, you might confuse it with something else you've learnt. - This phenomenon was explored by Hermann Ebbinghaus, who conducted extensive research on memory using lists of nonsense syllables. - His research indicated that forgetting occurs rapidly, with more than half of each list forgotten within the first hour. - This forgetting is attributed to **interference**, where learning new similar material disrupts the retrieval of previously learned information. #### Types of Interference: - **Proactive interference:** Previous learning interferes with the ability to remember new information. - **Retroactive interference:** New learning interferes with the ability to recall previously learned information. #### Examples: - Forgetting where you parked your car today due to proactive interference from previous parking locations. - Forgetting last week's French vocabulary due to retroactive interference from this week's vocabulary list. ### A Controversy: "Recovered Memories" or "False Memories"? - The recoverability of forgotten memories is a topic of ongoing debate. - The potential role of suggestion and therapeutic techniques in the formation of false memories is a key area of contention. #### The False Memory Debate - **Recovering memories:** Some therapists believe that recovered memories, prompted by techniques like hypnosis or repeated attempts to remember, represent a return of repressed memories. - **False memories:** Others argue that these so-called recovered memories are not true memories, but rather false memories implanted by therapists using suggestive techniques. #### Evidence for False Memories - Studies examining the effect of suggestions on memory have shown that people can be led to believe that certain events happened, even if they did not. This is particularly prevalent when individuals view photographs related to the suggested event.. #### The Role of Suggestion - Researchers have conducted experiments demonstrating how suggestive questioning can lead to the reporting of false memories. - It has been shown that people can implant false memories using a combination of suggestions, visual cues (such as photographs), and repeated attempts to remember. #### Traumatic Events and Memory - While there is evidence that people can forget traumatic experiences, particularly those that occurred in early childhood, the idea of repression as a widespread phenomenon is disputed. - The impact of traumatic experiences on memory, and the potential for inaccurate recall, is a complex issue. ### Amnesia - Amnesia is a loss of memory, typically affecting personal experiences rather than generic knowledge. - Many types of brain damage, including damage to the hippocampus, can lead to amnesia. #### The Impact of Hippocampal Damage: - The hippocampus plays a crucial role in encoding and retrieving memories. - Damage to the hippocampus can lead to: - **Anterograde amnesia:** Difficulty forming new long-term memories. - **Retrograde amnesia:** Loss of memories for events that occurred before the brain damage. - The case of H.M., a patient who underwent surgery to remove the hippocampus, provides compelling evidence for the importance of the hippocampus in memory. H.M. suffered severe anterograde amnesia, unable to form new memories, while retaining his prior factual knowledge and ability to learn new skills. ## Memory Impairments in Alzheimer's Disease - Alzheimer's disease, a neurodegenerative disorder primarily affecting older adults, results in severe memory loss, confusion, and cognitive decline. - The underlying pathology is the accumulation of harmful proteins in the brain, leading to neuronal damage and degeneration. ### Early Childhood Amnesia - The phenomenon of infantile amnesia, the difficulty in recalling memories from early childhood, affects most adults. - While young children can form long-term memories, the rapid turnover of neurons in the hippocampus during childhood contributes to the forgetting of early experiences. ## Conclusion: Memory Loss and Distortion - Human memory is inherently fallible, subject to distortions and inaccuracies. - While forgetting can be attributed to various factors, it is a natural process rather than a failure. - It is essential to maintain a critical perspective on the accuracy of recalled memories, especially those recovered using suggestive techniques. - Our understanding of memory is continually evolving, and further research continues to shed light on the complexities of human memory.