BAHS 112 Lecture 4 Memory 2023/2024 - University of Ghana PDF

BAHS 112 INTRODUCTORY PSYCHOLOGY FOR ALLIED HEALTH SCIENCES LECTURE 4 – Human Memory 2023/2024 Academic Year  Lecture Objectives By the end of this lecture, students will be able to: Demonstrate some understanding of the concept of memory...

BAHS 112 INTRODUCTORY PSYCHOLOGY FOR ALLIED HEALTH SCIENCES LECTURE 4 – Human Memory 2023/2024 Academic Year  Lecture Objectives By the end of this lecture, students will be able to: Demonstrate some understanding of the concept of memory Explain different types of memory Explain factors that influence memory Explain how memory can be improved Slide 2 Topic One  Memory Slide 3  Memory Activity (5 minutes): 1. Tell us about a day you will never forget 2. Why do you think that day will never go away  Memory The activity we just did is a memory exercise Baron (2007): Memory refers to our cognitive systems for storing and retrieving information Our ability to remember things serves an adaptive purpose Human life would almost be impossible  Memory Importance of memory Memory helps: To remember the past To retain new information Solve problems Plan for the future Build and maintain relationships Etc. Psychologists are interested in studying and understanding human memory because of these and more  Memory Experimental studies of human memory were started by German psychologist Herman Ebbinghaus (1850-1909) He used a set of nonsense syllables (meaningless 3-letter combinations) to test how well he could remember things. Eg. GAK, VAB He would memorize the texts, leave some delay time, and then try to recall them After several trials he realized it was easy Herman Ebbinghaus (1850- 1906) to forget things as quickly as they are learnt.  Memory  Years after Ebbinghaus, several researchers have proposed their own models/theories explaining human memory works.  One of these proposed theories is: The Information processing model (Atkinson & Shiffrin, 1968)  Memory The Information Processing Model Also called Modal Model /multi-store model of memory Developed by Richard Atkinson and Richard Shiffrin in 1968 It views memory as a systematic movement of information from one storage system to another. It is an approach to human memory emphasizing encoding, storage and retrieval of information The movement and storage of information are aided by mental processes such as encoding, attention and rehearsal  Memory encoding: The process through which sensory information is converted into a form that can be entered into memory. storage: The process through which information is retained in memory Retrieval: The process through which stored information is located in the memory system  Memory Key arguments:  Human memory is like computer memory  Information first enters the memory system and is received, encoded/ processed and stored in a temporary store called the sensory store  The sensory store holds the information for briefly and then transfers it to the short-term memory  The short-term memory does further processing and stores the information temporarily before transferring it to the Long- Term Memory  The Long-Term Memory holds the information relatively permanently for future use.  Memory  Environmental cues eventually cause a retrieval of the information stored in the Long-Term Memory Facts about the Model: It emphasizes three distinct memory types: 1. Sensory store/Memory/ register (SM): This is a temporary storage system that receives raw sensory information. It is the first point of reception for information and has quite a high capacity but very short duration It encodes the information and holds it briefly (less than 1 second for vision a few seconds for auditory)  Its main job is to preserve the characteristics of a particular sensory modality: the way an item looks, sounds, feels etc.  Memory 2. Short-Term Memory/Store (STM): This is the second storage unit in the memory system It is also called the Working Memory Information from the SM is transferred through attention to the short-term memory for further processing and brief storage. It has a low capacity and can hold information in current use for 5-15 seconds without rehearsal. It is called the working memory because information presently being used is stored in this memory system  Memory 3. Long Term Memory (LTM): This is the final memory store in the memory system It stores information relatively permanently and has infinite storage capacity Information is transferred into this system through elaborative rehearsal. Appropriate cues can lead to retrieval of information from this system for use in the working memory Memory  Memory Points to note: Information that do not receive attention at the sensory stage is not transferred into the STM and is forgotten Information that is not elaborately rehearsed/used in the STM is also forgotten at this stage Forgetting can also occur in the LTM through factors such as decay, amnesia etc. Topic Two  Other types of memory Slide 17  Other Types of Memory  Aside from the types of memory identified in the Information Processing Model, other distinc types of memory have been identified by psychologists  Some of these types are specifications of memory systems within the LTM.  Each of these other types describe the kinds of information stored in them.  Declarative Memory Declarative/ Explicit Memory: This is a memory system that stores factual information eg. The president of Ghana, your birth date etc. It is called ‘explicit’ or ‘declarative’ because we can retrieve information from it and consciously report/explicitly declare it It has two may sub-types: – Episodic memory – Semantic memory  Memory types: Episodic Episodic Memory: This is the type of memory about information we acquired at a specific time and place. This kind of memory enables us to go back in time and recollect specific thoughts/ experiences we had at a specific place or time. Eg. Recollection of how you learnt the definition of psychology. Basically it reflects memory of particular ‘episodes’ of experience or factual information  Semantic Memory Semantic Memory: This reflect memory of more general information. This kind of memory holds information that we cannot readily remember where and when we acquired it. It basically stores general, abstract knowledge about the world Egs. The meaning of words, properties of an object  Memory Procedural memory: Aside from declarative memory, psychologists also identify procedural memory This is the memory system that stores information we cannot readily express verbally It is our memory of skills and steps in procedures that we possess and can demonstrate but cannot verbally articulate it. Some psychologists term this type of memory as implicit memory Eg. Riding a bike, walking etc. Topic Three  Factors influencing memory Slide 23  Factors influencing Memory Psychologists have identified several factors that can influence how well we store and retrieve information A lot of these identifications were done through experimentation The list produced here is not exhaustive Read about other factors in the library/ online.  Memory 1. Decay/rehearsal: It is the loss of information(usually unused, meaningless or unrehearsed ones in the short-term memory) due to the passage of time. 2. levels of processing: This view holds that the effort expended in processing information determines whether that information will be retained or lost. That is, memory of an event or information can be influenced by how deeply that information was processed.  Factors influencing Memory 3. Context of memory: This is the view that information entered into memory in one context or setting, is easier to recall in that context than others. This is called context-dependent memory 4. Retrieval cues Retrieval cues are stimuli associated with information stored in memory that can aid in retrieving that information later. This means that retrieval cues can influence our memo by affecting how well we are able to retrieve informati  Factors influencing Memory 5. Attention and rehearsal: According to the information processing model, how well we store and retrieve information is influenced by how much attention we pay to that information (at the sensory stage and how well we rehearse information at the short-term memory stage. Attention sends information to the STM (a temporary store) and rehearsal transfers information to a permanent store, the LTM.  Factors influencing Memory 6. Physical/ mental state: Some psychologists argue that the physical or mental state in which a person is, can influence how they store and retrieve information Information stored during one mental or physical state could be retrieved easier when the person is in that state again. This is called state-dependent memory Also the physical and mental state can reduce or increase encoding and retrieval ability. Eg. An alert mental state could increase attention and through that increase encoding while a depressed mental state could do the opposite.  Factors influencing Memory 7. Repression: It is the psychological process of pushing out painful experiences from our memories. Some psychologists argue that a person’s memory of events could sometimes be influenced by the nature of the event/ experience. While pleasant experiences may be retained relatively longer compared to painful experiences. Brain injury: Researchers have found that injury to certain parts of the brain responsible for memory could influence memory  Factors influencing Memory 8. Brain injury/memory disorders: Researchers have found that injury to certain parts of the brain responsible for memory may result in memory disorders and influence our memories. For example Amnesia is a memory disorder that affects people’s ability to recollect information. There can be retrograde amnesia: inability to recollect past events before a brain damage occurred or Anterograde amnesia: inability to form new memories after a brain injury occurs.  Factors influencing Memory 9. Interference: This is when material that has already been learnt and stored tends to confuse the recollection of newly learnt material and vice versa. It occurs for example, when too much information is stored within a short time such that new and old information tend to mix up in the memory system. There are two forms of interference: Proactive interference: the situation where old material increases forgetting of new material Retroactive interference: when new material increases forgetting of old material  Factors influencing Memory 10. von Restorff effect:  This is the tendency to remember unusual material better than more common items.  This form of memory was named after von Restorff, the psychologist who first demonstrated it. 11. Learning interval:  Psychologists also believe that memory is influenced by how distributed or spaced out encoding is done.  Spacing out learning activities helps the encoding, storage and retrieval process better that learning everything at a go which can result in sensory overload and a consequent loss of information.  Improving Memory Psychologists are also interested in how human memory can be improved. The nature of the list of factors that influence mean that some of the same factors improve memory. TAKE HOME: Using the list of factors influencing memory, Develop/ explain five (5) ways in which human memory can be improved. HAVE A NICE DAY.