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Unit-memory notes

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Unit-memory notes

DOC

Uploaded by

monika sharma
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Unit- Memory

Human memory can be clearly defined as a process comprising of three independent yet interrelated
stages which are explained as follows:

1. Encoding – It is the first stage of human memory in which information is recorded and
registered for the first time so that it becomes usable by our memory system and substantial
meaning is derived from the incoming information.

2. Storage -It is the second stage of human memory in which the encoded information is
retained and held over a period of time so that it can be utilized later.

3. Retrieval – It is the third stage of memory in which the stored information can be recovered
from our memory as and when the situation demands.

Information Processing Approach (Stage Model)

Atkinson and Shiffrin’s model of memory is also known as the stage model of memory . This
proposes the existence of three separate but sequentially linked memory systems:

1. Sensory memory- It Contains a fleeting impression of a sensory stimulus(sight, sound).it has


a large capacity. It is of a very short duration that is less than a second

2. Short-term memory – A limited recollection of recently perceived stimulus(telephone


number, order of food). It holds a small amount of information for a brief period of time
which is less than 30 seconds

3. Long-term memory- It is defined as a permanent store of memories for later retrieval. here,
information is encoded semantically and the storage capacity is unlimited

Maintenance Rehearsal vs Elaborative Rehearsal

Maintenance Rehearsal- Retaining information for retaining information in STM for as much
time as required. It is done through silent or vocal repetition.
Elaborative Rehearsal- Information enters from STM to LTM through elaborative rehearsals.
It is done by associating new information with the existing information from the past.

Types of Long-Term Memory


1. Declarative Memory- All information pertaining to facts, names, dates like a car has
four wheels,14th February is Valentine’s day is part of the declarative memory. Facts
retained in the declarative memory are amenable to verbal descriptions.
2. Procedural Memory – It refers to the memories relating to procedures of
accomplishing various tasks like how to drive a car, bake cakes, etc. Contents of
procedural memory cannot be described easily as they are more practical and
application-based.

Declarative Memory

Declarative memory is further classified into two categories Episodic and semantic memory.

Episodic Memory
It comprises biographical details of our life. Its memories relate to our personal life
experiences and its contents are emotional in nature. Example- First marriage anniversary
celebration, birthday party with friends.

Semantic Memory
Semantic memory is defined as the memory of general awareness and knowledge. All
concepts, ideas, and rules of logic are stored in semantic memory. Example- 7*8 is 56, STD
code of New Delhi is 011, etc.

Nature and Causes of Forgetting


Forgetting occurs when information is not retrieved from our long-term memory, and the
reasons behind forgetting are as follows:

1. The information we commit to our long-term memory is somehow lost


2. The information to be learned was not memorized well enough

3. Improper encoding of the information


4. The information to be learned is not stored properly.
• Hermann Ebbinghaus came up with his theory of forgetting as per which rate of
forgetting is maximum in the first 9 hours, particularly during the first hour. After
that, the forgetting rate slows down and not much is forgotten even after many days
• Trace theory of forgetting is also termed as the disuse theory which states that
memory leads to modification in the central nervous system which is akin to physical
changes in the brain called memory traces. If the memory traces are not used for a
long time, they simply fade away and become unavailable. The trace theory has been
called baseless and inadequate by many psychologists as it is impractical

Interference
Forgetting also happens because of the interference between various pieces of
information that the memory store contains. Interferences come about at a time of
retrieval when these sets of associations compete with each other for retrieval. Two types
of interference are explained below:

Proactive Interference
It means what one has learned earlier interferes with the recall of subsequent learning.
Past learning interferes with the recall of later learning. For example- a person well-versed
in English may find difficulty in learning French.

Retroactive Interference
It refers to difficulty in recalling what one has learned earlier because of learning new
material. Later learning interferes with the recall of past learning. For example- if one
cannot recall English equivalents of French words that one is currently memorizing then it
might be because of retroactive interference. Forgetting can also occur because at the time
of recall either the retrieval cues are absent or they are not appropriate as per the need.
Retrieval Cues are aids that help us in recovering information stored in the memory.

Enhancing Memory
There are various techniques to enhance your memory. Here are some of the ways to
improve your memory:
Mnemonics Using Images- It requires us to create vivid and interactive images of the
material that we wish to remember. Under this type, there are two techniques which are
explained as follows:
Keyword Method- In this method, an English word that sounds similar word that sounds
similar to a word of a foreign language is identified. This English word will function as a
keyword. It is considered as a simple method as compared to rote learning
Method Of Loci– It helps in learning in a serial order. It first requires an individual to
visualize places/objects that they know well in a specific order. Imagine the objects to be
memorized and then associate them one by one to the physical locations

Mnemonics Using Organization


Mnemonics Using Organization- Organization refers to imposing certain orders on the
material to be remembered. Techniques under this category are explained as follows-
• Chunking- It helps in increasing short-term memory. To form larger chunks, we
combine several smaller units, and it is important to discover organizational
principles that can link these smaller units together in order to create chunks
• First Letter Technique- In this method, we need to actively pick up the first letter of
each word to be remembered and then arrange them logically to form another
word or sentence. For example, we learn colors of the rainbow as VIBGYOR(Violet,
Indigo, Green, Yellow, Orange, Red)
• Deep Level Processing- As per craik and Lockhart processing information in terms
of meaning that they convey leads to better memory as compared to attending to
their surface features. It involves asking as many questions as possible related to
the information that is to be learned
• Give Oneself Retrieval Cues- Giving one self-sufficient retrieval cues will make it
easier to remember the information as it will help in linking it to the retrieval cues

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