TOPIC 6: MEMORY
1. Explain the basic concept of memory;
2. Describe the process of memory;
3. Differentiate several types of memory;
4. Explain the reasons for forgetting; and
5. Apply the techniques for improving memory.
ACTIVITY
(you are not allowed to use any writing material)
Focus on numbers between 1-50.
You will be shown a series of numbers in 30 sec
You need to repeat the numbers
2 , 14, 18, 4, 20, 8, 45
REPEAT THE NUMBERS
The study of memory began in the mid-19th century.
German psychologist and philosopher Hermann
Ebbinghaus (1850-1909) applied scientific methods in the
study of memory and discovered an important relationship
between the times spent for learning and relearning.
He discovered the level of retention (information) and
called it the saving method. He was well-known as the
pioneer who started scientific memory research.
MEMORY
1. BASIC CONCEPT OF BASIC CONCEPT OF MEMORY
MEMORY
2. PROCESS OF 1. Mental ability to remember something and how we
IA
MEMORY
can retain information over a period of time
3. TYPES OF MEMORY
4. FORGETTING
2. How well you are able to store recall, search or
5. IMPROVING
retrieve past events, experiences and certain
MEMORY
information or knowledge acquired previously.
3. Remember the good and bad experiences in our life
DEFINITION
RECOVERING
MEDICAL INFORMATION: PAST
DICTIONARY EVENT OR KNOWLEDGE
Henry Gleitman,
THE WAY WE RECORD
Alan J. Fridlund, & THE EVENTS OF OUR
Daniel Reinsberg LIVES OR
(2000) INFORMATION
PROCESS of MEMORY
Ellen Pastorino dan Susann Doyle-Portillo (2009): process of memory by using computer
analogy
• Understand the whole process of memory from acquiring to retrieving info from storage.
3 STAGES OF
MEMORY PROCESS
ENCODING
STORAGE
RETRIEVAL
ENCODING
It refers to our effort to put some input into our memory. For example:
you meet someone at a party. He tells you his name but you do not pay
much attention and soon after forget the name.
This means you have failed to learn or encode the name in your
memory.
Encoding here means the way we key in or put the information in
our memory.
STORAGE
It means the place where we keep or retain information in our
memory. According to Gleitman, Fridlund and Reinsberg (2000), the
encoded experience must leave some record in the nervous system or
also known as memory trace.
E.g.: how we label or organise the books in a library - by referring to
the label or code.
Therefore, the system of information storage is very important.
RETRIEVAL
It refers to the process of how we recall the information in our storage
(memory) and pulling it into consciousness.
Gleitman, Fridlund and Reinsberg (2000), stated that retrieval refers to
our efforts to supply information from memory.
For example, can you remember the title of the book that you read last
month? If you can, it means you have successfully recalled the
information from your memory into your conscious mind.
MEMORY MODEL
Different people have different capacities for memory
• Atkinson dan Shriffin (1968) – Basic structure and function of memory and
outlines 3 distinct stages
MEMORY
STAGE
MODEL
LONG
SENSORY SHORT TERM
MEMORY TERM MEMORY
MEMORY
a) Iconic Memory a) 20 seconds memory a) Unlimited capacity
b) Hold brief storage b) Limited capacity b) Retained for a very
information c) Maintenance rehearsal long time
(IMAGE)
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SENSORY, SHORT-TERM AND
LONG-TERM MEMORY
MEMORY RETRIEVER CAPACITY DURATION REHEARSAL
STAGE MODEL
Sensory memory Retriever not Almost zero Only lasts for Rehearsal not
required memory a few seconds involved
capacity
Short-term Retriever not Limited memory Not more than Rehearsal could
memory involved 20 seconds be involved only
one or two times
Long-term Need retriever Huge capacity Can last for a Heavily
memory such as a hint to lifetime involved
recall rehearsal
TYPES OF MEMORY
Long-term Effort to retain
memory short term ELABORATIVE
PROCEDURAL -Declarative memory
MEMORY REHEARSAL
memory (recall previous
(birthdate) topic)
PRIMACY
Remember IMPLICIT
& Recall specific
RECENCY symbols, SEMANTIC MEMORY
EPISODIC memory
concepts & MEMORY
MEMORY (what we ate
knowledge
yesterday)
(red light)
We do
something
Mental
• Prime & which is
Consciously dictionary &
important EXPLICIT GENERIC influenced by
• Recent eventt MEMORY used/recall Common MEMORY the past
(exam) sense/
(unaware)
knowledge
REPEAT THE SERIES OF NUMBERS GIVEN IN SLIDES #3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOgAbKJGrTA (TED
Talk – 4 minutes)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwb2sY_N5AI
FORGETTIN
G
Forgetting: our memory is failing and we are not able to retain
information.
lost or cannot retrieve the stored information.
For example, many of us find that we can hardly remember what
we have learnt in the past or even last etutorial.
We often fail to memorise or recall important facts.
REASONS FOR FORGETTING
(a) Proactive Interference
It refers to previously learnt material interfering with newly learnt material.
For example, you learnt something new yesterday and then you learn
another new topic today. You have yet to fully understand or are still tied up
with yesterdayÊs learning material or concepts. As a result, you are not able
to get what your tutor is teaching today.
(b) Retroactive Interference
It refers to our ability to recall being interrupted by the new learning
material. For example, we are studying new formula today but you have
already forgotten the previous topics. This means that you are confused by
the new information, right?
(c) No Attention
Do not pay attention at that moment.
(d) Retrograde Amnesia and Anterograde Amnesia
Retrograde amnesia - Loss of memory of events at a certain period before brain
damage or other traumas happened.
Anterograde amnesia - difficulty forming new memories after experiencing trauma
(Kalad, 2002).
(e) Cue-dependent
Our memory cannot easily retrieve information when the cue does
not match the cue present during encoding time.
(f) Source Confusion
Source confusion can badly affect our encoding and information retrieval.
(g) Nutritional Problems
We may lose our memory due to vitamin deficiencies. For example, we may forget
easily because we lack vitamin B12 in our diet.
(h) Ageing Factor
As people get older, they may begin to have problems with memory. One of the most
noticeable problem areas involves forgetting names.
(i) Other Causes
Sometimes, we may have memory loss or problem due to amnesia, which means
unusual forgetfulness. This may be caused by ageing, alcoholism, brain damage due
to disease or injury, etc.
FORGETTING
Perkara lama
Gangguan Gangguan dari Gangguan
menggangu
Proaktif perkara baru Retroaktif
perkara baru
Mempunyai
maslah
memori
Hilang Ingatan Amnesia
Tidak memberi Retrograde
Tiada sebelum
SEBAB-SEBAB LUPA
perhatian dan
Perhatian kerosakan otak
sepenuhnya Amnesia
tau trauma lain
Anterograde
Faktor Usia
Tidak dapat Boleh menjejaskan
Pergantunga
maklumat dengan dengan teruk Kekeliruan
n kepada
mudah pengekodan dan Sumber
petunjuk
pencarian maklumat
Kehilangan Mempunyai masalah
Masalah ingatan kerana kehilangan memori atau Sebab-sebab
Nutrisi kurang vitamin amnesia bermaksud Lain
B12 kealpaan luar biasa
IMPROVIN MAKE
ASSOCIATION
G EXERCISE
MEMORY YOUR MIND
SPAR
REHEARSAL Survey,
Process the
Meaning, ENCODING
SPREAD Ask
YOUR SPECIFICITY
Question and
STUDY TIME Revision
CODING
INFLUENCE OF
MNEMONIC
EMOTIONALLY
DEVICES
AROUSING
IMPROVING
MEMORY
(a) Rehearsal
Repeat the data repeatedly in our conscious mind.
This method will increase the probability of the data being transferred to the
long-term storage (Gleitman, Fridlund & Reinsberg, 2000).
(b) Exercise Your Mind
We must use our mind or brain to read, think and analyse as much as
possible. By exercising our mind, we will then be able to develop our mind
power.
(c) Spread Out Your Study Time
If we spread out the study time, it is more likely to help us remember things.
(d) Apply the SPAR Method
Survey - get an overview of the whole idea of a passage. Process - reading
carefully and seeing how you can relate to the ideas, etc. Asking questions - will
encourage you to seek more information such as concept checks. Revise -
spending more time to review what we studied to enhance our memory.
(e) Use a Specific Coding Strategy
If we use a good coding strategy, we are sure to retrieve our information
easily.
(f) Encoding Specificity
Encoding specificity principle (Tulving & Thomson, 1973): associations
you form at the time of learning will be the most effective retrieval cues.
For example: when you go back to a familiar place after 10 years, you may
remember everything that you experienced there 10 years ago in your
mind.
(g) Use Mnemonic Devices
One effective strategy is to connect systematic retrieval cues to each term so
that you can remember it when needed. In other words, thinking of something
or associating it with certain things may remind you of each term.
e.g.: colors of the rainbow
(h) Influence of Emotional Arousal
Do you agree that people normally remember emotionally arousing events? For example,
do you still remember your first day at school or your wedding day?
We can remember these events in detail because we were excited. Therefore, if you want to
do a special and memorable thing for your spouse, then do it in a very emotionally arousing
way.
Why are emotionally arousing events so memorable? This is because of our physiological
responses. When you are emotionally aroused, the body will release cortisol hormones and
epinephrine (adrenaline) from the adrenal gland. Some of the cortisol goes to the brain. The
epinephrine stimulates the peripheral nerves that extend into the brain. This increased the
excitement of certain brain areas that enhance memory storage, including an area, called the
amygdala (Kalad, 2002; Cahill & McGaugh, 1998; Williams,Men, Clayton, & Gold, 1998).
(i) Make Associations
It is an effective technique to help you to improve your memory.
Association means you connect something that you want to remember
in your mind.
For example: you can use certain landmarks to help you find our way
and remember the roads or places.
TED TALK
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOgAbKJGrTA
SUMMARY
In this topic, we have discussed the basic concept of
memory, the process of memory, the memory stage
model and eight types of memory.
This topic also described the nine reasons why people
always forget.
Finally, this topic we learned how to improve our
memory in a very systematic and effective way.
