Class notes
Intro to psychology Part 1: Memory
- Institution
- University Of Cape Town (UCT)
This is a summary of a lecture series that covered memory - the different ways that memory works
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MEMORY:PNXCAN002@myuct.ac.za
LECTURE 1:
Introduction:
H.M. had epileptic seizures at age 16
- Operated on 11 years later
- Removed bilateral (both hemispheres) medial (middle) temporal lobes,
including hippocampus
- Profound amnesia: anterior grade amnesia- couldn’t create new
memories.
Clive wearing- British expert in music
- Herpes encephalitis (1985)- damage to hippocampus
- Unable to store new memories (amnesia)
- Spends everyday ‘waking up’ every 20 secs
- Still recalls- how to play the piano, conduct a choir
- Procedural memory stored in cerebellum
Do they lack memory?
- Memory isn’t just one thing: stored in multiple places in brain.
- Impairment in one aspect of memory can affect another- doesn’t mean
you are without memory.
Importance of memory:
- Did you know that you would not be able to learn without your
memory?
- Learning is central to our survival:
1. Allows us to learn and adapt
2. Remember the previous context of a present situation in order to
learn
- Relevance to psychology
What is memory?
- Memory is an active system that:
Record, store and later retrieve experiences and info
, - Memory is process & place
Memory processes:
- Encoding
- Consolidation
- Storage
- Retrieval
Encoding:
Converts sensory info into a form that the brain can use
- Translating it into a neural code
Rehearsing info over and over
- Elaborating on the meaning of info
Automatic encoding: People unconsciously notice and remember things
Flashbulb memories:
- Unexpected event or episode in your life that has strong emotional
associations – hippocampus close to amygdala (responsible for
emotions)
Consolidation:
- Recent learned experiences that are transformed into long term
memories
Something that happens over time to make memories last
- Structural and chemical changes in the nervous system
Storage:
- Retaining information over time- the time the info is held will differ
- Similar to saving a hard drive- not the exact same, there is bias involved,
and you won’t always remember everything perfectly.
, Retrieval:
- Processes that access stored information
- Getting the info you need out of storage
Models of memory:
1. Information processing model:
A metaphor inspired by advances in computer technology
- The mind as a system that processes information
- Encodes, consolidates, stores and retrieves information rather like a
computer system: one step at a time
However:
- Human memory is more prone to error
- Human memory is more ‘constructive’: it can remember events that
never occurred
2. Parallel Distributed processing model:
Memory as a simultaneous process:
- Creation and storage of memories taking place across a series of mental
networks ‘stretched’ across the brain
Simultaneous processing allows people to retrieve different aspects of memory
all at once
- Facilitates much faster reactions and decisions
3. Levels of processing model:
Length of time = Depth of processing
- More effort put into processing; stronger it will be remembered.
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