Memory psychology

• Information processing

  1. input(perceiving sensory information environment)
  2. Encoding(information is converted into nerve impulses-recognised by the brain)
  3. Storage(information is stored in the brain)
  4. Retrieval(search the memory store for information)
  5. output(recall the information)
• Types of memories

  • Semantic memory(facts, names ,general knowledge)
  • Autobiographical memory (memories that we collect during our lifetime of things we have done)
  • Episodic memory(memories of places, event/people)
  • procedural memory(motor skills)
• Anterograde amnesia


  Inability to form NEW memories
• Retrograde amnesia


  inability to recall memories from the PAST
• Hippocampus

  • new memories must pass through the hippocampus before entering long -term storage
• Damage to the hippocampus

  • can still form memories for new skill
  • autobiographical memory
  • semantic memory
• Damage to Cerebellum

  • affect procedural memory(stop us from learning new skill/improving on old one
• Multi store model

  
• Sensory store


  Duration: approximately 2 seconds

  Capacity: large but limited

  Coding: Modality specific
• Short term

  Duration:15-30 seconds

  CapacitY:7+/-2(Millars magic number)

  Coding: Auditory
• Long term 


  Duration: forever

  Capacity: unlimited

  Coding: Semantic
• Decay -information is forgotten


  Displacement -information is lost
• Criticism(1)(MSM)

  • Too simple-suggests that STM is a single store, but other research has suggested that it is much more complex and can deal with multiple sensory information at one time, by using separate sections
• Criticism(2)(MSM)

  too much importance on the role of rehearsal vs meaning-in order for information to be passed into LTM it must be rehearsed, However not all information is rehearsed e.g. if something is very shocking it doesn't need to be rehearsed for it to enter LTM
• Criticism(3)(MSM)


  Neuropsychology suggested that LTM is made up of more than one store-Evidence suggests that different types of memories are stored in different parts of the brain(goes against the MSM as it suggests that certain memories are found in specific parts of the brain e.g. hippocampus and cerebellum
• Clive wearing (MSM)

  • CASE study(one person)
  • outstanding musician-diagnosed with herpes(destroyed large sections of his brain
  • suffered from both retrograde and anterograde amnesia
• MSM Study


  Method:

  -longitudinal(21 years)

  -qualitative(interviews)/quantitative(brain scans) dater

  -autobiographical events=very damaged(unable to recall many details about his life

  -IQ test (IQ was normal but could've been better before illness) and MRI

  -Clive did not appear to accept that he had a memory disorder(not been conscious since he became ill)

  -temporal lobe damage
• Criticism(1)(Clive)

  • psychological distress-CW was given neurological tests on many occasions, wouldn't remember the tests. He gave consent but due to his brain damage he may not have realised what he was consenting to.
• Criticisms(2)(Clive)

  • CW was irritated at having his belief in his consciences questioned-Caused him some psychological harm at those moments in time. Can be argued that it was unethical to cause him irritation
• Criticism(3)(Clive)

  • Hard to generalise-Case study, His case was highly unusual. Difficult to pinpoint the exact areas of the brain that were damaged were linked to his retrograde and anterograde amnesia.
  • Patient named David has similar damage to CW- but he did not report thinking that he was not conscious to CW
• Reconstructive memory(Bartlett)(1932)

  • Schema-mental frame work for an object to situation that we have experienced
  • Experience(on memory)-idea that our memory is influenced by our prior expectations
  • Expectation(on memory)-schemas are designed to help us deal with a huge amount of sensory data .They influence what we expect to happen in certain situations
  • Confabulation-making up details to create a more complete memory.it is not done with the intent to deceive people
• Criticism(1)(Reconstructive Memory)

  • Reductionist-Focuses on how we create schemas and reconstruct our memories but fails to explain how these processes actually happen in the brain
  • Very complicated-hard to determine which aspects of memory will be recalled and which not. Hard to test and difficult to predict how people will recall information
• Criticism(2)(Reconstructive Memory)

  • Doesn't explain how memories are processed-Bartlett describes memory as being an active process but doesn't offer an explanation for how this actually happens
  • concepts of schema is too vague and hypothetical-schema cannot be absorbed. Scans can only show brain activity ,not exactly what an individual is processing
• Braun et el 


  Sample

  -experiment one:107 undergraduates from USA university

  -experiment two:167 undergraduates from USA university
• Braun Et AL

  Conclusions:

  -autobiographical advertising can make people more confident that they experienced an event as a child that was suggested by the advert

  -Autobiographical advertising can affect how people remember the past

  -Autobiographica advertising can lead to the con or false or distorted memories