Chapter 9
Learning and Remembering
Chapter Outline
Modified: 2008-06-23
- I. This Chapter-Stephen Powelson memorized The Iliad, all 15,693 lines
- II. Metaphors in the Study of Memory-books, ToCs, index, vault, purse.......
- A. Basic Concepts and Definitions in Memory-attention, learning, and memory intertwined
- Euler
- S-claimed to "see" number matrix after it was withdrawn (Luria)
- Ebbinghaus and memory curve
- B. Defining Memory
- 1. Remembering and Knowing
- Permanent and Temporary Memories
- Memory (storage) and Knowing (retrieval) are different
- Graphic
- 2. Forgetting
- Other side of memory
- Forgetting is good-think of your hard drive
- C. Early Memory Research
- Ebbinghaus and his research
- Nonsense syllables-PAG, MOX, BEP
- Serial Anticipation-learning lists, lyrics, primacy, recency, serial position effect
- Paired-Associates-Cue and Response, PAG-Horse, MOX-Tuba, BEP-Girl
- Graphic
- III. A Three-Component Model of Memory
- A. Sensory Memory
- A.K.A. the sensory register
- Partial recall experiments (Sperling)
- Echoic (auditory) and Iconic (visual)
- B. Short-Term (or Working) Memory
- 1. A Classical Study of STM-rehearsal effects
- Rehearsal can maintain STM
- 2. Limited Capacity-working memory, Magic Number 7 (Miller)
- 3. Chunking-letters->words->sentences->paragraphs->chapters->books/also in other modalities
- 4. Baddeley's Model of Working Memory (an alternative view of STM)
- Central Executive System
- Phonological Loop
- Visual-Spatial Sketch Pad
- 5. Levels of Processing
- Shallow (count the "e's") vs. Deep Processing (tell me if this is a pleasant or unpleasant word) (Craik and Lockheart)
- C. Long-Term Memory-High Road and Low Road to memory
- 1. Long-Term Memory is Highly Stable
- 2. Long-Term Memory is Generative-Memory is not a tape recording of the past
- Birdhouse and "hammer"
- Bransford & Johnson (1972)
- The procedure is actually quite simple. First you arrange items into different groups. Of course, one pile may be sufficient depending on how much there is to do. If you have to go somewhere else due to lack of facilities that is the next step; otherwise, you are pretty much set. It is important not to overdo things. That is, it is better to do too few things at once than too many. In the short run this may not seem important but complications can easily arise. A mistake can be expensive as well. At first, the whole procedure will seem complicated. Soon, however, it will become just another facet of life. It is difficult to foresee any end to the necessity for this task in the immediate future., but then, one never can tell. After the procedure is completed one arranges the materials into different groups again. Then they can be put into their appropriate places. Eventually they will be used once more and the whole cycle will then have to be repeated. However, that is part of life.
- 3. Understanding Influences Long-Term Memory
- Deep structure vs Surface Structure
- John is eager to please
- John is easy to please
- 4. Some Things are More Easily Remembered
- Flashbulb memories (show movie)
- Poetry, Prose, Nonsense Syllables, and Random Numbers
- Meaning makes remembering easier
- D. Short-Term and Long-Term Memory Compared
- Think of memory like a series of filters.
- Everything goes into sensory memory, some items go into STM, fewer items go into LTM
- IV. Types of Long-Term Memory
- A. Explicit (Declarative) and Implicit (Nondeclarative) Memory
- Declarative--"Know that"/express in words-describe how to ride a bicycle
- Nondeclarative--"Know how"/must actually do-ride a bicycle
- B. Two Kinds of Declarative Memory
- Semantic Memory-knowledge (what is the capital of Burkina-Faso?)
- Episodic Memory-personal memories (the "episodes" of your life)
- C. Models of Declarative Long-Term Memory
- Associationistic (behavioral) and Cognitive
- V. Physiology of Memory
- A. The Engram-the memory trace, still not found
- B. Lashley's Rats-equipotentiality and mass action/Robert Thompson's pursuit of engram
- C. Penfield's Patients-More like deja vu
- D. Rat Brain and Planaria Studies-early efforts to link memory and physiology
- E. Brain Imaging, ERPs, and ERFs-recall EEGs, PET scans, and fMRIs
- Event-related Potentials and Fields
- most commonly used physiological measure in memory research
- F. A Connectionist View-like Hebb's ideas
- VI. Forgetting
- A. Brain Injury
- Types of amnesia
- organic
- retroactive
- proactive
- dissociative
- B. Fading (Decay)Theory-not a model for memory
- C. Distortion Theory-Loftus and eyewitness memory
- D. Repression Theory-Limited rare instances
- E. Interference Theory
- Retroactive
- Proactive
- More of laboratory phenomenon
- F. Retrieval-Cue Failure-item is in storage but cannot be recovered/compare to true forgetting
- VII. Educational Implications: Aids to Learning and Remembering
- A. Rehearsal-maintains short term memory and leads to long term memory
- B. Elaboration-adding detail aids memory
- C. Organization-chunking, headings, and other relationship cues
- D. Systems for Remembering
- 1. Rhymes and Little Sayings-Mnemonics
- Acrostics
- Acronyms
- Other-iconic (knuckles)
- 2. The Loci System
- Visual imagery data
- Imagery and locations (rooms of house)
- 3. The Phonetic System
- one-bun
- two-shoe
- three-tree
- four-door
- five-hive
- six-sticks
- seven-heaven
- eight-gate
- nine-wine
- ten-hen
- more...
- Make association using peg words
- 4. No memory
- VIII. Summary
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