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Psychology - Psychology Memory

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    Study Guide Psychology – Psychology: Memory 1. Encoding Information Encoding is the process of changing information so it can be stored in memory . Before information can be remembered, it first has to be encoded properly. A key part of encoding is selective attention . This means focusing your awareness on certain information while ignoring other stimuli. If you do not pay attention to something, it is unlikely to be encoded into memory. 1.1 Levels of Processing Information can be encoded at different levels , depending on how deeply we think about it. Deeper processing usually leads to better memory. Imagine seeing a word flashed briefly on a screen: Shallow (Structural) Processing • Focuses on the physical appearance of the word • Example: noticing whether the word is written in capital letters • This type of processing leads to weak memory Intermediate (Phonemic) Processing • Focuses on the sound of the word • Example: thinking about how the word is pronounced Deep (Semantic) Processing • Focuses on the meaning of the word • Example: thinking about what the word represents or how it is used • This level of processing produces the strongest and most lasting memories

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    Study Guide 1.2 Ways to Improve Encoding Encoding can be strengthened by using effective memory strategies. Visual Imagery Creating mental pictures of the information helps make it more memorable. Elaboration Elaboration involves connecting new information to what you already know . Making associations or examples helps strengthen memory. Relevance Information is remembered better when it is personally meaningful or important . When material relates to your own life, it is easier to encode and recall. 1.3 Organizing Information for Better Memory Organizing material makes it easier to encode and remember. Chunking Chunking means grouping information into smaller, manageable units. Example: A phone number is easier to remember when it is broken into parts — area code, three digits, and four digits. Hierarchies Hierarchies involve organizing information into categories and subcategories, starting with general ideas and moving to more specific details. This structure helps the brain store and retrieve information more efficiently. Key Takeaway Encoding is the first and essential step in memory formation. Paying attention, processing information deeply, making it meaningful, and organizing it well all increase the chances that information will be remembered later.

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    Study Guide 2. Memory Storage Memory is not stored in just one place. Instead, psychologists describe three main memory systems that work together to store information: 1. Sensory memory 2. Short - term memory (STM) 3. Long - term memory (LTM) Each system has a different role in how we remember information. 2.1 Sensory Memory Sensory memory briefly holds information that comes in through our senses — such as sights and sounds — for only a fraction of a second . • A visual sensory memory is called an icon • An auditory sensory memory is called an echo Although sensory memory lasts only a moment, it plays an important role. It keeps information available just long enough for us to: • Recognize it • Encode it (change it into a usable form) • Pass it into conscious awareness Without sensory memory, the world would feel like a series of disconnected flashes. 2.2 Short - Term Memory (STM) Short - term memory temporarily stores information we are actively thinking about. Key Features of STM • Duration : about 15 – 30 seconds • Capacity : about 7 items , give or take a few Psychologist George Miller described this limit as the “magical number seven, plus or minus two.” Improving Short - Term Memory STM can be maintained using maintenance rehearsal , which means repeating information over and over (for example, rehearsing a phone number until you dial it).

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    Study Guide 2.3 Long - Term Memory (LTM) Long - term memory stores information for long periods of time , possibly for a lifetime. Key Features of LTM • Capacity : virtually unlimited • Duration : very long - lasting Information is more likely to enter long - term memory through: • Repetition • Elaborative rehearsal , which involves adding meaning and making connections to what you already know 2.4 Types of Long - Term Memory Psychologist Endel Tulving proposed that long - term memory has different forms. Procedural Memory • Memory for skills and actions • Example: riding a bicycle or skipping rope Episodic Memory • Memory for personal life events • Example: your first day of school or a birthday party Semantic Memory • Memory for facts, concepts, and language • Example: knowing word meanings or math rules Metamemory Researchers have also identified metamemory , which is your awareness of how your memory works and how to use strategies to remember information more effectively.

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