The paradox of human memoryThe paradox of human memorySlide 3Slide 4MemoryAssociative learning in memoryAssociative learning in memoryAssociative learning in memoryHow Does Memory Work?Slide 10Overarching Memory ProcessesSlide 12Sperling’s Iconic Memory ExperimentSperling’s Iconic Memory ExperimentSperling’s Iconic Memory ExperimentSperling’s Iconic Memory ExperimentSperling’s Iconic Memory ExperimentSperling’s Iconic Memory ExperimentSperling’s Iconic Memory ExperimentSperling’s Iconic Memory ExperimentPartial Report ProcedureEncoding & StorageSlide 23The paradox of human memory•It’s incredibly good–we can recall things that happened only once, deacdes ago, often with vivid detail.–there seems to be no storage limit• It’s incredible bad–where did you park your car? –when is your cousin’s birthday?–what did you have for lunch on September 12th?The paradox of human memory•It’s incredibly good–we can recall things that happened only once, decades ago, often with vivid detail–there seems to be no storage limit•It’s incredibly bad–where did you park your car? –when is your cousin’s birthday?–what did you have for lunch on September 12th?•Sometimes it’s incredibly good for things that did not happen. Example: false memories.Human memory is not just facts and routines: It includes our experiencesit includes knowledge that helps us generalize to things we haven´t directly experiencedIt includes things we don’t know we knowIt doesn’t include everything we have learned/ experiencedMemory: storage and retrieval of information and skills = retention of information or experience over timeA change in the system, brought about by experience, that influences subsequent processing and behavior Our memory stores representations of things that we encounter, such that we will react differently when we encounter them in the future.MemoryIn memory we typically have:A memory trace (representation of scary lion)Cues to retrieval(e.g. “What happened to you on your vacation?”)Associative learning in memoryscarybig mouthfurrylion’sshapeStored memorycuesStrength of associating things through classical conditioningAssociative learning in memoryscarybig mouthfurrylion’sshapeStored memoryRetrieval cuesAssociative learning in memoryscarybig mouthfurrylion’sshapeStored memoryRetrieval cuesHow Does Memory Work?Here is a simplified description of how memory works:Encoding: the information gets into our brains in a way that allows it to be storedStorage: the information is held in a way that allows it to later be retrievedRetrieval: reactivating and recalling the information, producing it in a form similar to what was encodedEncodingStorageRetrievalThree behaviors show that memory is functioning.Recall is analogous to “fill-in-the-blank.” You retrieve information previously learned and unconsciously stored.Recognition is a form of “multiple choice.” You identify which stimuli match your stored information.Relearning is a measure of how much less work it takes you to learn information you had studied before, even if you don’t recall habing seen the information before.How to study Memory? RetrievalOverarching Memory ProcessesEncodingStorageRetrievalSensory MemoryShort-term (working memory)Long-term memoryLong-term memory(LTM) permanentmemoryControl Processes:RehearsalCoding (verbal)DecisionRetrieval strategiesInputvisualauditoryhapticattentionAtkinson & Shiffrin (1968)Working Memory = a system for maintaining and manipulating active representations Sensory registersShort-term Memory (STM)Temporary working memorySperling’s Iconic Memory ExperimentSperling’s Iconic Memory ExperimentSperling’s Iconic Memory Experiment3. Subject reports as many letters as they canSperling’s Iconic Memory Experiment Resultspeople could remember up to 4 OR 5 letters(regardless of how many letters were presented) extending the display time to ½ second did not change resultsSperling’s Iconic Memory ExperimentSperling’s Iconic Memory ExperimentSperling’s Iconic Memory ExperimentSperling’s Iconic Memory Experimentcapacity: visual sensory memory contains all presented visual input can report attended items that are converted to a more stable internal representationinformation-processing / attentional capacity is limitedPartial Report ProcedureVisual memory trace Persists for 500msec without attentionEncoding & Storage•Sensory memory: Rich/Detailed information of sensory information, very brief duration, automatic processes cannot conciously chose what information to be stored•Encoding is same mechanism as perception•Trace is stored in sensory receptors, receptive fields, and relays = specific to modality.–Visual sensory traces are called iconic memories, 1/20 of second–Auditory sensory traces are echoic memories, 3-4 seconds–Haptic traces: less than 10 secondsLong-term Mem. (LTM)permanentmemoryShort-term Mem.(STM)temporaryworking memoryControl Processes:rehearsalcoding (verbal)decisionretrieval strategiesInputSensory registersvisualauditoryhapticattentionAtkinson & Shiffrin (1968)Working Memory = a system for maintaining and manipulating active representationsSensory memory forms automatically, without attentionAttention is needed to transfer information to working