Memory
Take out a piece of paper
Name the Seven Dwarves
Turn your paper over.
Now pick pick out the seven
dwarves.
Grouchy Gabby Fearful Sleepy
Smiley Jumpy Hopeful Shy
Droopy Dopey Sniffy Wishful
Puffy Dumpy Sneezy Pop
Grumpy Bashful Cheerful Teach
Snorty Nifty Happy Doc Wheezy
Stubby Poopy
Seven Dwarves
Sleepy, Dopey, Grumpy, Sneezy, Happy, Doc and Bashful
Difficulty of Task
Was the exercise easy or difficult?
It depends on what factors?
Whether you like Disney movies
How long ago you watched the movie
How loud the people are around you when
you are trying to remember
As you might have guessed, the next topic we are
going to examine is…….
Memory
Memory
What causes us to remember what we remember
and to forget what we forget??
Why do I remember my 13th birthday party or the
boy I had a crush on in fifth grade, but I do not
remember the name of that one teacher down the
hall?
Lets start with the definition of
memory
Memory


The ability of the brain to store, retain,
and then recall information
Learning that has persisted over time
The Memory Process
• Encoding
• Storage
• Retrieval/Recall
Encoding
• The process of getting information inside of your head
– processing information into your memory system
Ex: encoding is like typing a project on your computer
Typing info into a computer
Getting a girls name at a party
Storage
• The creation of a permanent record of the encoded
information
– storing or maintaining
Example: saving your project on your computer
Pressing Ctrl S and
saving the info.
Trying to remember her name
when you leave the party.
Retrieval
• The calling back of the stored information or getting
information out of memory so you can use it
Finding your document or
project and opening it up.
Seeing her the next day and
calling her the wrong name
(retrieval failure).
Encoding
Two Ways We Encode
Automatic Processing
2. Effortful Processing
1.
#1 Automatic Processing

Unconscious Encoding of incidental information

Not having to think or even try to put this information
into your head
You encode space (like things on a page)
 Time (sequence of days events)
 Well learned information (words in your native language)


Remembering you ate lunch yesterday even though you
didn’t try to remember this information
#2 Effortful Processing

Encoding that requires attention and conscious
effort

Working to remember what you wrote in your
notes

Through enough rehearsal, what was effortful becomes
automatic
Encoding
Automatic
Effortful
This unit’s
concepts
Where you
ate yesterday
How do we Encode Information?

Structural (Visual) Encoding


Encoding by forming a mental picture
Emphasizes the physical structure of the item


Phonemic (Acoustical) Encoding



Remembering what a word looks like – capitals or not
Encoding by sound
Remembering the sound of a word
-- rhyme or not
Semantic (Meaning) Encoding


Encoding by meaning
Remembering or focusing on the
meaning of words
Which type works best?
Shallow Processing
VS
Deep Processing
How can you become a better
Encoder??
• Tools to help you put stuff into
your head better so you can
remember it longer
• Some of you should really pay
attention here!!
 Rehearsing and Over learning
 “practice makes perfect”
 Serial Position Effect
 First and last items are easier encoded so spend extra
time with things in the middle
 Spacing Effect
 Spreading out encoding will allow you to retain
more than cramming information
 Distributed practice vs. massed practice
 Self-Reference

Provide meaning to what you want to encode by
making it relevant to your life and context you are in
 Visual


Effect (Deep Processing)
Imagery
Link what you want to encode to a mental image,
story, or picture
Method of Loci (also called memory palace)
• People picture themselves walking through a familiar
place, noting items as they go
• Repeat walk to remember

Peg Word Method
• Remember a rhyme that associates numbers with words
Peg Word System
Remembering the Constitution….
 one
bun (Article I - Legislative)
 two shoe (Article II – Executive)
 three tree(Article III - Judicial)
 four door (Article IV – Relations Among
States)
 five bee hive (Article V – Amending the Cons)
 six sticks (Article VI – Federalism)
 seven heaven (Article VII – Ratification)
 Mnemonic




Devices
Use a memory trick
ROYGBIV
Tying a ribbon on your finger
“I before e, except after c”
 Chunking

Organizing information into meaningful groups vs.
random information
 Minimize

Interference
Go to sleep after learning something to prevent learning
newer material
Things to remember about Encoding
•
The next-In-Line effect:
• we seldom remember what the person has
just said or done if we are next.
•
Taped info played while asleep is registered
by ears, but we do not remember it.
Stress and Memory