Siena Heights University
Chapters 9, 10 & 11
Dr. S.Talbot
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Memory Construction
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Perception v. Sensation
◦ Sensation:
◦ Perception:
Construction
(constructive processing):

Re-organizing or updating
long-term memories on the basis
of _______, _____or ______ new
information
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Long – Term Memory Storage Processes
◦ Selection/ Attention – takes the information from sensory to
STM.
◦ Rehearsal – ______repeating something over and over.
 Elaborative rehearsal  Recitation –
◦ __________Learning – information that is meaningful is
stored more readily. What makes it to long term memory?
◦ __________Organization – does it makes sense? Info with
internal connection and organization is remembered more
readily. Changes in the Catholic Mass.
◦ Elaboration - using prior knowledge in the storage and
perception of new information.

Long – Term Memory Storage Processes
◦ Selection – takes the information from sensory to STM.
◦ Rehearsal – silently repeating something over and over.
 Elaborative rehearsal - Look for connections to existing
knowledge
 Recitation – Repeating out loud.
◦ Meaningful Learning – information that is meaningful is
stored more readily. What makes it to long term memory?
◦ Internal Organization – does it makes sense? Info with
internal connection and organization is remembered more
readily. Changes in the Catholic Mass.
◦ Elaboration - using prior knowledge in the storage and
perception of new information.
◦ Visual Imagery – information presented in verbal and visual
terms is remembered more readily.

Procedural Knowledge
◦ How is procedural knowledge acquired?
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New Knowledge and Consolidation
◦ Consolidation – the time required for memory
formation to become __________.
 Retrograde Amnesia:
 Anterograde Amnesia:

Electroconvulsive Shock (ECS): Mild electrical shock
passed through the brain, causing a convulsion;
one way to prevent consolidation
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Factors Affecting Long – Term Storage
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Working memory
Prior knowledge & misconceptions
New information (misinformation effect)
Expectations (can’t find your own typos?)
 Halo effect
 Richard Stanz
◦ Verbalization
◦ Enactment – Do it.
◦ Repetition & Review
 Spacing Effects
 Overlearning

Chapter 10 Long – Term Memory: The Nature of
Knowledge
◦ Define?
◦ Declarative knowledge – what we know we know or the
nature of how things are, were or will be.
 Episodic –
 Semantic –
◦ Procedural knowledge – knowing how to do.
 Conditional knowledge –
 Conceptual knowledge –

Explicit v. Implicit Knowldge
◦ Explicit – knowledge that is…
◦ Implicit – knowledge that…

How do we encode?
◦
◦
◦
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Physical characteristics
Actions
Symbols – verbal codes
Meaning – remembering the “gist”
◦ Are these forms mutually exclusive?

The organization of memory
◦
◦
◦
◦
Is
Is
Is
Is
it
it
it
it
associations?
a hierarchy?
a network?
a paralleled distribution?
◦ Why do we care?

Thinking with concepts.
◦ Concept: Generalized idea representing a class of related objects
or events

Concept Formation - Process of classifying world into
meaningful categories
◦ Positive Instance:
◦ Negative Instance:

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Conceptual Rule:
Prototypes/ Ideal Models
Can lead to schemas and scripts about our world.

Our theories about our world v. Reality
◦ World views – a general set of beliefs and
assumptions about reality that influence
understanding of a wide variety of phenomena.
◦ What affects these world views?
◦ Should we encourage the development of theories?

Once theories and concepts have developed
conceptual change is affected.
◦ Existing beliefs affect the interpretation of new
information.
◦ Most people experience confirmation bias.
◦ Existing beliefs are often consistent with daily
experiences and supported by the environment.
◦ People may fail to see inconsistency between
current and past beliefs.
◦ There may be an emotion or personal investment in
maintaining current beliefs.

So how do we promote conceptual change?
◦ Understand what beliefs exist and why they exist.
◦ Learn information at a meaningful rather than
emotional level.
◦ Individuals must believe that revision of beliefs or
theories is appropriate or beneficial.
◦ Change behavior first. (Development of a problem).
 Can you legislate morality?
◦ We must want to learn what is real.
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Stereotypes, Discrimination and Prejudice.

Prejudice:

Discrimination:
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Personal Prejudice:
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Group Prejudice:
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Chapter 11 – Retrieval and Forgetting
◦ Retrieval Cues or Cue dependent learning
◦ State Dependent Learning
 __________State
 __________State

Construction in Retrieval
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Flashbulb Memories:
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Includes both positive and negative events
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Not always accurate

Great confidence is placed in them even though
they may be inaccurate

1.
2.
3.
Implications?
.
.
.
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Forgetting
◦ How permanent is long term memory?
◦ Decay
◦ Interference
 Retroactive Interference:
 Proactive Interference:
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More on Forgetting
◦ Repression
◦ Failure to Retrieve –
◦ Construction at retrieval –
◦ Failure to encode, store or consolidate
◦ Infantile Amnesia

Implications?
◦ School?
◦ Your current job or future job?