MEMORY AND
FORGETTING
Chapter 11
Learning & Behavior (Chance)
Chapter Guiding Questions
• What are some ways of thinking about memory?
• What kinds of memory have been identified?
• Where are memories to be found?
• What, exactly, is forgetting?
• How is forgetting measured?
• Why does forgetting occur?
• How does forgetting affect survival?
• Are there things I can do to prevent forgetting?
• Is forgetting a bad thing?
Short and Long Memories
• Retention interval—the period between a learning
experience and its recall
• Short-term memory—any memory with a very short
retention interval
• Long-term memory—any memory with a relatively long
retention interval
• Can memories be permanent?
Declarative Memories (Examples)
• Information that can be declared (or stated) with words
• Two types:
• Semantic memories—knowledge about the world
• Episodic memories—autobiographical memory, event memory,
memory for events you have experienced
Nondeclarative Memories (Examples)
• Memories of knowledge that cannot be expressed, implicit
knowledge
• Pavlovian conditioning
• Procedural memories
The Case of H. M.
What is forgetting?
• Deterioration in learned behavior following a period
without practice
What variables affect forgetting?
• Degree of learning
• Overlearning
• Prior learning
• Proactive interference—occurs when old learning interferes with
recall of new information
• Subsequent learning
• Retroactive learning—occurs when new learning interferes with
older learning
• Context
• Cue-dependent forgetting
How can we reduce forgetting?
• Overlearn—learn more to forget less
• Mnemonic device—any technique for aiding recall
• Mnemonic systems—a system that uses mnemonics to
aid recall (loci system, peg word system, etc.)
• Use context clues—making the cues that are present
during learning also present during recall
• Use a prompt—a cue that evokes a behavior
Just forget about it!