Can you imagine how will you operate if you do not have any memory of the past? You won’t be able to make plans for tomorrow or learn anything. Won’t that be confusing?
In this lesson, we will learn about three main psychology theories that explain how memory works – how do we store information, and how do we recall a memory from the past.
So, what do we focus on in this lesson:
In his treatise, On the Soul, Aristotle compared the human mind to a blank slate and theorized that a baby is born without any prior knowledge; humans build their knowledge through life experiences.
So, the question is how do we build knowledge through our life experiences?
It’s through storing, processing and retrieval of information. Memory is the process involved in doing this.
Let’s look at three popular theories that explain how memory works.
This model describes linear flow of information between three stores – the sensory register (SR), short-term memory (STM), and long-term memory (LTM).
Our sense organs detect information and this information enters the sensory memory. For example, our eyes see the colors so they are stored as visual images.
If we attend to this information, it enters the short-term memory (STM).
If that information is rehearsed/repeated, it is transferred to the long-term memory. If the information is not rehearsed/repeated, it is forgotten.
Each memory store has its own characteristics in terms of duration for which information can last in it and the capacity to store information.
Therefore, we need to rehearse information in the short-term memory to remember it for longer.
Ever heard of a teacher or a parent telling a child to speak aloud or write down a fact to etch it in the memory – this is exactly why they say so.
If you keep forgetting the names of the people you’ve met then repeat it to help the information to make through the sensory and short-term memory stores to reach the long-term memory.
While the earlier Multi-store model of memory talked about memory stores (sensory, short-term and long-term), this theory stated that memory is a function of the depth of memory processing.
Shallow processing - If memory is shallow-processed, it will decay easily. There are four ways shallow processing occurs:
Deep processing - If memory is deep-processed, it will become our long-lasting memories. Deep processing is also known as semantic processing. It occurs when we
There are three factors which determine if memory remains:
While maintenance rehearsal and distinctiveness improve short-term memory, elaborative rehearsal enhances long-term memory.
This theory argues that the Multi-Store Model of Memory oversimplifies the workings of short-term memory as a single storage system without any subsystems. This model proposes that short-term memory (also known as working memory) is composed of three sub-systems and different types of information go into each of these. Working memory helps in everything in our daily lives from reading a book and completing math problems to learning to play guitar and getting to school.
The central executive manages attention and problem-solving. It manages the other two ‘slave systems’: visuospatial sketchpad and phonological loop and relates them to the long-term memory. It directs attention and prioritizes what is important. For example, if you are talking to your friend while driving a car, and suddenly there comes a cyclist, the central executive will ensure you stop talking and focus on driving.
Visuospatial sketchpad stores visual and spatial information, and can be considered as an inner eye. It sets up and manipulates mental images.
Phonological loop stores language-based information including both spoken and written materials. It consists of:
Episodic buffer was included as an additional component later. It facilitates communication between the central executive and long-term memory. It is named episodic because it brings together information from different sources into episodes.
