Forgetting Memory Construction Forgetting Forgetting is a result

Forgetting & Memory Construction

Forgetting • Forgetting is a result of either: 1. Encoding Failure 2. Storage Decay OR 3. Retrieval Failure

Storage Loss: Amnesia • Amnesia refers to the loss of memory. • Clive Wearing

Types of Memory Loss • Antero grade Amnesia: – UNABLE TO FORM ANY NEW MEMORIES. • Ex/Can’t remember anything that has occurred AFTER a traumatic head injury. • Retrograde Amnesia – UNABLE TO REMEMBER PAST EVENTS. • Ex/ forget everything that happened BEFORE a traumatic head injury.

Encoding Failure • We fail to encode the information. • It never has a chance to enter our STM or LTM.

Encoding Failure: Which Penny is the Real Deal?

Storage Decay • Even if we encode something well, we can forget it. • Without rehearsal, we forget thing over time.

Ebbinghaus’s Forgetting Curve

Forgetting as Retrieval Failure • The memory was encoded and stored, but sometimes cannot access the memory.

Types of Retrieval Failure • 1. Proactive Interference : – old information blocks out new information. • ASK: What is interfered with…the new memories (PRO active interference)! • Your old phone number blocks you from retrieving your new number • Your old boyfriend’s name blocks you from retrieving your new boyfriend’s name

Types of Retrieval Failure • 2. Retroactive Interference : – new information blocks out old information. • What is getting interfered with…the old/retro memories – You new house address blocks you from retrieving your old address – Your new school schedule blocks last years

• POR

Self Quiz: Proactive or Retroactive? • Time Warner cable changes the channel numbers on your TV. You still type in 39 when trying to watch ESPN and it brings you to QVC. • What type of interference is it?

Self Quiz: Proactive or Retroactive? • You move and get a new address, yet all you can retrieve is your old address and not your new one. • What type of interference is it?

Self Quiz: Proactive or Retroactive? • When I learned all of your names this year, I forgot all of my student’s names from last year. • What is getting interfered with – NEW memory or -OLD memory • What type of interference is it?

Self Quiz: Proactive or Retroactive? • You keep putting in the locker combination from last year when trying to open this year’s locker? • What is getting interfered with – NEW memory or -OLD memory • What type of interference is it?

Self Quiz: Proactive or Retroactive? • You were an expert skier but after learning to snowboard, you have had trouble getting used to skiing again. • What is getting interfered with – NEW memory or -OLD memory • What type of interference is it?

Self Quiz: Proactive or Retroactive? • Mom reorganizes the kitchen and you look for a plate in its old location. • What is getting interfered with – NEW memory or -OLD memory • What type of interference is it?

Think you have it? • Write a real life example for both Proactive Interference and Retroactive Interference

Retrieval Failure cont’d • Tip of the Tongue phenomenon: – when we are certain we know something yet we are unable to recall it. – usually priming or context effects will help you recall the information you are looking for.

Motivated Forgetting • We sometimes revise our own histories. Honey, I did stick to my diet today!!!!!!

Motivated Forgetting Why does is exist? One explanation is REPRESSION : • in psychoanalytic theory • We banish anxietyarousing thoughts, feelings and memories from consciousness. – FREUD

Repression and Controversy of Child Abuse – In the late 1980’s a book came out called “The Courage to Heal” which encouraged people to recover memories of abuse. – Following the book, “Recover Memory Therapists” arose in great numbers and many people began reporting incidents of “repressed” abuse. – Sometimes “repressed memories” were used as evidence against individuals in court cases.

MEMORY CONSTRUCTION

Memory Construction (or reconstruction) • We sometimes alter our memories as we encode or retrieve them. • Your expectations , schemas, environment may alter your memories.

Source Amnesia (Source Attribution) • Attributing to the wrong source an event we have experienced, heard about, read about or imagined.

FALSE MEMORIES • Are you a reliable eyewitness?

FALSE MEMORIES • Elizabeth Loftus is famous for her studies on false memories • The Bunny Effect • Lost in a Mall

Elizabeth Loftus’s Research on Eyewitness Testimony Depiction of actual accident Memory construction • Loftus had individuals watch car accidents and then recorded results based on questioning procedures.

Misinformation Effect Leading Question: About how fast were the cars going when they smashed into each other?

• TED Talks on Elizabeth Loftus