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Essay on short and long term memory
Essay on short and long term memory
Three stages of memory
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When we try and remember ideas events or facts, we are actually remembering our version of events. If you think about what you ate for dinner on Thanksgiving five years ago you most likely would say the generic idea of a thanksgiving dinner, such as turkey, ham, sweet potatoes ect. You would not be able to recall and explain specific details that require attention and focus. Since memory is unique to the individual, is what we remember a realistic recollection of events and facts? From Larry R. Squire’s book, Memory and Brain, we can classify Memory into three different stages: Immediate, Short Term, and Long Term. Immediate Memory is usually in terms of seconds, Short Term Memory (STM) is in terms of minutes and Long Term Memory (LTM) is in terms of days to years. Now, these three systems are just generalizations of the aspects of Memory that can be explored independently, however they are not independent systems. Questions about Memory usually arise in how memory is analyzed and where distinctions can be identified inside Memory in the brain. The idea of the two Memory systems STM and LTM comes from working with humans tested to recall strings of digits and this developed from a tradition of cognitive psychology. "Primary Memory [STM] refers to the information that forms the focus of current attention and that occupies the stream of thought". Because of this, information has to occupy your though process in order for you to use it. STM can be called Primary Memory, however it should be noted that Primary Memory does not value time. It is devoting focus on attention, processing and Memory Capacity. This leads into Working Memory which is a buffer where STM can be handled while it is being processed. Working Memory needs more than... ... middle of paper ... ...ive Science: Change Blindness. Université Paris 5, n.d. Web. 7 Apr. 2014. . Rensink, Ronald A. Change Blindness. Rep. University of British Columbia, n.d. Web. 15 April 2014. < http://www2.psych.ubc.ca/~rensink/publications/download/RR-MGY.pdf > Squire, Larry R.. "Short-term and Long-term Memory Processes." Memory and brain. New York: Oxford University Press, 1987. 134-145. Print. Squire, Larry R., and Eric R. Kandel. "Declarative Memory." Memory: from mind to molecules. New York: Scientific American Library :, 1999. 69-74. Print. "EyewitnessTestimony." AS Psychology /. PBWorks, n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. "What our eyes can't see, the brain fills in." Phys.org. Science X, 4 Apr. 2011. Web. 7 Apr. 2014. .
...Baddeley (1966) study of encoding in the short term memory and long term memory supports the MSM model on the mode of processing such that words are processed on recall and both models share the same opinion that processing does influence recall. Finally, the MSM model of memory states that all information is stored in the long term memory, however, this interpretation contrasts with that of Baddeley (1974) who argue that we store different types of memories and it is unlikely that they occur only in the LTM store. Additionally, other theories have recognised different types of memories that we experience, therefore it is debatable that all these different memories occur only in the long-term memory as presumed by the multi-store model which states the long term memory store as with unlimited capacity, in addition it also fails to explain how we recall information.
One wonders what takes place in the brain to cause such phenomenal differences in perception. The cause is unknown for certain, like many things in the realm of science it has not been researched nearly enough, but there are some indications.
Atkinson, R.C. & Shiffrin, R.M. (1968). Human memory: A proposed system and its control process.
The article How to Tell If a Particular Memory Is True or False by Daniel M. Bernstein and Elizabeth F. Loftus, addresses the various techniques used by cognitive scientists and other researchers in hopes of distinguishing true from false memories. For this article Loftus and Bernstein, memory researchers, chose to discuss the different methods currently used, rather than trying to find new ways to tell if a particular memory is true or false. Their findings in these three different approaches are very interesting, and leads us to think critically of the veracity of true and false memories.
Can memories be biased? Researchers Postarino and Doyle-Portillio (2013); Bernstein and Loftus (2009); and Bartholomew (2009) found increasing evidence to suggest that the answer to this question is yes. Explicit and implicit memories are encoded differently, but it appears both can be fallible. Also worth noting, is that this can happen without a person conscious awareness. Kolb and Whishaw (2014) examined studies that gave participants a list of words, then gave them a second list. The second list contained some, but not all items from the first list, but many participants thought the word sugar was on both, when in fact it was only on the second. Similar words like cake, sweet, and candy were on the first so this seemed to confuse participants. This phenomena researchers refer to as false memory. False memory is different from a lie; unlike a lie, the individual in this case may give false account of the past truly believing that he or she is telling the truth. In other words, false memory can simply be defined as mental experience that is wrongfully considered as the truthful representation of the past. False memories can result in both minor and serious consequences Bernstein & Loftus, 2009; Bartholomew, 2009).
Zoltan, B. Vision, Perception, & Cognition: A Manuel for the Evaluation and Treatment of the Neurologically Impaired Adult. Slack Incorporated: New Jersey, 1996. 109-111.
Making and storing memories is a complex process involving many regions of the brain. (3). Most experts agree that we have two stages of memories - short-term memory and long-term memory. Short-term memory is the immediate memory we have when we first hear or perceive someth...
The human brain consists of many subsystems within the long-term memory. One of which is episodic memory. Episodic Memory is the remembrance of a phenomenal personal experience in terms of what, when, and where. This memory begins by retrieving information such as, words, objects, or faces; using this knowledge the episodic memory finds links and slowly transitions into recalling the complete memoir.
What is memory and how its work. It is usually link with the ‘thinking of again’ or ‘recalling to the mind’ of a thing learned or memorized before. Definitions of this sort imply conscious awareness in the remembered that they are recollecting something of the past. For instance, we may remember our first day of school or some information like who is the president of the country. Basically, this is just tiny part of our capacity when we check out the full human memory capabilities.
The usage of recreational drugs has a negative effect on the body, and can interfere with one’s memory. The main question is whether this addiction to recreational drugs is the main cause of the mind that interferes with the issue of truth and memory and how is it this shown by creative nonfiction writers. I argue that the addiction to such drugs as cocaine and crystal meth can mess with the author’s cognitive ability, therefore tying it to which ties into memory. When the authors are addicted to these drugs, their brains are affected to the point that they can no longer distinguish between truth and memory and thus result in blurred and false memories.
The human brain is not a computer. A computer can store hundreds and thousands of documents and files permanently in its memory, but the human brain can not. Computer files can be stored permanently in secondary storage devices such as external hard drives and USB. On the other hand, human memory is neither transferable nor material. The human brain can not store memory permanently and accurately. Although the human brain is marvellous, human memory is highly unreliable due to memory distortion.
The construction of false memories is a combination of perception and distorted events which cultivate a perspective of an event. Often, memory is documented with clarity and accuracy, while it is prone to fallacy. Memories can be false in relatively minor ways, such as believing one saw their keys in the kitchen when it was in the living room. While all experiences of memory failures are uniquely distinctive of one’s recollection of an event, false memories are influenced by a number of factors. Misinformation and misattribution of information were main components of false implications.
Sternberg, R. J. (1999). Cognitive psychology (2nd ed.). Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt Brace College Publishers
However, this is not completely accurate. A memory may appear to be permanent, but it is not. Scientists are discovering that a memory changes every time you think of it. “Every time you recall a memory, it becomes sensitive to disruption.” According to Dr. Eric Kandel from Columbia University, memories are not snapshots that are stored forever, but are collection of brain cells, neurons, that undergo chemical changes every time you recall a memory ("CBC News - Scientists Explore the Illusion of
It also has a similar concept as short term memory. Working memory also has limited capacity system for temporary storage. Instead of holding the data for brief seconds, the working memory carried the processing data and control of data that happens during cognitive tasks (Kane, Engle, 2003). For instance, an individual could compute the numerical issue in their mind without utilizing a calculator. The area of the brain that involves in the working memory are the frontal lobe, parietal lobe and the cerebellum. The initial part of the short-term memory is the phonological loop. It is a brief stored of verbal information by rehearsing the sentences. However, if two verbal information tasks are conducting at the same time, it may overloaded the phonological loop. Thus, it will be difficult to recall the sentences (Parmentier, Elford, Maybery, 2005). Secondly is the visuospatial sketch pad. It is the temporary storage for visual information. As phonological loop, if there are two tasks of visual information,the person will found it is difficult to perform both tasks in the meantime. This proposes that the tracking and visualizer are competing towards the limited storage of visuospatial sketch pad. The last part of short memory is the episodic buffer. The episodic buffer acts as a storage backup of information. It also communicates with both long-term memory and working components. Moreover, the episodic buffer could hold information longer than sensory memory. The episodic buffer also has greater capacity than phonological loop or visuospatial sketch pad