Memory

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Memory
Salvador Dali, The Persistence of Memory, 1931
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What if you had no memory of the past? Amnesia -
suspended animation Memory loss brief
narrow? long-lasting far-reaching What
if your memories werent real? False
Memories FM laboratory-created/words?life-chang
ing
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What if you couldnt remember facts? -
difference between a robin and an eagle - the
danger associated with putting an electric
appliance in the bathtub
What if you couldnt remember procedures? - how
to ride a bike/drive a car - how to fix a
meal - how to tie your shoes/button your shirt
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What is Memory?
Persistence of learning over time via storage
and retrieval of information
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Origins of Memory Research
Hermann Ebbinghaus 1850-1909
E. L. Thorndike 1874-1949

• Animal Learning
• emphasized response acquisition
• No interference, memory
• Non-verbal matls

• Human Learning
• emphasized response retention
• Interference
• Verbal matls

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Thorndikes Puzzle Box

• Law of Effect A behavior is selected by its
  consequences
• Law of Readiness Responses can be chained
  together
• Law of Exercise Connections strengthened through
  practice, weakened without practice

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Ebbinghaus Nonsense Syllable Learning
Day 1 Learn list WID ZOF BNE .
. .
Day n Relearn list WID ZOF BNE
. . .
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Modal Model of Memory
For each stage, what is its
Duration?
Capacity?
Code?
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Iconic MemoryTemporal Integration Eriksen
Collins, 1967
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Iconic MemoryPartial Report Sperling, 1960

• Briefly (50 msec) flash consonant matrix (e.g., 3
  x 3)
• Report cued row
• Random cuing
• Vary interval between matrix and cue

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