Table of Contents
1. Reasons Working Behind Selecting the Chapter.................................................................................2
2. What is Memory and how it works?....................................................................................................3
2.1 Types of Memory.............................................................................................................................3
2.1.1 Sensory Memory.......................................................................................................................4
2.1.2 Short term Memory..................................................................................................................4
2.1.3 Long term Memory...................................................................................................................5
3. Why We Forget?....................................................................................................................................5
3.1 Failure of encoding..........................................................................................................................5
3.2 Decay................................................................................................................................................6
3.3 Interference......................................................................................................................................6
3.4 Cue-dependent Forgetting..............................................................................................................6
4. Improving Memory...............................................................................................................................7
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1. Reasons Working Behind Selecting the Chapter
The reason behind I choose this chapter because I find it amusing that how does our memory
works. Also because through my childhood I wasn’t good at remembering something. I used to
forget things. Even in exam I forget something to write. Basically these chapter help me to
organize my forgetting problem
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2. What is Memory and how it works?
Memory is the faculty of the mind by which information is encoded, stored, and retrieved.
Memory makes us find out, if we couldn't recall the who, what, where, and when of our everyday
lives, we wouldn't be able to function. Memory is vital to experiences and related to limbic
systems, it is the retention of information over time for the purpose of influencing future action.
The three parts encoding, storing and retrieving represents three different process. We can
explain these things with a Computer. Imagine we have to write our names in Microsoft word so
we use keyboard to write names. Here when we write with Keyboard, it sends data to CPU, the
CPU then saved the information for future and when it displayed in monitor, we retrieve
information from it. Here the keyboard works as an encoder that do the initial recording of
information, the CPU worked like a Storage that information saved for future and with the
monitor we retrieve that recovery of stored information. Though human brain is far complex but
we can assume that is how our memory works.
2.1 Types of Memory
Our memory is understood as an informational processing system with functioning that is made
up of a sensory memory, short-term (or working) memory, and long-term memory. Sensory
memory is the initial momentary storage of information, lasting only an instant. We start to
forget things with 1to 3/4 seconds. The short-term memory is the memory that holds information
15 to 25 seconds. And the long term memory is the memory that stores information on a
relatively permanent basis, although it may be difficult to retrieve. All these are our parts of our
memory. So now we will discuss these memories in a broad way.
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2.1.1 Sensory Memory
Sensory memory has the ability to look at an item and remember what it looked like with just a
split second of observation, or memorization, is the example of sensory memory. It is out of our
cognitive control and is an automatic response. It collects information with our 5 senses then
make memory. We previously said that the sensory memory only lasts 1 to 3/4 seconds. It can
not hold that much long but if it can catch what it sees or hear or others it can sure reflect the
exact image or replica of that thing. There are several types of sensory memory but two types of
memory are most renowned. Iconic memory that reflects visual memory and Echoic that helps to
collect audio information. Psychologist George Sperling (1960) demonstrated the existence of
sensory memory.
2.1.2 Short term Memory
Sensory memory catches the raw stimuli that makes a sense of meaning if it sends the data to
short term memory it only lasts up to 15 to 25 seconds. Short term memory is the memory store
in which information first has meaning, although the maximum length of retention there is
relatively short. The sensory memory that are transformed into short term memories is not clear.
Some theorist suggest that information is first translated into graphical representations or images
and other hypothesize that the transfer occurs when the sensory stimuli are changed to words.
We also can remember short memories, if we can make a grouping of words that is known as
“chunks”. It was developed by George A. Miller. A chunks can be 5 to 9 individual items or
groups. Rehearsal is the repetition of information that has entered short term memory. It can be a
big cause of transforming short term memory into long term memory. Rehearsal is two types.
Repetitive rehearsal that holds memory when we continuously repeat that and Elaborate
rehearsal that we organize and linking an information with long term memory.
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2.1.3 Long term Memory
Information’s that passed the short term memory makes it ways from short term to long term
memory. By the long term memory word, we simply understand that it last almost forever. Like
a new file save on hard drive we can retrieve whenever we need it. Even after a brain injury a
person can remember things that before happened the injury. The most important modules of
long term memory is Declarative memory that is the memory for factual information like names,
dates etc. And Procedural memory that is the memory that skills and habits how to ride bike or
hit a ball etc
3. Why We Forget?
We forget something to write on paper, we forget to call our loved ones, we forget to bring our
keys etc. It is a basic norm that we forget. Forgetting or disremembering is the apparent loss or
modification of information already encoded and stored in an individual's long-term memory. It
is a spontaneous or gradual process in which old memories are unable to be recalled from
memory storage. Forgetting also helps to reconcile the storage of new information with old
knowledge. German psychologists Hermann Ebbinghaus had done the study about forgetting
things about 100 years ago. From his Study he found that we forget something 30% that we
learned after 9 hours and among those 9 hours we forget 12% of that thing by an hour. We forget
things for many reasons. Such As:
3.1 Failure of encoding
Failure of encoding occurs when we are not paid attention to something that is happening. Like
we use takas in our daily life for exchanging. But do we can remember all the descriptive
information about the taka. We don’t despite of many use of that things.
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3.2 Decay
Decay is the loss of information in memory through its nonuse and passage of time. If the
information is encoded in our mind but it is not in use it will surely be fade away by the passage
of time. It also occurs by our physical change in our brain when new things are learned.
Sometimes decay doesn’t occur like we can remember rhymes from our childhood.
3.3 Interference
The phenomenon by which information in memory disrupts the recall of other information. Like
when I try to remember a word a new word comes in my mind. Proactive and Retroactive
interference are two types of interference.
3.4 Cue-dependent Forgetting
Cue-dependent forgetting occurs when there are insufficient retrieval cues to rekindle
information that is in memory. The thing or information doesn’t remember before the person saw
the cue. The cue acts as a stimuli of the remembrance of the thing.
There are some other reasons like amnesia, dementia, stress, stroke etc.
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4. Improving Memory
We do everything to improving our memory from drinking Horlicks, eating vegetables etc. But
rarely we get results. These are some ways to improve memory
1. Use the key word technique
2 .Rely on organizational cues
3. Take effective notes
4 Practice and rehearse
5 don’t believe claims about drugs that improve memory
6.Encoding Specificity
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My experience through the course was very great. I learned a great deal about psychology and
how it works. How people mind works and also how to how to maintain ourselves.
