Overview & Description:

Memory, one of the key areas of study in cognitive psychology, refers to the processes that are used to store, retain, and recall information. Memory encompasses three primary stages: encoding (the process of receiving and registering information), storage (maintaining encoded information over time), and retrieval (accessing and bringing stored memories into conscious thought).

Memory can be divided into several types and subsystems, including:

1. Short-Term Memory (STM):
   • Function: Temporarily holds a small amount of information in an easily accessible format for a short period.
   • Example: Remembering a phone number long enough to dial it.
2. Long-Term Memory (LTM):
   • Function: A durable storage system that has a practically limitless capacity.
   • Subcategories:
     • Explicit Memory (Declarative): Conscious and intentional recall of facts and events.
     • Implicit Memory (Non-Declarative): Unconscious memory of skills and how things are done.
   • Example: Remembering how to ride a bike (implicit) or recalling the date of your birthday (explicit).
3. Working Memory:
   • Function: Actively processes, manipulates, and retains information and is essential for tasks where we have to store information temporarily to manipulate it, such as mental arithmetic.
   • Example: Calculating the tip on a restaurant bill without using a calculator.

Implications:

• Educational Psychology:
  • Strategies to enhance memory recall in educational settings, like utilizing mnemonic devices, rehearsal, chunking, etc.
  • Tailoring teaching methods to accommodate different memory strengths and weaknesses among students.
• Clinical Psychology:
  • Understanding memory impairments, such as amnesia, and developing coping strategies for affected individuals.
  • Exploring aspects of memory in pathologies such as Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias.
• Legal System:
  • Eyewitness testimony: Investigating the reliability and factors that influence memory recall in forensic settings.
  • Interrogation techniques: Understanding the best practices to facilitate accurate memory recall without inadvertently implanting false memories.

References:

• Atkinson, R. C., & Shiffrin, R. M. (1968). Human memory: A proposed system and its control processes. In K. W. Spence & J. T. Spence (Eds.), The psychology of learning and motivation (Vol. 2, pp. 89-195). Academic Press.
• Baddeley, A. (2000). The episodic buffer: a new component of working memory? Trends in cognitive sciences, 4(11), 417-423.
• Squire, L. R., & Zola, S. M. (1996). Structure and function of declarative and nondeclarative memory systems. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 93(24), 13515-13522.