PSY 101 Lecture 10: Memory
Document Summary
People think memory is like a video recording of life, but it is not. Memory - ability to store and retrieve information over time. Sensory info stored very briefly, close to original sensory form. Very large capacity of information, though we are not aware of everything. What we pay attention to is what will be able to make it to the next memory storage stage. Limited-capacity system holding information in awareness for a brief period. Can only keep memory in working memory if we pay attention to it, not static. Magic number: 7 +/- 2 ideas able to be remembered at once. Chunking into meaningful units makes keeping working memory easier: long-term memory. In order to remember memory, need to send memory through three modes, then retrieve it. Difference between short-term and long-term memory: patient data - initials h. m. Had severe epilepsy, so removed hippocampus and surrounding tissue. Prevented him from ever forming another long-term memory.
