PSYC 213 Chapter Notes - Chapter 5: Wax Tablet, Wax Paper, Long-Term Memory

• School: McGill University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 213
• Professor: Jelena Ristic

Document Summary

One way to have effect on memory is to leave a trace (chapter 3) Toy pad layer of black wax lies under sheet of waxed paper under a sheet of clear plastic. When writing on plastic can see what you wrote where plastic sticks to black wax. When lifting paper and plastic what you wrote disappears still lines on black wax: overlay = perception of event = transitory, memories similar to what remains on wax tablet after we lift plastic. Imperfect analogy unlikely memory has the truly haphazard structure of a wax tablet. Analogy helps clear distinction between memory traces and memory schemas. Pure concept of memory traces laid dow in memory as distinct, permanent copies of presvious experiences. Reappearance hypothesis: neisser hypothesis that memory is a re-experiencing of the past. Implies that same memory can disappear/reappear over and over.