Psychology: Manipulation and Improvement of Memory

Rhymes

A phrase or string of words (such as a jingle) often with an emphasis on similar sounding words) eg: i before e, expect after c

Leading question

A question that has content or is phrased in such a way as to suggest what answer is desired or to lead to the desired answer (contains a presupposition -> in order for question to make sense, information in question must be true)

Context and State dependent cues

An effective way of enhancing retrieval from LTM is to re-create the conditions under which the required information was originally learned (external environment & internal environment)

Source confusion

Arises when the true source of the memory is forgotten or when a memory is attributed to the wrong source

State Dependent cues

Associated with an individuals internal physiological and/or psychological state (including mood) at the time the memory was formed which act as retrieval cues to help access those memories. (happy, sad, intoxicated, sober, calm or aroused) eg: hiding money when drunk

Peg-word method

Consists of a rhyme or jingle that has mental 'pegs' or 'markers' on which you 'hang' the items to be remembered. An easily recalled series such as the numbers 1 to 10 is used (1-bun, 2-shoe, 3-tree, 4-door). The rhyming words (bun, shoe, tree, door) become retrieval cues. Visualise the information you are trying with the retrieval cue. eg: toothpaste = toothpaste in a bun, glustick = glustick in a shoe

Context Dependent cues

Environment cues in the specific situation where memory was formed, which act as retrieval cues to help access memories formed in that location. (sights, sounds, smells within that specific situation) eg: eye witness goes back to crime scene to recall info

Narrative Chaining

Involves linking otherwise unrelated items to one another to form a meaningful sentence or story. Results of ____ (93% remembered compared to 13%) provides strong evident that using a technique that adds *organisation* and *meaningfulness* to otherwise meaningless material is a form of *elaborative rehearsal* that improves retrieval.

Acrostics

Making verbal associations for items to be remembered by constructing phrases or sentences using the first letters of the information to be remembered . (useful for remembering things in sequential order) eg: EGBDF: every good boy deserves fruit

Acronyms

Pronounceable words formed from the first letters of a sequence of words eg: ANZAC, WHO, EFTPOS

Mnemonic devices

Techniques for enhancing or improving memory; makes use of information that is already stored in LTM (make info more elaborate, more info is stored, additional info makes the material easier to retrieve)

Method of Loci

Uses a well-learned sequence of locations as a series of retrieval cues for the information to be recalled. Locations work as retrieval cues. eg: learn location which is very familiar to you (house), associate visual image of each information needing to be remembered and visually linking them with a particular location. (pluto -> seeing the disney character dog 'pluto' at your front door). works 2-3 times more effectively than serial recall