Fundamental Functions of Memory - Essay Example

Running head: Memory Memory Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Name Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Course Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Lecture Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 20th November, 2012. Introduction Memory is a term that is commonly used to define processes as well as structures that are involved in the storage as well as the subsequent retrieval of data and information. Memory seems to be an essential to all the lives of individuals. Without a memory of the past happenings, one cannot be able to operate in the present environment or either thinks about the future. Also without a memory one would not be able to remember what he did yesterday, what to do today or even plan for tomorrow (Carlson, 2010). Thus without memory one would not be able to learn anything. Memory is therefore involved in the processing of vast amounts of data and information. From a psychologists view, memory tends to deal with three core aspects of the information that is been processed and they include: Encoding Storage Retrieval Encoding and the memory Encoding of the information is the first stage. When the information is derived from the external environment or form the sensory inputs, it ought to be changed into a form that the system can cope with so that storage can occur (Carlson, 2010). Information is encoded using three main ways which are semantic method, visual method and acoustic method. Storage and the memory This is the second stage and it involves the nature of the memory stores for example where the information is been stored, duration of the memory, capacity that can be stored and the kind of information been held. The manner in which information is stored plays a major role in determining how the information is retrieved (Dudai, 2007). Retrieval and memory This is termed as the third and last stage and it involves the getting of information out of its storage place. If an individual cannot remember something it may be attributed to the fact that he/she is unable to retrieve it. It is at this stage of retrieval where it becomes clear of the differences that exist between long term memory and short term memory. Clear and concise organization of information can assists a lot in the retrieval (Bauer, 2002). One can organize information in sequences for example size, alphabetically and by time. Memory models While a number of models of memory have been in use over time, the stage model of the memory so the one that is applied mostly so as to aid explanation of the function as well as the structure of the memory. The model had been initially proposed in the year 1968 by Shiffrin and Atkinson, the model tend to outline three different stages of memory that is the sensory memory, short term memory and the long term memory. During the sensory stage, sensory information is usually stored for a very short period for the sake of auditory information. The short term memory is also termed the active memory and it is the information that we are currently aware of or with are thinking about. The long term memory refers to the continued storage of the information and it is usually called in when needed (Bauer, 2002). Why I choose the topic There exist a number of factors that motivated me into choosing the topic on memory as the topic to research on. One of the major factors is that I observed that though students attended classes together all of them produced different levels of scores after taking tests. I was really puzzled by the observation that students attended classes at the same time were taught by the same teacher and they had the same facilities yet they depicted different results at the end of the semester. It is also desirable to study memory in human beings since through it one is able to have the ability to intuitively illustrate a certain experience and at the same time be able to perform various complex and meandering tests of the memory (Baddeley, 1976). Individuals are able to explain a certain experience though the use of memory in that they have stored some of the occurrences in the memory and thus will be able to relay that information easily. Another reason why I choose to study memory is to be able to know and understand human behaviors. It at time proves difficult to understand human behavior seems human beings have a complicated behavior. Based on this fact, it seems very difficult to identify and understand the behavior of an individual from his/her activities (Baddeley, 1976). This is based on the fact that one cannot generalize from an overt/covert behavior. Some scientific investigations seem to be important. The study of the memory of human beings is one branch which tend to explain the behavior of human beings and why the at time act as they do. Some may have stored information while others may have not stored it thus offering a difference between two individuals though they have been placed in the same settings. Another motivating factor in the study of memory was based on that fact that as human beings I was eager to know how information is assimilated in the memory, how it is maintained and how it is retrieved. This objective seems to have been achieved when since the topic clearly depicted how information gets into the memory, how it is maintained and how it is alter released to the environment. How memory helps when studying for the exams Exams seem to be the most stressful part of student’s life in schools. The more prepared the students are, the less stressful will the situation become when it comes to taking the exams. Regular revisions throughout the semester assist the students a lot in transferring the knowledge gained to the long term memory. Some students tend to leave their studies until the last minute which eventually results in bottlenecks when they are trying to cram all that they have learned in the semester and this tend to reduce the level of effectiveness of the study as well as the revision. Thus students need to revise at a regular rate so as to achieve better grades when it comes to doing there exams. There seems to be no easy and quick way for students to succeed on the exams. Student have to work steadily throughout the semester and they also have to study hard prior to the examination dates. Regrettably, a great number of students do not perform well on their exams as they are supposed to since they have not mastered the art of putting information in the memory in a way that it does not get out easily (Cowan, 2001). Memory assists the students a lot when studying for their exams. In that through a constant revising of the notes that have been given as well as reading the prescribed text the students are able to store what they have read in their memory and they retrieve it during the exams period. When a student reads the notes and the prescribed text for the first time it proves difficult to master all the facts that have been read. Thus in the aim of attaining a considerable part of the notes the students keeps on reading and with time the students is able to remember a great part of the notes since they have been stored in the long term memory(Cowan, 2001). Thus in reality the memory helps the students a lot when studying for their exams in that it stores the relevant data and information that the student have been reading over time and the students retrieves it during the exam period. Thus a student who had been revising his/her notes at a regularly will tend to perform better than a student who opts to read when the exam is announced. References Baddeley, A. (1976). The Psychology of Memory. New York: Basic Books, Inc., Publishers. Bauer P. (2002). "Long-term recall memory: Behavioral and neuro-developmental changes in the first 2 years of life". Current Directions in Psychological Science 11: 137–141. Carlson, N. (2010). Psychology: the Science of Behaviour. United States: Pearson. Cowan, N. (2001). "The magical number 4 in short-term memory: A reconsideration of mental storage capacity". Behavioral and Brain Sciences 24: 97–185. Dudai, Y. (2007). Memory: It’s all about representations. In: Roediger, H. L., Dudai, Y. and Fitzpatrick S. M., eds. Science of Memory: Concepts. New York: Oxford University Press. Read More