Type of psychology: Memory

Memory
Type of psychology: Memory
Field of study: Cognitive processes
Theories of memory attempt to identify the structures and explain the processes underlying
the human memory system. These theories give coherence to an understanding of
memory and suggest new research needed to extend knowledge about learning and
memory.

Key concepts
• episodic memory
• iconic memory
• long-term memory
• memory trace
• schemas
• semantic memory
• sensory memory
• short-term memory

Human memory is among the most complex phenomena in the universe. A
Russian newspaper reporter once flawlessly recalled a list of fifty unrelated
words he had studied for only three minutes fifteen years earlier. On the
other hand, as everyone knows from personal experience, the memory system
is also capable of losing information presented only seconds before. Errors
in memory create so many problems that it seems imperative to know
all that is possible about human memory. For that, a theory is needed.
A scientific theory is a systematic way to understand complex phenomena
that occur in nature. A theory is judged to be useful insofar as its claims can
be supported by the findings of empirical tests, especially experimentation,
and insofar as it leads to further research studies. A theory is not right or
wrong; it is simply a tool to describe what is known and to suggest what needs
further study.

Three major forms of memory are generally described: short-term, longterm,
and sensory memory. Short-term memory represents the temporary
retention of newly acquired information. Generally, short-term memory
lasts no longer than about twenty seconds. This is useful for short-termtasks,
such as the recall of speech during discussions or discourse with another
person. Short-term memory is rapidly lost, sometimes referred to as a process
of decaying. Alan Baddeley, a major researcher in the field of memory,
has suggested a concept of “working memory” may be substituted for shortterm.
Repeat stimulation, or rehearsal, may transfer short-term memory
into that of long-term.

Long-term memory involves storage of information over longer periods
of time, potentially as long as the life of the individual. Some researchers
into the subject consider long-termmemory to include two major areas: episodic and semantic. Episodic memory addresses events that have a temporal
relationship with a person’s life. This may include recall of when events or
information appeared. Semantic memory represents the concepts or skills,
represented in part by learning, that people acquire through the course of
their lives.

Sensory memories are those which can be retrieved as a result of sensory
stimuli. For example, a particular odor may result in recall of events
from the past. The unusual smell of a cleaning solution may cause recall of
a college dormitory from years past. This form of recall has been called olfactory
memory. The image of a flower may result in the memory of a teenage
boyfriend. Such a visual stimulus is sometimes referred to as iconic
memory.

Theories of memory have been important to psychology for a long time,
often occupying the time and interest of researchers throughout their careers.
Memory, which is always connected to learning, is defined as the mental
process of preserving information acquired through the senses for later
use. The cognitive approach to memory places emphasis on mental processes,
which result in the ability to comprehend or recall what is learned.
The basis is found in changes that occur in the regions of the brain, such as
the hippocampus, associated with memory. In a sense, memory is the record
of the experiences of a lifetime.Without it, a person could not reexperience
the past; everything at every moment would be brand-new. A person could
not recognize the face of a loved one or learn from any experience. A person
would thus have a greatly reduced chance for survival and would have
no sense of personal identity. Memory is, in short, critical to functioning as a
human being.