Memory Models and Processes - Research Paper Example

Memory Models and Processes Memory Models and Processes Memory is a very important thing in human life. This is because of the way it enables human being in creating new memories, storing them for periods, and recalling them in order to apply them in their day-to-day activities. Memory is referred to in many cases as the process through which human beings acquire, keep, and retrieve information. The three primary processes that are involved in memory are recording, storing, and retrieving. Encoding refers to the process to which the human brain changes information to its usable form. Encoding is usually proceeded with storage of the encoded information. The stored information mostly lies outside the awareness of human beings apart from when the information is actually needed. When the information is needed retrieval usually takes place. This paper aims at discussing memory models and processes. There are three models that can be used in the explanation of the human memory and how it works. These models are: the multi-store model of memory, by Atkinson and Shiffrin; the working memory model, by Baddeley and Hitch; and levels of processing, by Craik and Lockhart. Understanding of the three models can be vital in the understanding of the human memory and processes involved (Nee, Berman, Moore & Jonides, 2008). This is what makes its understanding of memory models and processes important in psychology. The multi-store model of human memory is based on the notion of three memory stores and gives an explanation of how the three memories work together. According to this model, memory can be seen as a system that involves the flow of information. Due to that fact that this model takes the information processing approach, it is in most cases represented by flow diagrams. The three stores in this model of memory are: sensory store, short term store, and long term store. The sensory section of the human memory is responsible for the storage of information that comes from the human senses. This model works under the assumption that there are separate store for the five human senses. The model describes the memory to be very brief and that a big amount of information is usually lost here. Only information that has high importance and relevance is passed on to the short term memory. The forgetting process in this model takes place through decay. According to this model, the short term memory stores information for a period of about thirty seconds. This store is usually known for its high level of fragility under this model. The short term store rehearses the information passed to it from the sensory store and then passes it on to the long term memory. Forgetting under this store usually takes place through decay or displacement. The long term store gets its name from its ability to keep information for a long period of time. The model asserts that the long term store can keep information for a lifetime. Forgetting from this store can take place through either interference or decay. Due to the lack of limit for this storage, displacement is always not a problem (Kahana, 2012). There are two main processes that are involved in this model of memory. These processes are attention and rehearsal. Attention refers to the process under which stimuli that get to the human senses are transferred to the short term memory. A majority of the stimuli that gets to the human senses are always not attended to by the memory because they are perceived to be lacking importance. Only information with relevance and of interest is always passed to the short term storage. Rehearsal refers to the process information goes from the short term memory to the long term memory. Rehearsal can always take place vocally or sub-vocally. There are researches that have proved that some of the aspects of this model can be misleading. For instance, in the years 1967, a researcher carried out a research that eventually proved that the importance of rehearsal in the human memory process was overrated. During the research it was discovered that human being had also most equal capability of memorizing unrehearsed information as it had the capability to store rehearsed information in the long term memory. The level of processing model of human memory was developed as a result of the high amount of criticism on the multi-store model of human memory. Instead of focusing on the storage of information, this model rather focuses on the processes that are involved in the human memory. The memory is just the result of the manner in which the human brain processes information. The model works under the assumption that the depth at which information is processed can influence how well the information can be remembered. The other assumption is that when information is analyzed deeply it becomes more memorable. In the year 1975, research carried out revealed that human being tends to remember words that is semantically processed as opposed to those that are deeply processed. Under the working memory model, there is a short term memory that has multiple components. The model asserts that every component has the purposes that it serves in problem solving, learning, and concentration. The model has four component, namely: the central executive, articulatory loop, Visuo-spatial scratch pad and, Episodic buffer. The central executive performs the coordination of the other components. It has the ability of process information from any of the senses and has minimal storage volume. It used in performance of thing that require allot of concentration. It is also responsible for coordinating multitasking. The articulatory loop store sound for a few moments, mostly between one and two seconds. This can explain why people can sometimes be able to complete each other sentences. This is because the sound is usually stored in a person’s loops. The Visuo-spatial scratch pad store visual information for a few moments. In that I keep visual information such as color, share, and size. Human beings make use of this component in the manipulation of images in their heads (Dehn, 2013). The episodic buffer acts as storage for the central executive since it does not have storage of its own. The episodic buffer is evidenced by the number of words that a human being can utter in two seconds. Human beings are able to rehearse a greater number of short words as compared to the long ones because it would take longer to rehearse articulatory. The Visuo-spatial scratch pad is evidenced by the fact that performance of two visual tasks simultaneously would take longer because of the minimal storage of the Visuo-spatial scratch pad (Sternberg & Mio, 2009). Understanding of memory models and processes is an important thing in psychology. Since psychology is the study of mental functions and behaviors, understanding of the memory models and processes can enable psychologists have a better understanding of mental functions and behaviors. The survival of human beings depends on their ability to remember certain important things in life. For instance, ii is important for human being to who they are, the people around them, their past experiences, things that are dangerous, and those that are safe. The understanding of memory models and processes can help in in the understanding of primacy and recency. It has been discovered that information that is received first has a higher probability of being stored in the human memory for long as compared to the information that is received later. However, on the other hand more recent information can also be easily remembered. This is because the more recent information will obviously be nowhere near being forgotten. However, in a situation where a person receives a series of information that are interrelated the initial one can be memorable because of the fact that they are in most cases the most cases the most rehearsed because they are retrieved and used in the processing of the proceeding information. This usually takes place through the process known as elaborate rehearsal, which is referred to as the process involving connection of previously stored information with new ones (Conway, 1997). Understanding of memory models and processes can also enable psychologists in understanding of procedural memory. Procedural memory depends on the memories that human beings attain as a result experiencing certain procedures and behaviors. The more human being involves themselves in certain procedures and behaviors the more they form a part of their memory (Byrne, 2009). This can be used to explain the effect or routine to the human memory and behavior. The understanding of the process and causes of forgetting is very important in psychology. In the three models of human memory details are given to the causes of human memory. Decay refers to forgetting because memories have faded away. The information that is not recognized attended to, or rehearsed can easily fade away from the human memory. Interference refers to the hindrance of storing new information as a result of information that had been previously stored or those that are stored after it. The difference is always brought about by the difference in the mode of presentation of the information (Richardson 1996). The understanding of memory models and processes can enable psychologists to understand the reason as to why purposeful forgetting is usually very hard. There are a number of ethical issues might arise in connection with memory models and processes with respect to research or practical application. The most common issue that in involved in memory models and processes in confidentiality. When carrying out researches in relation to memory models and process, physiologists must always make sure that they keep confidentiality (Sternberg & Mio, 2009). This is usually looked at as the most important ethical value in physiology practice and research. The other ethnic problem can come in the assessment process that is used. One of such is the availability of tests. This will specifically apply in the case of level of processing model. It was discovered that it is usually very difficult to test the theory because of the hardship in determining how deeply a word has been analyzed. Some psychologists have been of the opinion that more emphasis should be put in effort rather than depth. This makes it difficult for there to be any evaluation of the appropriateness of this model. In fact its evaluation is basically impossible. Another ethical issue might arise in connection with memory models and processes with respect to research or practical application is the notion of consent and informed consent. Informed consent will refer to the situation of willingly and knowingly taking part in psychological studies and processes. This might sometimes have a negative impact in the research process just because the knowledge of participation in such studies might affect how participants respond to the questions that the studies involves. This usually makes it very difficult for psychology to decide on whether to go for informed consent or just simple consent. There has always been a question of whether fully informed consent in psychological studies and researches can actually be possible. This is because informed consent can always lead to deception which can interfere with the accuracy of the findings of the research or study. It is clearly evident that the memory models and processes have been very useful in the field of psychology. This is because of the manner in which they have been able to lead to better understanding of human memory. The three models that have been discussed in this paper have shown just how much they can explain memory. Two of the models view memory as a combination of information storage while one model view memory as a process that involves the processing of information. With an understanding of the three models of human memory, it is clear that someone might be able to understand the activities and behaviors in human beings that involve their memory. It is also evident that there are a number of ethical issues might arise in connection with memory models and processes with respect to research or practical application. These issues include: consent and informed consent; assessment process; and confidentiality. References Beran, J. (2013). Long-memory processes: Probabilistic properties and statistical methods. Berlin: Springer. Byrne, J. H. (2009). Concise learning and memory: The editors selection. Amsterdam: Elsevier/Academic. Conway, M. A. (1997). Cognitive models of memory. London: MIT Press. Dehn, M. J. (2013). Working memory and academic learning: Assessment and intervention. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley. Kahana, M. J. (2012). Foundations of human memory. New York: Oxford University Press. Nee, D. E., Berman, M. G., Moore, K. S., & Jonides, J. (2008). Neuroscientific evidence about the distinction between short-and long-term memory. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 17(2), 102-106. Richardson, J. T. E. (1996). Working memory and human cognition. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Sternberg, R. J., & Mio, J. S. (2009). Cognitive psychology. Australia: Cengage Learning/Wadsworth. Read More