How Our Brain Remembers Things: Exploring Memory Processing with the HM Case Study

Open

Demetra

05/05/2023

Psychology

Cognitive Psychology Knowledge Organiser.

Subjects

Psychology

How Our Brain Remembers Things: Exploring Memory Processing with the HM Case Study

The study of memory processing cognitive psychology explores how humans store, retain, and recall information, featuring key concepts like the multi-store model of memory components and notable research like the HM case study memory deficits.

Memory is defined as the mental function of retaining information after the original stimulus is no longer present
The multi-store model introduces three distinct components: sensory register, short-term memory (STM), and long-term memory (LTM)
Case studies like HM demonstrate the critical role of brain structures in memory formation
Working memory theory expands on traditional models by introducing specialized components
Reconstructive memory highlights how memories are influenced by existing schemas and personal interpretation
Different types of long-term memory include episodic, semantic, and procedural memory

05/05/2023

Topic
Memory
Case studies
Content
●
●
●
●
Cognitive Psychology Knowledge Organiser
Strength
N/A
Memory- the mental function of retaining
inf

The HM Case Study

This page details the influential case study of Henry Molaison (HM), which provided crucial insights into memory systems and brain function.

Henry Molaison developed severe epilepsy after a childhood head injury. At age 27, he underwent surgery to remove his hippocampus in an attempt to control his seizures. This procedure resulted in severe amnesia, both retrograde (inability to recall pre-existing memories) and anterograde (inability to form new memories).

The study aimed to investigate how HM's memory deficits related to his brain damage. Researchers used various memory tests, including:

Simple recall tests of childhood events
Maze tracing tasks
Mirror drawing tests

Key findings from the HM case study:

HM forgot new experiences within 30 seconds
He retained good memory for information from before age 16
Some knowledge of past events was preserved (e.g. Wall Street Crash)
He could acquire some new knowledge (e.g. Kennedy's assassination)
HM demonstrated preserved procedural memory (e.g. playing tennis)

Definition: Retrograde amnesia - Inability to recall memories formed before the event causing amnesia

Definition: Anterograde amnesia - Inability to create new memories after the event causing amnesia

Highlight: The HM case study suggested a crucial role for the hippocampus in transforming short-term memories into long-term memories

View

Multi-store Model of Memory

This section explores the influential multi-store model of memory proposed by Atkinson and Shiffrin (1968), which conceptualizes memory as consisting of three distinct components.

The multi-store model of memory components proposes that memories are formed sequentially, passing through three stores:

Sensory Register:
- Potentially unlimited capacity
- Encodes information iconically (visually) and echoically (acoustically)
- Very brief duration (0.5-2 seconds)
- Information is lost if attention isn't paid
Short-Term Memory (STM):
- Acoustic encoding
- Duration of about 18 seconds
- Capacity of 7±2 chunks of information
- Forgetting occurs through displacement and decay
- Information can be retrieved through maintenance rehearsal
Long-Term Memory (LTM):
- Unlimited capacity
- Semantic encoding
- Lifetime duration
- Forgetting occurs through decay and interference
- Retrieval uses cues

Example: Jacobs (1887) and Miller (1956) conducted experiments where participants recalled sequences of numbers or letters, supporting the 7±2 chunk capacity of STM

Example: Peterson and Peterson (1959) found that after 18 seconds, only 10% of trigrams were correctly recalled from STM, supporting its limited duration

Highlight: The multi-store model provides a framework for understanding how information moves through different memory stores, but has limitations in explaining complex memory phenomena

View

Evaluating the Multi-store Model

This page evaluates the strengths and limitations of the multi-store model of memory, considering supporting evidence and critiques.

Supporting evidence for the multi-store model:

Capacity studies: Research by Jacobs (1887) and Miller (1956) supports the 7±2 chunk capacity of STM.
Duration studies: Peterson and Peterson (1959) demonstrated the limited duration of STM, with rapid forgetting after 18 seconds without rehearsal.
Long-term retention: Bahrick et al. (1975) showed high accuracy (60%) in recognizing classmates' photos decades after graduation, supporting LTM's long duration.

Limitations and critiques of the model:

Oversimplification: The model presents memory stores as unitary, which doesn't account for cases like patient KF, who had selective STM deficits.
Lack of detail: It doesn't explain complex processes like how information transfers between stores or how rehearsal works.
Alternative models: The working memory model provides a more detailed explanation of short-term memory processes.
Reconstructive nature of memory: The model doesn't account for false memories or how memories can be altered over time.

Example: Patient KF, who suffered a motorcycle accident, could recall information from LTM but had issues with STM, particularly for auditory information. This case challenges the idea of STM as a single, uniform store.

Highlight: While the multi-store model provides a useful framework for understanding memory, it has limitations in explaining the complexity and flexibility of human memory processes.

View

Working Memory Model

This page introduces the working memory model, which offers a more detailed and flexible explanation of short-term memory processes compared to the multi-store model.

The working memory model, proposed by Baddeley and Hitch (1974), suggests that short-term memory is not a single, unitary store but rather a system of interacting components. Key components of the working memory model include:

Central Executive: Controls attention and coordinates the other components
Phonological Loop: Processes and stores verbal and acoustic information
Visuospatial Sketchpad: Handles visual and spatial information
Episodic Buffer: Integrates information from different sources and links to long-term memory

Advantages of the working memory model:

Provides a more detailed explanation of short-term memory processes
Accounts for the ability to perform multiple tasks simultaneously
Explains how information from different sensory modalities can be integrated
Offers insights into cognitive development and certain learning difficulties

Vocabulary: Episodic Buffer - A component of working memory that integrates information from various sources and links to long-term memory

Highlight: The working memory model offers a more nuanced understanding of short-term memory processes, addressing some limitations of the multi-store model

View

Memory Processes and Reconstructive Memory

This section explores additional aspects of memory processing and introduces the concept of reconstructive memory.

Memory processes:

Encoding: Converting information into a form that can be stored in memory
Storage: Retaining encoded information over time
Retrieval: Accessing stored information when needed

Factors affecting memory processes:

Attention: Crucial for effective encoding
Rehearsal: Can strengthen memory traces
Emotional significance: Can enhance memory formation and recall
Context: Environmental and internal cues can affect retrieval

Reconstructive memory:

The concept of reconstructive memory suggests that memories are not exact replicas of past events but are reconstructed each time they are recalled. This process can lead to memory distortions and false memories.

Factors influencing memory reconstruction:

Schemas: Pre-existing knowledge structures can shape how memories are reconstructed
Suggestion: External information can be incorporated into memories
Emotion: Strong emotions can influence how events are remembered
Time: Memories can change or fade over time

Definition: Reconstructive memory - The process by which memories are actively rebuilt during recall, rather than simply retrieved as exact copies of past experiences

Highlight: Understanding reconstructive memory helps explain phenomena like eyewitness testimony errors and the malleability of autobiographical memories

View

Applying Memory Research

This final section discusses practical applications of memory research in various fields and everyday life.

Applications of memory research:

Education:
- Developing effective study techniques based on memory principles
- Designing curricula that optimize learning and retention
- Understanding and addressing learning difficulties
Clinical Psychology:
- Treating memory disorders and cognitive impairments
- Developing therapies for PTSD and other trauma-related conditions
- Understanding the role of memory in various psychological disorders
Legal System:
- Improving eyewitness testimony reliability
- Developing more effective interviewing techniques
- Understanding the limitations of memory in legal contexts
Technology:
- Designing user interfaces that align with human memory capabilities
- Developing memory aids and assistive technologies
- Improving artificial intelligence systems based on human memory models
Everyday Life:
- Techniques for improving memory in daily tasks
- Strategies for maintaining cognitive health as we age
- Understanding and mitigating the effects of stress on memory

Example: The spacing effect, where information is better retained when study sessions are spaced out over time, has been applied to develop more effective learning strategies in education.

Highlight: Memory research has wide-ranging applications that can improve learning, mental health treatment, technology design, and overall quality of life.

View

Tulving's Memory Model

This page discusses Tulving's influential theory of long-term memory organization.

Definition: Episodic memory stores personal experiences, while semantic memory contains factual knowledge.

Example: Eyewitness testimony reliability is questioned due to the reconstructive nature of memory recall.

Highlight: Cultural schemas can significantly influence how people remember and interpret events.

Can't find what you're looking for? Explore other subjects.

Knowunity is the #1 education app in five European countries

Knowunity has been named a featured story on Apple and has regularly topped the app store charts in the education category in Germany, Italy, Poland, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Join Knowunity today and help millions of students around the world.

Download in

Google Play

Download in

App Store

Knowunity is the #1 education app in five European countries

4.9+

Average app rating

17 M

Pupils love Knowunity

#1

In education app charts in 17 countries

950 K+

Students have uploaded notes

Still not convinced? See what other students are saying...

iOS User

I love this app so much, I also use it daily. I recommend Knowunity to everyone!!! I went from a D to an A with it :D

Philip, iOS User

The app is very simple and well designed. So far I have always found everything I was looking for :D

Lena, iOS user

I love this app ❤️ I actually use it every time I study.

Subjects

Psychology

How Our Brain Remembers Things: Exploring Memory Processing with the HM Case Study

Demetra

@demetra_21

446 Followers

Memory is defined as the mental function of retaining information after the original stimulus is no longer present
The multi-store model introduces three distinct components: sensory register, short-term memory (STM), and long-term memory (LTM)
Case studies like HM demonstrate the critical role of brain structures in memory formation
Working memory theory expands on traditional models by introducing specialized components
Reconstructive memory highlights how memories are influenced by existing schemas and personal interpretation
Different types of long-term memory include episodic, semantic, and procedural memory

...

05/05/2023

481

12/13

Psychology

Sign up to see the content. It's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

The HM Case Study

This page details the influential case study of Henry Molaison (HM), which provided crucial insights into memory systems and brain function.

The study aimed to investigate how HM's memory deficits related to his brain damage. Researchers used various memory tests, including:

Simple recall tests of childhood events
Maze tracing tasks
Mirror drawing tests

Key findings from the HM case study:

HM forgot new experiences within 30 seconds
He retained good memory for information from before age 16
Some knowledge of past events was preserved (e.g. Wall Street Crash)
He could acquire some new knowledge (e.g. Kennedy's assassination)
HM demonstrated preserved procedural memory (e.g. playing tennis)

Definition: Retrograde amnesia - Inability to recall memories formed before the event causing amnesia

Definition: Anterograde amnesia - Inability to create new memories after the event causing amnesia

Highlight: The HM case study suggested a crucial role for the hippocampus in transforming short-term memories into long-term memories

Sign up to see the content. It's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Multi-store Model of Memory

This section explores the influential multi-store model of memory proposed by Atkinson and Shiffrin (1968), which conceptualizes memory as consisting of three distinct components.

The multi-store model of memory components proposes that memories are formed sequentially, passing through three stores:

Sensory Register:
- Potentially unlimited capacity
- Encodes information iconically (visually) and echoically (acoustically)
- Very brief duration (0.5-2 seconds)
- Information is lost if attention isn't paid
Short-Term Memory (STM):
- Acoustic encoding
- Duration of about 18 seconds
- Capacity of 7±2 chunks of information
- Forgetting occurs through displacement and decay
- Information can be retrieved through maintenance rehearsal
Long-Term Memory (LTM):
- Unlimited capacity
- Semantic encoding
- Lifetime duration
- Forgetting occurs through decay and interference
- Retrieval uses cues

Example: Jacobs (1887) and Miller (1956) conducted experiments where participants recalled sequences of numbers or letters, supporting the 7±2 chunk capacity of STM

Example: Peterson and Peterson (1959) found that after 18 seconds, only 10% of trigrams were correctly recalled from STM, supporting its limited duration

Highlight: The multi-store model provides a framework for understanding how information moves through different memory stores, but has limitations in explaining complex memory phenomena

Sign up to see the content. It's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Evaluating the Multi-store Model

This page evaluates the strengths and limitations of the multi-store model of memory, considering supporting evidence and critiques.

Supporting evidence for the multi-store model:

Capacity studies: Research by Jacobs (1887) and Miller (1956) supports the 7±2 chunk capacity of STM.
Duration studies: Peterson and Peterson (1959) demonstrated the limited duration of STM, with rapid forgetting after 18 seconds without rehearsal.
Long-term retention: Bahrick et al. (1975) showed high accuracy (60%) in recognizing classmates' photos decades after graduation, supporting LTM's long duration.

Limitations and critiques of the model:

Oversimplification: The model presents memory stores as unitary, which doesn't account for cases like patient KF, who had selective STM deficits.
Lack of detail: It doesn't explain complex processes like how information transfers between stores or how rehearsal works.
Alternative models: The working memory model provides a more detailed explanation of short-term memory processes.
Reconstructive nature of memory: The model doesn't account for false memories or how memories can be altered over time.

Example: Patient KF, who suffered a motorcycle accident, could recall information from LTM but had issues with STM, particularly for auditory information. This case challenges the idea of STM as a single, uniform store.

Highlight: While the multi-store model provides a useful framework for understanding memory, it has limitations in explaining the complexity and flexibility of human memory processes.

Sign up to see the content. It's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Working Memory Model

This page introduces the working memory model, which offers a more detailed and flexible explanation of short-term memory processes compared to the multi-store model.

Central Executive: Controls attention and coordinates the other components
Phonological Loop: Processes and stores verbal and acoustic information
Visuospatial Sketchpad: Handles visual and spatial information
Episodic Buffer: Integrates information from different sources and links to long-term memory

Advantages of the working memory model:

Provides a more detailed explanation of short-term memory processes
Accounts for the ability to perform multiple tasks simultaneously
Explains how information from different sensory modalities can be integrated
Offers insights into cognitive development and certain learning difficulties

Vocabulary: Episodic Buffer - A component of working memory that integrates information from various sources and links to long-term memory

Highlight: The working memory model offers a more nuanced understanding of short-term memory processes, addressing some limitations of the multi-store model

Sign up to see the content. It's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Memory Processes and Reconstructive Memory

This section explores additional aspects of memory processing and introduces the concept of reconstructive memory.

Memory processes:

Encoding: Converting information into a form that can be stored in memory
Storage: Retaining encoded information over time
Retrieval: Accessing stored information when needed

Factors affecting memory processes:

Attention: Crucial for effective encoding
Rehearsal: Can strengthen memory traces
Emotional significance: Can enhance memory formation and recall
Context: Environmental and internal cues can affect retrieval

Reconstructive memory:

Factors influencing memory reconstruction:

Schemas: Pre-existing knowledge structures can shape how memories are reconstructed
Suggestion: External information can be incorporated into memories
Emotion: Strong emotions can influence how events are remembered
Time: Memories can change or fade over time

Definition: Reconstructive memory - The process by which memories are actively rebuilt during recall, rather than simply retrieved as exact copies of past experiences

Highlight: Understanding reconstructive memory helps explain phenomena like eyewitness testimony errors and the malleability of autobiographical memories

Sign up to see the content. It's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Applying Memory Research

This final section discusses practical applications of memory research in various fields and everyday life.

Applications of memory research:

Education:
- Developing effective study techniques based on memory principles
- Designing curricula that optimize learning and retention
- Understanding and addressing learning difficulties
Clinical Psychology:
- Treating memory disorders and cognitive impairments
- Developing therapies for PTSD and other trauma-related conditions
- Understanding the role of memory in various psychological disorders
Legal System:
- Improving eyewitness testimony reliability
- Developing more effective interviewing techniques
- Understanding the limitations of memory in legal contexts
Technology:
- Designing user interfaces that align with human memory capabilities
- Developing memory aids and assistive technologies
- Improving artificial intelligence systems based on human memory models
Everyday Life:
- Techniques for improving memory in daily tasks
- Strategies for maintaining cognitive health as we age
- Understanding and mitigating the effects of stress on memory

Example: The spacing effect, where information is better retained when study sessions are spaced out over time, has been applied to develop more effective learning strategies in education.

Highlight: Memory research has wide-ranging applications that can improve learning, mental health treatment, technology design, and overall quality of life.

Sign up to see the content. It's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Tulving's Memory Model

This page discusses Tulving's influential theory of long-term memory organization.

Definition: Episodic memory stores personal experiences, while semantic memory contains factual knowledge.

Example: Eyewitness testimony reliability is questioned due to the reconstructive nature of memory recall.

Highlight: Cultural schemas can significantly influence how people remember and interpret events.

Sign up to see the content. It's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Memory Basics and Case Studies

This section introduces fundamental concepts in memory and cognitive processing, as well as the use of case studies in memory research.

Memory is defined as the mental function of retaining information about stimuli, events, images, ideas, etc. after the original stimulus is no longer present. Key cognitive processes involved in memory include:

Top-down processing: Using prior knowledge to fill in gaps in perception, creating mental schemas
Bottom-up processing: Building up perception from smallest pieces of sensory information
Mediation processes: Processes occurring between stimulus and response

The core components of memory processing include:

Encoding: Converting information into storable forms (visual, acoustic, semantic)
Storage: Retaining information in the brain
Capacity: Amount of information that can be held in memory
Duration: How long a memory lasts before becoming unavailable

Case studies involve in-depth examination of single participants with unusual traits or experiences. They offer high ecological validity and rich qualitative data, but have limitations in sample size and replicability.

Vocabulary: Triangulation - Gathering data from multiple methods to form an overall conclusion

Highlight: Case studies provide holistic, in-depth data but findings may be subjectively measured and difficult to generalize

Can't find what you're looking for? Explore other subjects.

Knowunity is the #1 education app in five European countries

Knowunity has been named a featured story on Apple and has regularly topped the app store charts in the education category in Germany, Italy, Poland, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Join Knowunity today and help millions of students around the world.

Download in

Google Play

Download in

App Store

4.9+

Average app rating

17 M

Pupils love Knowunity

#1

In education app charts in 17 countries

950 K+

Students have uploaded notes

Still not convinced? See what other students are saying...

iOS User

I love this app so much, I also use it daily. I recommend Knowunity to everyone!!! I went from a D to an A with it :D

Philip, iOS User

The app is very simple and well designed. So far I have always found everything I was looking for :D

Lena, iOS user