The Process of Human Memory
The process of memorization is one of the most vital cognitive processes. Therefore, everybody should learn and comprehend the mechanisms of memorizing in order to improve own learning capacities. This paper discusses the main processes of memory: encoding, maintenance, retrieval, and forgetting.
The Memory Processes of Encoding, Maintenance, and Retrieval
Memorization is a three-leveled process, which presumes encoding of the information (its perception and classification in accordance with the already existing facts); maintenance and consolidation; as well as retrieval (finding the encoded facts when necessary). Undoubtedly, the effectiveness of these composed processes can be either enhanced or impeded by a number of factors. For example, the intentional learning that includes active attention and emotional perception serves to assure the efficient memorization on the stage of encoding.
Apart from the generation effect, the consolidation and retrieval of information can be improved by the spacing effect. The spacing effect is the approach that suggests learning and rehearsing the material with the time breaks. Consider the case, with any considerable number of repetitions a suitable distribution of them over a space of time is decidedly more advantageous than the massing of them at a single time. Simply put, the spacing effect is an effective means for improving the maintenance of information, as well as speeding up the process of its retrieval.
Forgetting: Proactive and Retroactive Interference
In addition, in order to enhance cognitive capacity of the brain, one should remember about the proactive and retroactive interferences and study the efficient ways of mitigating their negative effects. Proactive and retroactive interferences are the phenomena that affect the cognitive processes, in particularly, by damaging the process of adequate memorization. The retroactive interference pre defines that new learning leads to the inability to recollect the previously learned information. For example, if a person uses a new password to his/her email address, the probability that he or she will not remember the previous password increases with the time. It happens because new learning (current password) interferes with the previously stored information (former password). This conflict causes the forgetting of the earlier memorized information.
In order to facilitate the maximum retention via long-term memory, one should remember about the important particularity of the retroactive interference. The scholars found out, the more similar the later information is to that learned earlier, the greater the interference and thus the greater the forgetting. When aligning this theory to the above-stated example with one’s password, it is natural to deduce that the more similar two passwords were, the more difficult it would be to recollect the previous one. This insight can be implemented in order to anticipate the occurrence of the retroactive interference by creating the diversity (when possible) and enhancing the differentiation of the learning objectives by detecting and classifying their characteristics.
When taking into account this peculiarity, it is recommended to block the former insights not allowing them to interfere with the new information. This approach will facilitate maximum recalling via the long-term memory. In addition, it is necessary to try and involve as many senses with as much attention as possible in order to form new neural pathways and successfully memorize the location of the new parking lot. The same techniques can be utilized for reducing the negative impact of the proactive interference in other life situations.
The Other Types of Forgetting: Misinformation Effect and Misattribution. The Appropriate Ways of Its Mitigation
Apart from proactive and retroactive interference that cause forgetting, there are the other types of dementia. In particular, forgetting may happen because of the encoding failure (lack of attention); insufficient links of retrieving the stored memory; cue interference or incoherence; proactive/retroactive interference; or when stored memories conflict with the new ones and vice versa. Besides, forgetting can be provoked by the change/shift of the context cues, as well as by physical and/or emotional depletion, in the process of memorizing.
Moreover, there is also a so-called misinformation effect that can be considered a kind of forgetting. It happens as the result of encoding the misperceived or misinterpreted information. In the memory storage, the false facts are integrated with the true one; it leads to the forgetting of the genuinely true information. Apart from that effect, while memorizing, one may experience the source misattribution, which leads to people experiencing difficulty in defining where a bit of memory/ information came from. Simply put, the real source of information is forgotten.
In order to improve the memory consolidation and retrieval, it is highly recommended to train and enhance one’s intellectual capacity. The fact is that the human brain is characterized by neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity is the ability of a human brain to develop the new neural connections and alter the already existing ones.This capacity serves for assuring the memorization and adequate retrieval of the needed information even at the old age. In order to succeed with this task, one should choose the proper training material. In particular, the information should be new and challenging; it will allow stepping away from the habitual notions and patterns, simultaneously, training the brain activity.
Memorization is a complex process that includes encoding, consolidation, retrieval, and forgetting. In order to advance the cognitive processes, one must be armed with the appropriate knowledge about the possible causes of dementia. To the main causes, the scholars attribute proactive and retroactive interference, misinformation, and misattribution effects and other failures associated with the deficiency of encoding, maintenance, and retrieval of the learning materials. In addition, it is critically important to remember about the effective ways of managing the dementia issues, such as the spacing and the generation effects. Besides, in order to advance memorization, it is recommended to live a healthy lifestyle providing brains with sufficient rest and nutrition and protecting it from the emotional overload.
About the author: Amanda Parkinson a writer at https://qualitycustomessays.com/memo-writing/ and passionate series movie watcher.
The Memory Processes of Encoding, Maintenance, and Retrieval
Memorization is a three-leveled process, which presumes encoding of the information (its perception and classification in accordance with the already existing facts); maintenance and consolidation; as well as retrieval (finding the encoded facts when necessary). Undoubtedly, the effectiveness of these composed processes can be either enhanced or impeded by a number of factors. For example, the intentional learning that includes active attention and emotional perception serves to assure the efficient memorization on the stage of encoding.
Apart from the generation effect, the consolidation and retrieval of information can be improved by the spacing effect. The spacing effect is the approach that suggests learning and rehearsing the material with the time breaks. Consider the case, with any considerable number of repetitions a suitable distribution of them over a space of time is decidedly more advantageous than the massing of them at a single time. Simply put, the spacing effect is an effective means for improving the maintenance of information, as well as speeding up the process of its retrieval.
Forgetting: Proactive and Retroactive Interference
In addition, in order to enhance cognitive capacity of the brain, one should remember about the proactive and retroactive interferences and study the efficient ways of mitigating their negative effects. Proactive and retroactive interferences are the phenomena that affect the cognitive processes, in particularly, by damaging the process of adequate memorization. The retroactive interference pre defines that new learning leads to the inability to recollect the previously learned information. For example, if a person uses a new password to his/her email address, the probability that he or she will not remember the previous password increases with the time. It happens because new learning (current password) interferes with the previously stored information (former password). This conflict causes the forgetting of the earlier memorized information.
In order to facilitate the maximum retention via long-term memory, one should remember about the important particularity of the retroactive interference. The scholars found out, the more similar the later information is to that learned earlier, the greater the interference and thus the greater the forgetting. When aligning this theory to the above-stated example with one’s password, it is natural to deduce that the more similar two passwords were, the more difficult it would be to recollect the previous one. This insight can be implemented in order to anticipate the occurrence of the retroactive interference by creating the diversity (when possible) and enhancing the differentiation of the learning objectives by detecting and classifying their characteristics.
When taking into account this peculiarity, it is recommended to block the former insights not allowing them to interfere with the new information. This approach will facilitate maximum recalling via the long-term memory. In addition, it is necessary to try and involve as many senses with as much attention as possible in order to form new neural pathways and successfully memorize the location of the new parking lot. The same techniques can be utilized for reducing the negative impact of the proactive interference in other life situations.
The Other Types of Forgetting: Misinformation Effect and Misattribution. The Appropriate Ways of Its Mitigation
Apart from proactive and retroactive interference that cause forgetting, there are the other types of dementia. In particular, forgetting may happen because of the encoding failure (lack of attention); insufficient links of retrieving the stored memory; cue interference or incoherence; proactive/retroactive interference; or when stored memories conflict with the new ones and vice versa. Besides, forgetting can be provoked by the change/shift of the context cues, as well as by physical and/or emotional depletion, in the process of memorizing.
Moreover, there is also a so-called misinformation effect that can be considered a kind of forgetting. It happens as the result of encoding the misperceived or misinterpreted information. In the memory storage, the false facts are integrated with the true one; it leads to the forgetting of the genuinely true information. Apart from that effect, while memorizing, one may experience the source misattribution, which leads to people experiencing difficulty in defining where a bit of memory/ information came from. Simply put, the real source of information is forgotten.
In order to improve the memory consolidation and retrieval, it is highly recommended to train and enhance one’s intellectual capacity. The fact is that the human brain is characterized by neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity is the ability of a human brain to develop the new neural connections and alter the already existing ones.This capacity serves for assuring the memorization and adequate retrieval of the needed information even at the old age. In order to succeed with this task, one should choose the proper training material. In particular, the information should be new and challenging; it will allow stepping away from the habitual notions and patterns, simultaneously, training the brain activity.
Memorization is a complex process that includes encoding, consolidation, retrieval, and forgetting. In order to advance the cognitive processes, one must be armed with the appropriate knowledge about the possible causes of dementia. To the main causes, the scholars attribute proactive and retroactive interference, misinformation, and misattribution effects and other failures associated with the deficiency of encoding, maintenance, and retrieval of the learning materials. In addition, it is critically important to remember about the effective ways of managing the dementia issues, such as the spacing and the generation effects. Besides, in order to advance memorization, it is recommended to live a healthy lifestyle providing brains with sufficient rest and nutrition and protecting it from the emotional overload.
About the author: Amanda Parkinson a writer at https://qualitycustomessays.com/memo-writing/ and passionate series movie watcher.
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