Memory and cognition
Introduced| English | Meaning |
|---|---|
| encoding/enˈkəʊdɪŋ/ | Processing incoming information into a form that can be stored in memory. |
| storage/ˈstɔːrɪdʒ/ | The retention of encoded information in memory. |
| retrieval/rɪˈtriːvl/ | Getting information back out of memory. |
| multi-store model/ˈmʌlti stɔː ˈmɒdl/ | A model of memory that distinguishes sensory, short-term and long-term stores. |
| working memory/ˈwɜːkɪŋ ˈmeməri/ | A limited-capacity system for temporarily holding and manipulating information during a task. |
| cognition/kɒɡˈnɪʃn/ | cognition |
| heuristics/hjuːˈrɪstɪks/ | A practical shortcut or rule of thumb used to solve a problem or make a decision without guaranteeing an optimal or correct result. |
| biases/ˈbaɪəsɪz/ | Systematic tilts that pull a judgement away from the evidence. |
A vivid story is not a frequency count
- A fictional class hears five dramatic cycling stories and predicts that cycling injuries are most common. The supplied record lists two cycling injuries and eight running injuries.
- Ease of recalling a story is not the same as the measured frequency. The example teaches a reasoning error without inventing a real mortality comparison.
Put the three stages of memory in order.
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Forgetting can happen at any of the three, and the remedies differ.
Locate the memory process
- Encoding 编码 processes information, storage 存储 retains it and retrieval 提取 accesses it. A failure to report something can arise from more than one process.
- A cue that later brings a name to mind supports a retrieval explanation. Failure on one attempt alone cannot prove that the name was never stored.
Holding a phone number in mind while you dial it uses what?
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Working memory supports temporary maintenance during a task. Its capacity and performance depend on the material and conditions.
Distinguish memory models
- The multi-store model 多重存储模型 distinguishes sensory, short-term and long-term stores. Duration and capacity depend on task, material and rehearsal.
- Working memory 工作记忆 describes temporary maintenance and manipulation. It is more than renaming one store; holding intermediate values during mental arithmetic illustrates its role.
In the fictional example, dramatic cycling stories are easy to recall. Why might the class overestimate cycling injuries?
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Availability uses recall ease as a cue. The supplied record has 2 cycling and 8 running injuries, so the vividness does not match that frequency.
Check a shortcut against evidence
- Cognition 认知 includes thinking and decision-making. Heuristics 启发式 simplify judgement; biases 偏差 are systematic distortions that can occur.
- Availability uses ease of recall as a cue to frequency. In the fictional record, the vivid stories conflict with the counts. Check the actual denominator and time period.
A word later returns after a helpful cue. Which process best describes the earlier difficulty?
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Later cued access supports a retrieval difficulty. A single unsuccessful report alone cannot show whether the information was stored.
Five vivid cycling stories are recalled, but the supplied record has 2 cycling and 8 running injuries. Which comparison follows the record?
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Eight exceeds two in this supplied record. Different exposure, severity or periods would need separate evidence.
Use retrieval carefully
- Memory is reconstructive and later information can influence reports. This does not mean every recalled detail is false or changes on every retrieval.
- Try a relevant cue, check the source and distinguish remembered detail from added inference. A confident answer does not by itself establish accuracy.
Try a relevant cue, check the source and distinguish remembered detail from added inference. A confident answer does not by itself establish accuracy.
Memory works like a recording that plays back what was stored.
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Memory is reconstructive and later information can influence a report. This does not imply that every recalled detail is false.