CHAPTER 7: MEMORY AND FORGETTING

 Man cannot function without memory. We rely on our memory throughout the day.
Without it, we would have no sense continuity in our lives, no realization of the past. We
could not even think our present to the past. Without memory, we could not even be
considered humans.
 Memory – is the ability to store information in our mind so that it can be used at a later
time.
 Memory – refers to the way facts are impressed in our mind, retained and later recalled.
 Memory – can also be defined as the totality of past interior and exterior experience that
can be recalled through the bioelectrochemical portion of the brain.
 Memory – is also the process by which information is encoded, stored retrieved.
 Our memory alter and falter.
 Our memory is not perfect because our mind cannot record everything the way a camera
and tape recorder do.
 Without memory, there can be no learning. Whatever has been learned must be stored
and retained in the memory.
 How well we use our memory influences our ability to think and understand.
 It was Herman Ebbinghaus, a German psychologist who pioneered the studies
involving memory. He found out that materials and situations can easily be learned and
remembered longer if they are meaningful and relevant.
Contents of Memories
 Memories exist in the brain tissue. According to Karl Spencer Lashley, a
neurophysiologist, he found out that the brain consists of an ENGRAM – a biochemical
structure which was evenly distributed throughout the brain – which contains memory
trace.
 In 1980, some psychologist believed that memories are held in certain location in the
brain by specific chemicals called the SYNAPSE.
 Synapse increases in the brain when it is stimulated.

 Experts also believed that there are billions of neurons that send signals to other neurons.
These neurons can form a new synapse. They divide, other shrink and die.
 When a person reaches the age of 65 or 70, some of the neurons may be dead and
therefore cannot transmit electrical changes completely.
 This is one reason of the cause of amnesia and worst, Alzheimer’s disease in some
elderly.

Types of Memory
1. Semantic memory – contains generalized knowledge of the environment that does
involve memory of a specific situation. It is what words and symbols mean. For
example, a cat is distinguished from a dog.
2. Remote memory – is a kind of memory in which data and formation have been
collected and accumulated over the years. This memory declines with age.
3. Working memory – is a memory that takes on tasks or activities that require fast action
and reaction because it lasts only for a few seconds. It declines in most people between
the age range of 40 or 50.
4. Episodic memory – is a memory of specific event or recent experience. For example,
you can still remember that you have recited in English 1 yesterday but could not
remember very well what was your detailed answer to the questions ask by the teacher.
At times, you remember where you place your ballpen at home, but you cannot recall
exactly the particular place and exact time when you placed it. This memory declines
after the age of 30.
5. Procedural memory – involves skills in doing things especially those that involve
complicated sequence of movements which you could not hardly describe verbally. A
student may be very good in computer operation but could not adequately explain how
she is operating it. A student was able to solve a problem in algebra but could not
adequately explain how he did it sequentially.
6. Implicit memory – is a memory that depends on the automatic recall of a series of
motions. You know how to play basketball, swim, drive a car, use your cellphone in
texting, etc- as you start doing it. But at that time you stop doing it, you tend to forget,
unless you start doing it again. People who will lose this kind of memory may have a
sign of serious mental deterioration.
Processes of Memory
  Human memory is like other machines that can store knowledge, like computers,
digital machines and others. The only difference is that human memory is lost
through forgetting. Computers, digital machines, etc. do not forget. Data are stored
in these machines unless infected by virus, destroyed or caused by environmental
factors.
1. Encoding – is the first step of processing a data or information. The data collected from
the environment through our senses are converted into psychological formats that can be
mentally represented through semantic codes so that they can be recognized at once
recalled.
2. Storing – is the second process of memory in which the data or information are stored
and by maintaining it in the memory over time. The use of the laws of learning could be
applied in storing data.
3. Retrieving – is the third process of memory whereby the stored data or information ae
taken out of memory. They are now in the natural state of consciousness.

Improving Memory
  Forgetting cannot entirely eliminated from our memory system but they can be
reduced. We must make a concerted effort in improving our memory through a
number of strategies or memory techniques. These are:
1. Feedback – knowledge of the results of an activity performed will give you the
opportunity to check if you are learning or if there is a need to further improve your
work. For example, you need to go over the results of the test papers returned to you.
Review them and find out how you can improve your performance in the succeeding
examination periods.

2. Recitation – recite what you learned to yourself. Silent recitation will make you
remember past lessons. Do it on your own as a habit.

3. Overlearning – this does not mean going beyond what has already been learned;
because what has already been learned is already learned. It simply means that if you
 wish not to forget what you have already learned, continue reviewing it every now and
then. Never trust your memory. Do not be over confident that you would not forget what
you have previously studied. Factors, such as interference, loss of memory trace,
unpleasant experiences and anxiety, may enter into the picture at an unknown period
of time.

4. Selection – it is difficult to remember all the notes written in your notebook or the
information printed in your textbook. Our memory is limited and we cannot remember
all the information at one time. Hence, you have to place selective markings in your
notebook or textbooks which you can use to summarize your ideas. You can do this by
marking only the essential words or group of words using a marking pen, pencil, or any
writing instrument, by putting an underline, asterisk, dash, two vertical lines and
other forms of markings. Make this as a practice.
5. Spaced practice – this is the strategy of studying in which a relaxation or rest period
(about 15-30 minutes) is allotted in between a schedule of studying. Materials being
learned can be stored and retrieved than if learning is continuously done over a long
period. One way of doing spaced practice is to schedule a time for studying and a time
for relaxation (leisure and recreational activities) in a week’s time. There is a saying:
“all work and no play makes John a dull boy.”
6. Organization – this strategy can be done by organizing your notes or making an
outline so that when your ideas are already organized, learning becomes easier,
cleaner ad faster. For example, after you have studied this chapter of your book, you can
start outlining your ideas so that you can easily recall what you have learned.

7. Learning by whole versus learning by parts – for simple and short learning
material, it is better to learn it first as a whole before proceeding to learn the parts. The
main theme of a short poem or speech should first be learned and understood before
 learning its stanza or parts. In a very long and complicated learning material, such as
long line of poem, a long oratorical piece, a long line of music, etc, it is better to study its
lines or parts progressively. Suppose section A first. Then section B, then section A and
B, then section C, then section A, B, C and D and so forth as you progress.
8. Serial position – in a long list of items or series of statements, we often remember only
the first and the last items. We tend to forget those in the middle. For example, if you
are introduced by someone to 10 students, you tend to remember only the first two
names or the last two names of the students. Usually those in the middle are easily
forgotten. In learning a long poem, speech, play we should give special attention,
emphasis and extra practice to those in the middle sections/parts.
9. Sleep – a good sleep can improve memory. It is a way of relaxing the muscles and the
brain. Avoid studying your lessons or working on your assignments when you are
sleepy.

10. Review – is a way of using the Law of Exercise or The Law of Use. Review is a form of
practice and overlearning. Reviewing before the class or test begins will help you
remember the details that may be important to class participation or passing the test.
11. Cues – create a mental picture of what you are studying or memorizing for easy
retrieval. You can do this by forming mental images of the new information and relate
them to information you already have. You can also use new names ideas, or terms that
can serve as cues.
12. PQRST method – this method means, preview, question, read and self-recitation and
test. This method is a way of understanding and remembering your lessons in every
chapter of the book. Try organizing the material, elaborating the material, and practicing
retrieval of the material.
13. Use of food, Medicines and Vitamins – they do not exactly improve memory but they
can induce or stimulate the process of learning the material to a certain extent, if properly
controlled. Drugs such as metrazol, strychnine, amphetamine, nicotine and caffeine
can reduce the time of interference (weaken or block involvement, activities). Mongo,
nuts, soy beans, and other protein-enriched foods can help in strengthening the ability
to recall. Vitamin E, can help regulate blood circulation to enable the brain to become
activated.

14. Mnemonic – is a kind of remembering system or memory aid to improve encoding and
retrieval of cues to enhance recall and decrease forgetting. There are several mnemonic
techniques namely:
a. Rhymes
b. Acronyms
c. Acrostics - ex. EGBDF or “every good boy does fine”
d. Loci method – places are used as memory pegs in memorizing long list of
items. You may use visual sequence of places
e. Peg method – is a device for memorizing long tests especially in exact the
order.
FORGETTING
 Is the opposite of remembering (memory). When information or data are not retained
in the memory, they are forgotten – and sometimes when we need to recall the
lesson studied the other day, we could not be immediately recalled. Depending on
your age and other reasons or causes, we tend to forget because of some factors:
1. Encoding failure – it is the failure of inputting the details of the data or
information due to poor attention, lack of concentration and ambiguous or
different motives. If information are vague, they are easily forgotten.
2. Decay or Fading Memory Traces – memory traces are changes in the
nerve cells of the brain. Learned stimuli (persons, objects, events and
situations) gradually decay or fade with the passage of time. New
information or data stored in the STM (short term memory) rapidly weakens
and disappears.
 3. Disuse of the Learned Material – when the learned material is no longer
rehearsed or repeated, they tend to be forgotten due to lack of adequate
stimulation of these materials. Long term memory traces fade from disuse.
Some elderly could remember information several years ago due to adequate
stimulation of the stimuli caused by rehearsals, repetitions or some other
strategies that improved their memories.
4. Repression of Emotionally Threatening Information – repression is a
mental process of refusing to think something because we find the thoughts
unpleasant and distasteful. Information which are disappointing, shameful,
or painful from the unconscious state of mind are push down into the
subconscious state of mind. Past failures, disgusting childhood memories,
the name of the person whom you disliked, may indicate repression.
5. Interference of other Materials – the ability to recall the learned material
is blocked or prevented by other related materials. Old and new learning
materials compete with each other such that the ability to retain and
remember them are limited. The information or data stored in the memory
are not lost but they are blocked from being recalled because of other related
information that get in the way.
6. Amnesia – it is a temporary or permanent loss of memory due to the
damage of the brain from drug use, emotional shock or severe stress.

Emotional Factors Affecting Forgetting

  Emotions affect forgetting. Emotions make forgetting rapid or slow.
1. Emotionally charged situations, whether positive or negative, may decrease forgetting.
We tend to tell stories and anecdotes that are emotionally related to us.
2. Negative emotions may increase the tendency to forget than positive or pleasant emotion.
Avoid panic and unpleasant emotions before and during taking of examinations to lessen
forgetting.
3. Study and memorize where your emotion is at its best. Do not study when you are not in
good mood or when you are under stress. You may not be able to encode and store the
information you are attempting to collect.
4. Traumatic experiences stored in the unconscious state of mind may enter into your
conscious state of mind affecting your memory.