Unlocking Memory: Understanding Concepts, Types, and Effective Strategies for Memory Development

Memory – Concepts, Types and Strategies to develop memory

Memory is the mental function that enables one to acquire, retain and recall sensation, impressions, information and thoughts one has experienced.

There are several types, stages, classifications and functions of memory. Most people think of memory as either short-term or long-term. However, memory can be divided into many more types or categories. We categorise short-term or long-term as stages of memory than types of memory. Types of memory are mostly subsets of long-term memory.

*Three stages of Memory*

There are three stages of memory: sensory, short-term, long-term. Information processing begins in sensory memory, moves to short-term memory, and eventually moves into long-term memory.

Information that one comes across on daily basis may move through the three stages of memory. However, not all information makes its way through all three stages. Most of it is forgotten somewhere along the way. The determination of what information makes its way through the different stages depends on what one pay attention to and process. Information that one pay attention to and process will move to the next stage of memory. However, any information one do not pay attention to never makes its way to the next stage.

*Sensory Memory*

Sensory memory processes information from the environment and holds it for a very brief period of time, generally for no longer than a second. Sensory memory retains impressions of sensory information after the original stimulus has stopped. Most of the information that gets into sensory memory is forgotten, but information that we pay attention to passes into short-term memory.

*Types of Sensory memory*

*Iconic memory* is the visual sensory memory that holds the mental representation of one’s visual stimuli.
*Echoic memory* is the auditory sensory memory that holds the information that one hears.

*Haptic memory* is the tactile sensory memory that holds information from one’s sense of feeling.

*Short-term memory*

Short-term memory is also known as working or active memory. It is the information we are currently thinking about. Information in short-term memory is not stored permanently. Most of the information stored in short-term memory will only be kept for approximately 20 to 45 seconds. While many of our short-term memories are quickly forgotten, paying attention to the information and processing it allows it to continue in long-term memory.

Short-term memory not only has a limited time, it also has a limited capacity. It is believed to hold only a few items. Research shows the number is around 7+/-2 items.

*Long-term Memory*

Long-term Memory refers to the storage of information over an extended period. It is all the memories we hold for periods longer than a few seconds. The information can last in one’s long-term memory for hours, days, months or years. Although we may forget at least some information after we learn it, other things will stay with us forever.

Unlike short-term memory, the capacity of long-term memory is seemingly unlimited.

*Types of Long-term Memory*

There are several different types and categories that people used to describe long-term memory. Below is the list of some of those:

§ Implicit and Explicit memory

§ Declarative and Non-declarative memory (Procedural)

§ Semantic and Episodic Memory

*Two Main Types of Memory*

There are two main types of long-term memory:

1. Explicit memory (conscious)

2. Implicit memory (non-conscious)

*Explicit Memory*

Explicit memory are those experiences and information that one has to continuously think about to remember. When one is trying to intentionally remember something such as the name of someone you met or a list of items to pick up from the store, this information is stored in your explicit memory. It is termed explicit memory because you can name and describe each of these remembered things explicitly. It would include consciously remembered knowledge or experiences such as information, episodes or events.

This type of memory is also known as declarative memory, since you can consciously recall and explain the information.

*Implicit Memory*

Implicit memory refers to knowledge one remembers unconsciously or effortlessly. It is remembering without awareness. One use implicit memory when one’s previous experiences aid the performance of a task without conscious awareness of these previous experiences. For example, one would use one’s implicit memory to ride a bike or drive a car because one could do so without having to consciously think about it.

*Declarative Vs. Non–declarative Memory*

Instead of explicit and implicit, some people use the terms declarative and non-declarative (or procedural) to differentiate the two main types of long-term memory.

*Declarative Memory*

Declarative memory is another term for explicit memory. Explicit or declarative memory requires conscious recall. It consists of information that is consciously stored and retrieved.

*Non–declarative Memory*

Non–declarative memory is the another term for implicit memory, because it is expressed by means other than words or one is not able to consciously bring it into awareness. For example, when you ride a bike you are expressing memories of motor skills that do not require the use of language.

Explicit = declarative

Implicit = non-declarative

*Types of Explicit Memory*

Explicit memory can be divided into two categories:

1. Episodic

2. Semantic

*Episodic and Semantic Memory*

Explicit memory or declarative memory can further be subdivided into Episodic memory and Semantic memory.

Episodic memory is the ability to remember episodes of your life. It refers to the firsthand experiences that you have experienced in your life. For example, if you were asked to tell someone what you did last Saturday, you would need to mentally travel through the day in your mind and state the events of your day.

Semantic memory stores your knowledge of facts, concepts, names and other general knowledge information about the world (i.e. the names of the football players of a team, definition of the word “abstract”). If you were given the task to list the ingredients in cheese cake, you would not need to “time travel” in your mind. You may simply recall the data.

Semantic memory –Facts, data, general information, or knowledge

Episodic memory - personally experienced events (life experiences)

*Types of Implicit Memory*

Implicit memory involves recollecting things that you do not purposely trying to remember. It is both unconscious and intentional.

Three types of implicit memory are procedural memory, classical conditioning and priming.

*Procedural Memory (skills, tasks)*

Procedural memory is implicit memory for skills and motor movements. It involves those skills and task you learn and perform without conscious awareness. Procedural Memory enables you to perform many everyday physical activities without having to give it any thought. Examples of procedural memory include walking, riding a bike, tying shoes, making a sandwich and reading.

*Classical Conditioning (automatic response, quick movements)*

Classical conditioning refers to the unconscious awareness of an association of one stimulus with another stimulus. The memory for the association is demonstrated when the conditioned stimulus begins to create the same response as the unconditioned stimulus did before the learning. For example, if you hear a dinner bell ring, it may create a naturally occurring response such as excitement or salivation. Another example is if you heard there was going to be a test, you begin to get tense and nervous.

*Priming (hints, cues)*

Priming is an effect in which exposure to one stimulus influences the response to another stimulus due to prior experience. Basically, priming influences your flow of thoughts. It is a non-conscious effect that activates particular concepts or associations in memory. The theory is that when one is exposed to something enough it will rise from his subconscious to the surface of his consciousness.

For example, if ask to state an animal that begins with the letter ‘D’, most people would choose “dog” because it is probably the most popular. However, some people may choose “deer” because of particular connection. You can often predict how a person will respond based on the priming stimulus. What do you think most people would pick for a tool beginning with the letter”H”....Hammer.

*Strategies to Develop Memory*

*Methods for Improving Your Memory*

1.*Focus Your Attention*

Focusing can help improve memory

Attention is one of the major components of memory. In order for information to move from your short-term memory into your long-term memory, you need to actively attend to this information. Try to study in a place free of distractions such as television, music, and other diversions.

Getting rid of distractions might be a challenge, especially if you are surrounded by boisterous roommates or noisy children.

Set aside a short period of time to be alone.

2.*Avoid Cramming*

Study regularly to improve memory

Studying materials over a number of sessions gives you the time you need to adequately process information. Research has continuously shown that students who study regularly remember the material far better than those who do all of their studying in one marathon session.

3.*Structure and Organize*

Organize information to improve memory

Researchers have found that information is organized in memory in related clusters. You can take advantage of this by structuring and organizing the materials you're studying. Try grouping similar concepts and terms together, or make an outline of your notes and textbook readings to help group related concepts.

4.*Utilize Mnemonic Devices*

Use mnemonics to improve memory

Mnemonic devices are a technique often used by students to aid in recall. A mnemonic is simply a way to remember information. For example, you might associate a term you need to remember with a common item that you are very familiar with. The best mnemonics are those that utilize positive imagery, humor, or novelty.

Come up with a rhyme, song, or joke to help remember a specific segment of information.

5.*Elaborate and Rehearse*

Rehearse information to improve memory

In order to recall information, you need to encode what you are studying into long-term memory. One of the most effective encoding techniques is known as elaborative rehearsal.

An example of this technique would be to read the definition of a key term, study the definition of that term, and then read a more detailed description of what that term means. After repeating this process a few times, you'll probably notice that recalling the information is much easier.

6.*Visualize Concepts*

Use visualization to improve memory

Many people benefit greatly from visualizing the information they study. Pay attention to the photographs, charts, and other graphics in your textbooks. If you don't have visual cues to help, try creating your own. Draw charts or figures in the margins of your notes or use highlighters or pens in different colors to group related ideas in your written study materials.

Sometimes even just making flashcards of various terms you need to remember can help cement information in your mind.

7.*Relate New Information to Things You Already Know*

Relating information can improve memory

When you're studying unfamiliar material, take the time to think about how this information relates to what you already know. By establishing relationships between new ideas and previously existing memories, you can dramatically increase the likelihood of recalling the recently learned information.

8.*Read Out Loud*

Teach others to improve your memory

Research published in 2017 suggests that reading materials out loud significantly improves​ your memory of the material. Educators and psychologists have also discovered that having students actually teach new concepts to others enhances understanding and recall.

Use this approach in your own studies by teaching new concepts and information to a friend or study partner.

9.*Pay Extra Attention to Difficult Information*

Focus on difficult information first to improve memory

Have you ever noticed how it's sometimes easier to remember information at the beginning or end of a chapter? Researchers have found that the order of information can play a role in recall, which is known as the serial position effect.

While recalling middle information can be difficult, you can overcome this problem by spending extra time rehearsing this information. Another strategy is to try restructuring what you have learned so it will be easier to remember. When you come across an especially difficult concept, devote some extra time to memorizing the information.

10.*Vary Your Study Routine*

Change your routine to improve memory

Another great way to increase your recall is to occasionally change your study routine. If you're accustomed to studying in one specific location, try moving to a different spot during your next study session. If you study in the evening, try spending a few minutes each morning reviewing the information you studied the previous night.

By adding an element of novelty to your study sessions, you can increase the effectiveness of your efforts and significantly improve your long-term recall.

11.*Get Some Sleep*

Sleep can help improve your memory

Researchers have long known that sleep is important for memory and learning. Research has shown that taking a nap after you learn something new can actually help you learn faster and remember better.

In fact, one study published in 2014 found that sleeping after learning something new actually leads to physical changes in the brain. Sleep-deprived mice experienced less dendritic growth following a learning task than well-rested mice.

So the next time you're struggling to learn new information, consider getting a good night's sleep after you study.

**KEEP VISITING THE BLOG FOR UPDATE ON THE FOLLOWING

Memory improvement techniques

Memory retention strategies

Memory enhancement methods

Memory formation processes

Types of memory recall

Neuroscience of memory

Memory encoding mechanisms

Memory consolidation tips

Short-term memory vs. long-term memory

Memory storage capacity

Memory retrieval strategies

Memory training exercises

Memory and learning connection

Cognitive psychology of memory

Memory hacks for students

Concept of Memory

Three types of memory

Sensory memory

Types of Sensory memory

Types of long term memory

Explicit memory

Types of explicit memory

Implicit memory

Types of implicit memory

Iconic memory

Echoic memory

Haptic memory 

Declarative memory

Non-declarative memory (Procedural)

Semantic memory

Episodic memory

Priming

Procedural memory

Methods of improving memory

**FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON MEMORY AND ITS DIFFERENT TYPES

*Q.1.How memory is formed?*
  A.1. When long-term memories form, the hippocampus retrieves information from the working memory and begins to change the brain's physical neural wiring. These new connections between neurons and synapses stay as long as they remain in use. Psychologists divide long-term memory into two length types: recent and remote.
*Q.2. Which part of memory is the most important in psychology?*
  A.2. Implicit Memory is the most important in psychology. While explicit memory consists of the things that we can consciously report that we know, implicit memory refers to knowledge that we cannot consciously access. However, implicit memory is nevertheless exceedingly important to us because it has a direct effect on our behaviour.
*Q.3. What is the shortest memory?*
  A.3. Sensory memory or working memory is the shortest memory. Short-term memory enables the brain to remember a small amount of information for a short period of time. The shortest type of memory is known as working memory, which can last just seconds. This is what we use to hold information in our head while we engage in other cognitive processes.
*Q.4. Which type of sensory memory is most likely to last the longest?*
  A.4. Auditory sensory memory is known as echoic memory. In contrast to iconic memories, which decay very rapidly, echoic memories can last as long as four seconds.
*Q.5. What part of the brain is responsible for sensory memory?*
  A.5. Sensory memory is stored in the temporal and occipital lobes of the brain. Sensory memories include any information brought in through our senses.
*Q.6. Which sensory memory is the strongest?*
  A.6. The study compares connections between primary sensory areas — including visual, auditory, touch and smell — and the hippocampus. It is found that olfaction has the strongest connectivity. It's like a superhighway from smell to the hippocampus.
*Q.7. What is sensory memory useful for?*
  A.7. Sensory memory is a mental representation of how environmental events look, sound, feel, smell and taste. It includes a long-term component useful for such activities as recognizing a color or a familiar voice. However, most vivid details of sensory memory seem to fade quickly.
*Q.8. What are the different types of short-term memory in psychology?*
  A.8. Short-term memory (STM) refers to systems which provide retention of limited amounts of material for a limited time period (seconds). Most investigated systems include Phonological, Spatial, and Visual STM, while STM storage exists also in other domains, as the somatosensory system.
*Q.9. What are the main limits of short-term memory?*
  A.9. Short-term memory is a component of memory that holds a small amount of information in an active, readily available state for a brief period, typically a few seconds to a minute. The duration of STM seems to be between 15 and 30 seconds, and STM's capacity is limited, often thought to be about 7±2 items.
*Q.10. What part of brain affects short-term memory?*
  A.10. We have a pretty good idea of where memory starts and ends—short-term memories form in the hippocampus and, if the situation calls for it, stabilize into long-term memories in the cortex. But what happens along the winding path between short-term to long-term memory is a mystery.
*Q.11. What part of the brain is the long-term memory?*
  A.11. Nonetheless, a good deal of circumstantial evidence implies that the cerebral cortex is the major long-term repository for many aspects of memory.
*Q.12. What is the role of the long-term memory?*
  A.12. Long-term memory refers to the memory process in the brain that takes information from the short-term memory store and creates long lasting memories. These memories can be from an hour ago or several decades ago. Long-term memory can hold an unlimited amount of information for an indefinite period of time.
*Q.13. What does explicit memory depend on?*
  A.13. Explicit memory is the conscious, intentional recollection of factual information, previous experiences, and concepts. This type of memory is dependent upon three processes: acquisition, consolidation, and retrieval.
*Q.14. What two parts of the brain are most involved in explicit memory?*
  A.14. There are three areas of the brain involved in explicit memory: the hippocampus, the neo-cortex and the amygdala.