Group 9 “Why do we forget?”

Bailey, Brittany, Stephen, Annika

Why do we forget?

We sometimes fail to encode info into our memory system, and memories will also fade after stored. People commonly will experience retrieval failure which is when old and new material compete for space causing inadequate retrieval.

Vocab❖ Mood-congruent Memory: people usually recall

experiences that are similar to their current mood, good or bad❖ Proactive Interference: when previous learning disrupts

recalling new information❖ Retroactive Interference: when new learning disrupts

recalling of old, already stored information❖ Repression: a defense mechanism that removes thoughts,

feelings, and memories that cause anxiety from consciousness (psychoanalytical theory)

❖ Positive Transfer: when old information helps us learn new information

Why its necessary for us to forget➔ The Russian memory whiz S,from the first chapter, who could repeat a

string of numbers up to 70 digits, backwards and forwards, and from 15 years earlier. Although this seems amazing, not being able to forget this has dominated his consciousness.he has problems generalizing, evaluating, and organizing.

There are lots of different reasons why we forget. ➔ On reason is an encoding failure, which is not encoding something into

our brain. For example, with pennies. Most people can recall that the penny has Lincolns head, "In God We Trust", and the date, but not how they're placed on the penny.

➔ There is also storage decay, which is like encoding your locker combo well into your brain, but forgetting it over the summer.

➔ Finally there is retreat failure, which is like looking for a book in a library, but not having enough info to look it up or retrieve it.

Examples

Seven Sins of Memory❖ Sins of Forgetting:

➢ Absent-mindedness (inattention to details)➢ Transience (decaying of storage over time, fading of unused information)➢ Blocking (inability to access stored information; when it’s on the “tip of your

tongue”)❖ Sins of Distortion:

➢ Misattribution (confusing where the information came from)➢ Suggestibility (misinformation that has lingering effects)➢ Bias (current feelings that effect your recalled initial feelings)

❖ Sin of Intrusion:➢ Persistence (being haunted of unwanted memories you wish you could

forget, usually trauma or assault)

AnecdotesI. Absent Mindedness-

A. The famous Cellist Yo-Yo Ma forgot his 266 year-old, $2.5 million cello in a New York taxi

B. Losing your phone because you set it down while your mind was elsewhere and not concentrated on placing it down

II.Transience-A. Forgetting an old phone number after use

III.Blocking- A. Inability to recall a song name

IV.Forgetting Curve-A. Students could recall little info about the Spanish they

learned 3 years ago but the info they remembered could be remembered 25 years later

Anecdote- The Woman who Can’t Forget1) Jill Price, a woman studied and verified by the

University of California to have an extreme memory. Jill has the ability to recall every detail and fact of her life since she was the age of 14. Whenever seeing past dates, Jill can recall just about everything that happened that day. She expresses that her unusual ability is not helpful, but “nonstop and totally exhausting”.

Review Quiz1. Who was the memory researcher who established the seven sins of memory?A) B. F. SkinnerB) Daniel Schacter C) Hermann Ebbinghaus D) Sigmund Freud 2. What are the three sins of forgetting?A) Persistence, Misattribution and BiasB) Blocking, Persistence, and TransienceC) Absent-Mindedness, Blocking and TransienceD) Absent-Mindedness, Misattribution and Suggestibility 3. True or FalseTransience is unwanted memories.

Review Quiz4. We sometimes fail to ______ information into our memory system.A) EncodeB) RememberC) RetrieveD) None of these 5. Repression isA) The disruptive effect of prior learning on the recall of new informationB) The disruptive effect of new learning on the recall of old informationC) The tendency to recall experiences that are consistent with one’s current good or bad moodD) The basic defense mechanism that banishes from consciousness anxiety-arousing thoughts, feelings and memories 6. True or FalsePeople will commonly experience retrieval failure.

Review Quiz7. An example of blocking isA) Forgetting an old phone number after useB) Inability to recall a song nameC) Losing your phone because you set it down while your mind was elsewhereD) All of these are examples of blocking

8. An example of transience isA. Forgetting an old phone number after useB. Inability to recall a song nameC. Losing your phone because you set it down while your mind was elsewhereD. All of these are example of transience

9. True or FalseRecalling is apart of the seven sins of memory

Review Quiz10. An example of absent mindedness is

A. Cellist Yo Yo Mama forgetting his cello on a taxi

B. Losing your phone because you set it down while your mind was elsewhere and not concentrated on placing it down

C. Both of these are examples

D. None of these are examples

Key1. B2. C3. F4. A5. D6. T7. B

8. A

9. F

10. C