HPS111 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Encoding Specificity Principle, Mnemonist, Artificial Neural Network
WEEK 9
Aids in improving memory –
Hierarchies – organising material in a hierarchy enhances memory by associating between concepts. It
enhances our understanding of how individual item are related and as we proceed from top to bottom, each
category serves as cue for the memory of items below it. E.g. a flowchart
Chunking
Visual imagery – using mental images as cues for retrieval
Method of loci – associating information with mental images of physical locations. E.g. using mental images
of distinct areas of your room and allocating information to each area, so that as you mentally walk through it, it
acts as a retrieval cue for the information you memorised. Dual coding theory – encoding information using
both verbal and visual codes enhances memory because the odds improve that at least one of the codes will be
later available to support recall.
Mnemonic device – a form of memory aid which reorganises information into meaningful units and provides
extra cues to help retrieve information from LTM. E.g. hierarchies, chunking, visual imagery, method of loci
and acronyms (combining the 1st letter of every word in a sentence/group of words to form one single word e.g.
VTAC).
Schema – a mental framework (an organised pattern of thought) about some aspect of the world.
Mnemonist (memorist) – a person who displays extraordinary memory skills.
Memory as a network:
Associative network – a massive network of associated ideas and concepts. When people think about a
concept, there is a spreading activation of related concepts throughout the network. This referred to as
‘Priming.’ E.g. thinking of ‘fire truck’ will conjure up other related concepts to mind like ‘red,’ ‘fire,’ and
‘truck.’
Neural network model – each memory is represented by a unique pattern of interconnected and
simultaneously activated nodes. Neural network models are computer models whose programming incorporates
principles taken from the operation of the Nervous System.
Encoding specificity principle – states that memory is enhanced when conditions present during retrieval
match those that were present during encoding.
a) Context-dependent memory – states that it’s typically easier to remember something in the same
environment in which it was originally encoded. i.e. environmental cues
b) State-dependent memory – states that our ability to retrieve memories is greater when our internal state
during retrieval matches our original state during learning. i.e. psychological or emotional state cues
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Document Summary
Hierarchies organising material in a hierarchy enhances memory by associating between concepts. It enhances our understanding of how individual item are related and as we proceed from top to bottom, each category serves as cue for the memory of items below it. Visual imagery using mental images as cues for retrieval. Method of loci associating information with mental images of physical locations. E. g. using mental images of distinct areas of your room and allocating information to each area, so that as you mentally walk through it, it acts as a retrieval cue for the information you memorised. Dual coding theory encoding information using both verbal and visual codes enhances memory because the odds improve that at least one of the codes will be later available to support recall. Mnemonic device a form of memory aid which reorganises information into meaningful units and provides extra cues to help retrieve information from ltm.
