Topic 4. Memory errors

Classification of types of memory. Touch register, short-term and long-term memory. Procedural, semantic, episodic, autobiographical memory. Memory errors in the light of this classification.

Errors of procedural knowledge. The main causes of de-automatization and skill disorders.

Mistakes of declarative knowledge. Demonstration of Bartlett. Specific types of distortion of the story: confabulations, contamination, omissions.

The main causes of memory errors (according to D. Miner), or “the seven sins of memory”. The extinction of mnemonic traces. Absent-mindedness Blocking, or loss of access to information (on the example of the “spinning effect on the tip of the tongue.” Erroneous attribution of the source of memories (on the example of the phenomenon of “implantation of memories”). Hearing. Retrospective memory effect. Error invasion. E. Loftus experiments with manipulation of the episodic content .

Prospective memory errors: forgetting and distorting intentions. Motivational approach to forgetting intentions (Z. Freud, K. Levin). Cognitive approach to forgetting intentions. Interference errors and directional forgetting.

Error memory applications. The problem of the truth of testimony. The problem of a retrospective assessment of the effectiveness of psychotherapy.

How often people show their forgetfulness in the most inappropriate place for this. Bad memory can be caused not only by age or illness, but also by external factors that prevent us from performing important events for us. You have been appointed to consult with an important teacher for you, on which your thesis depends. The long-awaited day has come, but your meeting did not take place. You forgot about the consultation.

To understand your forgetfulness, you must study the particularities of memory, in order to try to avoid big mistakes in the future, and learn to control your actions. The cause of errors can be factors like inattention, fatigue, distraction. Late in the evening you put the book on the chest of drawers, decided that you would finish reading it tomorrow. Today you can’t find a book. Where did you put it? Are you sure she was lying on the dresser. The reason for such forgetfulness can be not only fatigue, but also confusion, especially if you have a state. exams and writing a diploma, as well as work. It is best to record not only current affairs, but also to give hints where and what lies. It will not look funny if you forget where you put your credit card.

Abstraction is also one of the factors of poor memorization. How can I learn lessons when the music is on? Or, when you study a subject at the institute, your small child prevents you from studying. Often, when you look out the window, you see good weather. Automatically forget that today the rain passed and do not take an umbrella with you. And the most popular situation is when a random phrase flashes in a conversation, and you remember an important activity that you didn’t do yesterday.

And there was a situation when you did not recognize the person, but did he recognize you? This may be due to several reasons with a long history.

Mistakes related to the recollection of events may leave a negative impression on a person. We cannot remember the name of our old friend, and he might think that he is simply not respected.

Personal problems upset many. It affects memory. We, plunging into ourselves, cannot remember many things. A person thinks about his problems, the outside world is not interested in him. Our concern with our problems cannot be fully controlled by consciousness. As a result, a person makes mistakes. When studying a subject at school, college or institute you cannot remember it if it is not interesting to you. Motivation is a quick start to remember important events in life.

Imagine a situation if a person is doing well in his personal life, at work. He is a successful man, has money and good friends. What can prevent him from remembering his affairs? His fatigue if he works hard. Even when the work brings him moral satisfaction, but takes a lot of energy, he can forget an important meeting.

These are the main factors of poor memorization. All of them have their own characteristics and are associated with different situations. Fatigue, distraction, lack of hints are the main guides of bad memory. To improve memory, you need to relax more and take various vitamins.

Primary:

1. Myers D. Intuition. Opportunities and dangers. - SPb .: Peter, 2010. S. 75-83, 98-102.
2. Loftus E. False memories // Cognitive psychology. History and modernity. Reader / M.V. Falikman, V.F. Spiridonov (ed.). M .: Lomonosov, 2011. p. 303-311
3. Shabri K., Simons D. The Invisible Gorilla, or the story of how deceptive our intuition is. M .: Career Press. S. 55-67, 79-100.

Additional:

1. Bartlett F. The person remembers // Psychology of memory / Ed. Yu.B. Gippenreiter, V.Ya. Romanov. M .: Chero, 2002. p. 292-203.
2. Nurkova V.V. General psychology. In 7 t. / Ed. B.S. Brotherly T. 3. Memory. M .: Academy, 2006. pp. 110-126.
3. Hawk R. 40 studies that rocked psychology. St. Petersburg: Prime-Euroznak, 2008. p. 193-205.
4. Schacter D. The seven sins of memory. Insights from psychology and cognitive neuroscience // American Psychologist. 1999. V. 52. P. 182-203.