Short term memory: cognitive processes and retention

¶ … Memory

Table 1 -Test #1

Trial

My

Test

Correct

Total

Letters

UM

UM

TZLD

TZLD

KXCEJO

KXCEDO

AVCYISCH

AVCYISEH

LBFRPMAUX

LBFQRPMAUX

ZQECTBUM

ZQECTBUMONRV

2nd Round

Trial

My Test

Correct

Total Letters

% Remembered

UM

UM

TZLD

TZLD

KXCEJO

KXCEDO

AVCYISEH

AVCYISEH

LBFQRPMAUX

LBFQRPMAUX

ZQECTBUMV

ZQECTBUMONRV

I had previous taken a memory course, so knew some tricks; either finding neumonics, which is less effective for me, or grouping into smaller sets, which is effective. For instance, In Trial #5 I grouped it as LBF -- QRMP then the word "maux" as a cat sound. It also helps me to use rhythm to remember short-term items.

Loftus, E., Hoffman, H. (1989). Misinformation and Memory: The Creation of new

Memories. Journal of Experimental Psychology. 117 (1): 100-4. Retrieved from http://faculty.washington.edu/eloftus/Articles/hoff.htm

Memory is the way we store, retain, and recall information. In humans, this is called cognition in the sense of the way the mind works, processes memories, and is able to learn, retrieve and create new things. We have three basic ways we process memory:

Sensory memory -- the most basic and primitive, but crucial to survive, this is based on stimuli receive in the first 200-500 milliseconds after an event. This memory degraded very quickly and is rather unreliable.

Short-Term memory allows recall from a few seconds to a few minutes but with liquid capacity, Short-term memory can be improved by cramming data, but may also be quite unreliable.

Long-Term Memory/Recall -- This is the human capacity to stare lots of information in certain parts of the brain that allow recall with topics are quick important.

However, the authors of this study point out that based on certain stimuli, past knowledge and the emotional state, many times memory as incomplete or contain symbolic triggers which are misinformation. This is not really impaired memory, but an additional way to place comforting objects within our universe, or to ensure that we understand the stimuli better.

Q1- How does external stimuli affect misinformation?