Memory

Memory is fallible, but we can do things to improve our chances of remembering. Conduct the three experiments in the back of the article you have as well as these two experiments. What can we learn from these?

Role of Organization
1. Tell your group “The words you will hear are organized into four categories: fruits, flowers, cities, and countries. I will read a list of words aloud. Each set of four words will include a member of each category: fruits, flowers, cities, and countries. In addition, each word in a set of four will begin with the same letter.”
2. When you are ready, read the following words aloud from left to right and remember to give your group the following hints
a. The words you will hear are organized into four categories: fruits, flowers, cities, and countries
b. Each set of four words will include a member of each category.
c. Each word in a set of four will begin with the same letter.

Tomato Tulip Toronto Turkey
Raspberry Rose Reno Russia
Lemon Lily London Luxembourg
Banana Bluebonnet Boston Brazil
Cantaloupe Carnation Cancun Canada
Grape Geranium Geneva Germany


Once you’ve read the words, ask your members to write down as many as they can remember.

Performance on this list usually exceeds the typical five to nine item recall found on the initial list. Discuss the importance of organization.




Short Term Memory
1. Ask your group members to listen to all of the following words but not to take notes.


Tulip
Center
Carpet
Book
Window
Pony
Russia
Lime
Disk
Sidewalk
Table
Salad
Phone
Coffee
Pillow



2. Ask your group to write down as many words as they can. See how they did.
3. Now read the next list to your group members and ask the students to DO the things you say.


Blink
Cough
Clap
Lean
Sneeze
Scratch
Squint
Twist
Squeeze
Wink
Yawn
Reach
Stretch
Gargle
Kick


1. Ask your group to write down as many items as they can remember.
2. Once written, give your group members information about the words read aloud in both groups.
3. Ask them how many they had correct.
4. Discuss the performance on the two tasks.
a. What is the role of the serial position effect?
b. The benefits of organization?
c. The role of elaboration?
d. The role of interference?
e. What is rote memorization and how does it apply here?
f. Why would distributed practice be better than massed practice?
i. Distributed practice: breaking a list of rote learning items into shorter lists
ii. Massed Practice: Practice for a single extended period