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11: Complementary Cognitive Processes - Memory

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    Chapter Overview

    Chapter 11 covers the second of the four complementary cognitive process — memory. Before we even get to this, we discuss another important cognitive processes — attention. Simply, if we are not paying attention no amount of learning will occur. But if we are and learning occurs, we can demonstrate our newfound knowledge after some time has passed showing that it made its way into long term memory. If we struggle with this task, then forgetting has occurred.

    Chapter Learning Objectives
    • Describe attention and clarify why it is important to the cognitive process of learning.
    • Define memory and outline its three types.
    • Clarify the types of errors we make in relation to memory.
    • Hypothesize reasons why we forget.

    • 11.1: Attention- Deciding What to Dedicate Cognitive Resources To
      This page highlights the importance of attention in managing distractions and focusing on specific environmental aspects. It covers selective attention, processing capacity, and perceptual load, showing how low-load tasks permit distractions. Key phenomena like inattentional, repetition, and change blindness are discussed to demonstrate perceptual limitations.
    • 11.2: Memory- Demonstrating That We Have Learned
      This page explores the concept of memory as a cognitive process involving retention and retrieval of information. It defines the three memory stages: sensory memory, short-term memory (STM), and long-term memory (LTM), and discusses implicit vs. explicit memory, the serial position effect, and LTM processing steps. It also presents techniques to enhance memory and study efficiency.
    • 11.3: Memory Errors and Forgetting
      This page covers memory errors and forgetting, highlighting Schacter's "seven sins of memory," which include sins of omission (transience, absent-mindedness, blocking) and commission (suggestibility, bias, persistence, misattribution). It defines forgetting as reduced performance in learned behaviors and describes measurement methods like free recall and multiple-choice tests.
    • 11.4: Chapter Recap
      This page concludes the discussion on the second cognitive process of learning, emphasizing the importance of memory and attention. It highlights that memory is essential to learning and notes that attention is crucial for perception, which cannot occur without it. The text also transitions to upcoming topics on language and learning concepts, marking the end of Part VI.

    This page titled 11: Complementary Cognitive Processes - Memory is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Lee W. Daffin Jr. via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.