Problem 2
Learning goals:
1. When do memories start?
2. What influences memory?
3. How accurate are memories?
4. How do gestures and memory cues aid memory retrieval?
5. How can memory be tested?
6. What are the different forms of memory cues?
7. How are memories manipulated?
8. How helpful is hypnosis in memory retrieval?
9. How can memories be retrieved?
10. What is memory suppression?
Problem A:
Autobiographical memory
Autobiographical retention function- memories we recall from our
own life
Childhood amnesia- almost no memories before the age of 3
Reminiscence bump/Rubins theory- a disproportionately great
number of memories from ages 10-30
Paradigm/ Galton-Crovitiz technique
Standard forgetting curve for information that only occurs in the last
20 years
Childhood Amnesia
Drop in the number of memories before 10 and nearly none before 3
The emergence of autobiographical memory = the offset of
childhood amnesia
Offset of childhood amnesia occurs at different times depending on
the particular event
- Birth of a sibling and hospitalisation go further back than
memories for a death or family move
Hospitalisation may be remembered earlier as it’s such a distinctive
and frightening event
, The birth of a sibling may be memorable because it becomes a story
that receives a great deal of rehearsal
Family stories and photographs makes the memories stronger if the
child is older than 3
Brain development
One possible cause of childhood amnesia is due to the immature
brain
The neurological structures that are needed for complex processing
that lead to autobiographical memories aren’t fully developed
The hippocampal area of the forebrain (needed for new long-term
memories) is underdeveloped
Prefrontal cortex undergoes rapid development at 1 year
Those with a damaged hippocampus show a dissociation in memory
abilities
◊ This can only explain childhood amnesia for events that occur in
extremely early life, not those that occur at the age of 3
◊ Children themselves don’t show childhood amnesia, they can
remember things that happened when they were even littler i.e. 1-2.
This casts doubt on a purely neurological account of childhood
amnesia
Development of Language
Children begin to remember events as soon as they are able of
describing these events with language
Children make the most dramatic changes in language development
around the age of 2-4 so this is when they start verbally recounting
their experiences and start developing autobiographical memory
Narrative style- the way families reminisce about past events
which influences the quality of childhood memories.
- Elaborative style- usually used when parents are talking to
their daughters. Consists of long and detailed discussions of past
events and thus memories are remembered better.
- Pragmatic style- usually used when talking to their sons.
Briefer and contains less detail and elaboration
Women usually have better autobiographical recall which could be
due to the narrative style used
Nelson- memory emerges as parents begin to engage in memory
talk with children pointing out what was important, how it happened
and why it happened
- Child begins to build a generic event memory for events that are
often repeated e.g. going to the zoo, and an autobiographical
memory system for unique events
Development of a cognitive self – Howe and Courage
Language is important for expressing experiences, but it doesn’t
determine whether the event is remembered
Learning goals:
1. When do memories start?
2. What influences memory?
3. How accurate are memories?
4. How do gestures and memory cues aid memory retrieval?
5. How can memory be tested?
6. What are the different forms of memory cues?
7. How are memories manipulated?
8. How helpful is hypnosis in memory retrieval?
9. How can memories be retrieved?
10. What is memory suppression?
Problem A:
Autobiographical memory
Autobiographical retention function- memories we recall from our
own life
Childhood amnesia- almost no memories before the age of 3
Reminiscence bump/Rubins theory- a disproportionately great
number of memories from ages 10-30
Paradigm/ Galton-Crovitiz technique
Standard forgetting curve for information that only occurs in the last
20 years
Childhood Amnesia
Drop in the number of memories before 10 and nearly none before 3
The emergence of autobiographical memory = the offset of
childhood amnesia
Offset of childhood amnesia occurs at different times depending on
the particular event
- Birth of a sibling and hospitalisation go further back than
memories for a death or family move
Hospitalisation may be remembered earlier as it’s such a distinctive
and frightening event
, The birth of a sibling may be memorable because it becomes a story
that receives a great deal of rehearsal
Family stories and photographs makes the memories stronger if the
child is older than 3
Brain development
One possible cause of childhood amnesia is due to the immature
brain
The neurological structures that are needed for complex processing
that lead to autobiographical memories aren’t fully developed
The hippocampal area of the forebrain (needed for new long-term
memories) is underdeveloped
Prefrontal cortex undergoes rapid development at 1 year
Those with a damaged hippocampus show a dissociation in memory
abilities
◊ This can only explain childhood amnesia for events that occur in
extremely early life, not those that occur at the age of 3
◊ Children themselves don’t show childhood amnesia, they can
remember things that happened when they were even littler i.e. 1-2.
This casts doubt on a purely neurological account of childhood
amnesia
Development of Language
Children begin to remember events as soon as they are able of
describing these events with language
Children make the most dramatic changes in language development
around the age of 2-4 so this is when they start verbally recounting
their experiences and start developing autobiographical memory
Narrative style- the way families reminisce about past events
which influences the quality of childhood memories.
- Elaborative style- usually used when parents are talking to
their daughters. Consists of long and detailed discussions of past
events and thus memories are remembered better.
- Pragmatic style- usually used when talking to their sons.
Briefer and contains less detail and elaboration
Women usually have better autobiographical recall which could be
due to the narrative style used
Nelson- memory emerges as parents begin to engage in memory
talk with children pointing out what was important, how it happened
and why it happened
- Child begins to build a generic event memory for events that are
often repeated e.g. going to the zoo, and an autobiographical
memory system for unique events
Development of a cognitive self – Howe and Courage
Language is important for expressing experiences, but it doesn’t
determine whether the event is remembered
