Question

Psychologists have found that human memory involves three processes: encoding information into memory, storing information in memory, and retrieving information from memory. Psychologists have also identified specific strategies to help people encode, store, and retrieve information. How can this research help you study for this class more efficiently? What strategies could help you encode and store information in your memory as you study? What strategies could help you retrieve this information when you take a test?

In a multi-paragraph essay, describe how you could use specific memory strategies to improve your study skills. Be sure to explain how each strategy will improve how you encode, store, or retrieve information in memory.

Answer 1

Our memory has some important aspects as mentioned by the information processing model, which provides three stages of information processing:

• Encoding
• Storage
• Retrieval

By following certain techniques, we can make improvement at all these stages in order to study better in the classroom and recall the stored information during testing times. Here are some strategies I would adopt to encode, store, or retrieve information within the context of classroom study or when I'm tested:

Strategies for Improved Encoding

The way we receive information from physical and chemical stimuli, as well as process it is termed as the encoding of information. For enhanced encoding while studying in the class, the following techniques will help me:

• Visual inputs: I will use visual information related to the concept I study in my class. For example, I can look at pictures explaining the cognitive processes. While simply learning about the functions of brain parts may be difficult to encode, it can be made easier by looking at a picture of brain, depicting each of its parts and their functions in the visual form. This will make me encode the entire information more efficiently, as images lead to better encoding.
• Acoustic inputs: Similar to visual inputs, sound can also help in better learning. For instance, when I study some text, I can repeat it to myself by uttering it. Instead of silent reading from the book, my sound will help me encode the information more effectively.
• Semantic input: Semantic refers to the meaning. While repetition through acoustics can help me with better encoding, understanding the meaning of what I read will also help me do the same. Instead of mugging up information, I will understand its meaning so my brain would accept it in the right way to lead to the better storage and retrieval of that information.

Strategies for Improved Storage

The information passes on from sensory or very short memory to short-term memory (STM) and then long-term memory (LTM). Different memorizing techniques can help retain or store information at each level. Here are some techniques I would adopt to store information more efficiently:

• Repetition: As sensory memory can hold information for a blink of a second, it is important to grasp information and pass it on to STM quickly. To do this, I will repeat to myself what I learn. For example, if I learn a math formula, I will keep repeating it to myself so it gets stored in my STM sooner. It will help me avoid losing what enters my sensory or flash memory.
• Chunking: As STM has limited memory, I would chunk or group information in meaningful ways to store it in STM efficiently. For example, if I learn several words randomly, I will not be able to store them all in STM. Instead, I will categorize all those words into familiar strings. Then, my STM will store more vocabulary for me. Chunking helps in combining information bits into a larger piece of information.
• Meaningful organization: As information remains in STM for a short time, it is important to organize it in LTM. As semantic inputs help in encoding, they also help in better LTM storage. Thus, I would again give meaning to the learned details so my system understands where in LTM to store them. Understanding the meaning of just any random text will make it easy to process and retrieve when required.
• Categorization: A related technique is information categorization. For example, if I learn new words like blueberry, blackberry, papaya and grapes, then instead of learning them as four different units, I would learn them as a category, which is fruit. Similarly, I can categorize information based on its familiarity or relevance, as well as its link to other information already stored in my LTM. As an instance, if I am learning about new concepts of ‘memory’, then I will learn them in relation to the previous concepts of memory that are already stored in my LTM. Creating a link between the newly learned concepts and already stored concepts will help me in better info storage and recall at a later time.

Strategies for Improved Retrieval

While I can encode and store what I learn in the class more efficiently by following the above-mentioned techniques, it is also important to retrieve information when needed. For quick retrieval, I will follow these techniques that work on certain retrieval cues:

• Associations: As information is stored in the form of several associated or networked pieces, the same cue of associations would work during retrieval. For example, if I have learned about ‘information processing model’ and can’t recall what it is, then I can first try to recall about memory, which can further give me cues about the types of memory and processes in memory. This will further lead me to the models related to memory and I can arrive at the information processing model. Thus, recalling a linked concept if I can’t recall something can help me retrieve information quicker.
• Context: When I want that I can recall my learning later, I may opt to learn it in the same context. For example, if I have learned a lesson sitting in my classroom, then I can better retrieve it sitting at the same place or when I'm tested in the same or similar classroom. This technique is about keeping the same context while storing and retrieving information.
• Mood: Like the context, the same mood at the time of learning and at the time of retrieval also helps in better recall. If I was happy learning a poem in my class but get anxious at testing times when I can’t recall its words, then I would try to change my mood. I would try to calm myself and be happier. This will raise my chances of recalling the poem I learned in a happy mood.

Thus, all the above techniques can help me study in a better way, as I would encode, store, and retrieve my learning more efficiently and effectively.