Memory, language or perception: Cognitive Psychology

Memory is the ability to take in information, store it, and recall it at a later time. In psychology, memory is in three stages: encoding, storage, and retrieval

Different types of memory

It is certain that memory is not a unitary concept. That is to say, it is in different types, but we are going to concentrate on just two; Short Term Memory (STM) and Long Term Memory (LTM). There is ample evidence for the existence of these two different types. They are quantifiably different. STM is by definition a limited store. It has limited capacity and duration. LTM on the other hand is potentially limitless, in that long term memories can last a lifetime.

It is the way in which material is perceived and processed that enables it to pass from one store to another and recall, as well as duration of storage, in LTM is directly related to the way in which that information is processed for storage and this affects later retrieval.

Discuss how cognitive research has influenced practice in an area of applied psychology, for example, eyewitness testimony, visual illusions, learning to read or any other relevant application.

How cognitive research has influenced practice in understanding dementia

This is an important area of applied psychology and is at the forefront of research using cognitive neuroscience. It is also of real importance since the latest findings show that with the general population of the UK rising as many as 1 in 6 people over 80 will contract the disorder, and 1 person is diagnosed every 3 minutes currently in the UK and this is set to rise.

 

Cognitive Neuroscience

 

If you can recall the cartoon characters who were supposed to depict Craik & Tulving in the video in the previous section, you will recall how they alluded to use of brain imaging (which was not available in 1974). Brain imaging has enabled us to understand so much more about memory processes and the link between neurological activity and the way in which memory works. We no longer have to rely on diagrammatic evidence, but can actually see memory processes working on the screen.

As a result, we are able to be more certain about which parts of the brain make up the memory. They can see what happens to these processes when brain tissue degrades or where damage to tissue results in the inability of neurones to fire effectively in the correct sequence or particular area of the brain.

We know that the main memory functions are identifiable within the limbic system in the brain. These integrate with areas in the cerebral cortex

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