Chapter 7 Project

Purpose

The way we go about remembering something is very complex. Only through further exploration can we truly appreciate the impact that memory has on our daily lives. The purpose of this project is to further reflect on memory and apply it to your everyday life. You are going examine your own memories over a week and apply the information that you learned to those memories.

Directions

For a period of a week, you will spend at least 5 days of your choice reflecting on a particular memory you encoded, stored, or retrieved. Decide on the days and times that you want to assess your memory. Do your best to vary the time of day (i.e., day 1: morning shortly after you wake up; day 2: during lunch; day 3: evening; day 4: when you are out with friends, etc.). The goal is to have you tap into as many memories as possible.

Then, get a small notebook (small enough you can keep on you) or use your phone to jot down the memory that you experience and the time of day. Once you have at least 5 days' worth of memories, you are going to classify each one based on the terminology in this chapter in the following order:

1. Describe your memory in at least 50 words.

2. Decide if you're encoding, storing, or retrieving information.

   1. If encoding . . .

      1. Did you use automatic processing or effortful processing?

      2. Was it semantic?

      3. Was it visual or acoustic?

   2. If storing . . .

      1. Was it sensory, short-term, or long-term memory?

      2. If in long-term memory . . .

         1. Was it explicit or implicit?

            1. If explicit . . . was it episodic or semantic?

            2. If implicit . . . was it procedural or emotional conditioning?

   3. If retrieving . . .

      1. Was it recall, recognition, or relearning?

3. Decide what part of the brain you think was used in that memory and provide an explanation as to why you think that part was used.

Materials

A small notebook or phone to take notes on

Checklist