This document discusses memory and schema theory. It provides an overview of memory, including explicit and implicit memory. It discusses early memory research by Ebbinghaus and his forgetting curve. Miller's work on chunking is also summarized. The document then evaluates Bartlett's work on schema theory, which found that memory is reconstructive based on a person's prior knowledge and schemas. Brewer and Treyens' study showing that schemas influence but do not determine memory for objects is described. The strengths and limitations of schema theory are discussed.

1. The Nature of Memory
& Schema Theory

2. Today’s Goals
 I can explain what memory is and begin to explain how it
works.
 C5- Evaluate schema theory with reference to research
studies.

3. Warm-Up
Rewrite the story which I read to you at the
end of last class period. Do your best to
remember all the details and ideas from the
story.

4. Memory Model
 With your group, create a list of things you think you know
about memory, how it works, or ideas that make you think of
memory.
 Create a Metaphor/Simile for Memory and how it works.
(Example: Memory is like a photograph because…)

5. What is Memory?
The capacity to retain and retrieve
information, and also the mental structures
that account for this capacity.
Explicit Memory  Declarative Memory
 Implicit Memory  Procedural Memory

6. Explicit Memories
Explicit Memory – Conscious, intentional
recollection of an event of an item of
information.
Declarative Memory – Memories that can be
consciously recalled such as facts and details.
 Recall- Retrieve and reproduce memory from previously
encountered material.
 Recognition – The ability to identify previously encountered
material.

7. Recall - How did you do?

8. Recognition Test
Dumby
Happy
Chubby
Doc
Sleepy
Bashful
Smarty
Braty
Laughy
Coughy
Dopey
Cutey
Toughy
Milky
Grumpy
Sneezy

9. Implicit Memory
• Implicit Memory - The unconscious retention of
previous experiences that creep into our current
thoughts/actions.
• Procedural Memories- Memories that help you
perfrom certain procedures and tasks.

10. Early Research into Memory
Ebbinghaus – 1885
Used self as subject
Tested his memory using lists of 3-letter
nonsense syllables (like KAF, PEB, LEV)
 Nonsense because he didn’t want his existing
knowledge to be able to help out his memory
Method: Relearning Task – Learned a list,
set it aside for a period of time, then later
relearned the material to the same level.

11. Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve

12. Remember as many numbers as
you can.
682375987728092623596

13. Now Try This
482-972-460-173-081-749-375
Chunking- When people reorganize and group
information into small groups.

14. Miller’s Magic Number 7
Plus/Minus 2
 760234983

15. The War of the Ghosts
The War of the Ghosts
What similarities/accurate recollections are
there?
What differences/errors did you make?
What might this show about your memory?

16. Bartlett (1932) 
Schema Theory (C5)
 Aim: To determine whether a person’s memory is impacted
by the knowledge (schemas) and the extent to which memory
is reconstructive.
 Method: Had British citizens read the story and then rewrite it
based on their memory over several months.
 Finding/Results: Participants remembered the main ideas but
remembered it as shorter. Unfamiliar elements were changed
to make sense of the story in terms of their own culture.
 Conclusion: Memory is an ACTIVE PROCESS that is
influenced by our experiences and understanding of how the
world works SCHEMA THEORY IS BORN!!!!

17. The Office

18. Brewer and Treyens (1981)
Aim: To investigate whether people’s
memory for objects in a room is influenced
by their existing schemas.
Method:
30 university students were asked to wait in
an office before being called into a research
study.
Participants were taken out of the office and
asked to write down everything they could
remember from the room.

19. Brewer and Treyens (1981)
 Findings:
 Most participants recalled the schematic objects (desk,
typewritter).
 Some participants reported things that would be expected
but were not present (books, telephone, etc.)
 Many participants recalled non schematic items such as
the skull…Unusual items resulted in better memory than
schema theory predicted.
Conclusions: Schemas do impact memory, but
only to a certain extent.

20. Evaluation of Schema Theory
Strengths Limitations
 Lots of research that
defends schemas.
Helps understand the
reconstructive nature
of memory/perception.
 “Social Schemas” help
explain stereotypes.
 Not entirely clear how
schemas are acquired
and how they actually
influence cognitive
processes.
Too vague to be useful.

21. Evaluate Schema Theory
What are the strengths of schema theory?
What are the limitations of schema theory?
What applications are there for schema
theory beyond memory?
Do you trust the research done on schema
theory? Why or why not?

22. The Case of Clive Wearing
(C7 Biological Impact on Memory)
Clive Wearing Video (Sorry for the blurry
picture)
How does Clive Wearing’s story relate to
what we already know about memory?
What memories does Clive still have and
what ones does he not have?
How does Clive Wearing’s Memory
problems relate to the models of memory?

23. Tonight’s Homework
Watch the two Prezis on Models of Memory
and record information for each model of
memory in your notes. We will discuss
them next time.