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Standard Area: Memory

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CONTENT STANDARDS

After concluding this unit, students understand:
1. Encoding, or getting information into memory
2. Short-term and long-term memory systems
3. Retrieval, or getting information out of memory
4. Biological bases of memory
5. Methods for improving memory

Content Standards With Performance Standards and Suggested Performance Indicators
CONTENT STANDARD 1: Encoding, or getting information into memory
Students are able to (performance standards):

1.1 Characterize the difference between surface and deep (elaborate) processing.
Students may indicate this by (performance indicators):
• Providing several examples each of surface and deep processing

1.2 Identify other factors that influence encoding.
Students may indicate this by (performance indicators):
• Demonstrating the role of imagery in encoding
• Developing examples of dual encoding, such as encoding both semantically and visually

CONTENT STANDARD 2: Short-term and long-term memory systems
Students are able to (performance standards):

2.1 Describe the operation of short-term memory.

Students may indicate this by (performance indicators):
• Explaining the duration and capacity of short-term memory
• Providing examples of the use of chunking to increase the capacity of short-term memory
• Conducting a demonstration that uses short-term memory
• Providing examples of primacy and recency effects

2.2 Describe the operation of long-term memory.

Students may indicate this by (performance indicators):
• Charting the duration and capacity of long-term memory
• Providing examples of episodic, semantic, and procedural memories
• Reporting the primary findings of Ebbinghaus’ nonsense-syllable studies

CONTENT STANDARD 3: Retrieval, or getting information out of memory
Students are able to (performance standards):

3.1 Analyze the importance of retrieval cues in memory.

Students may indicate this by (performance indicators):
• Identifying contextual and state-related cues
• Examining problems related to incomplete retrieval, such as the tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon

3.2 Explain the role that interference plays in retrieval.

Students may indicate this by (performance indicators):
• Providing examples of proactive and retroactive interference
• Relating the concept of interference to studying school-related material

3.3 Relate difficulties created by reconstructive memory processes.

Students may indicate this by (performance indicators):
• Speculating about the role of reconstruction in claims of repressed childhood memories
• Speculating about the role of reconstruction in cases of eyewitness testimony

CONTENT STANDARD 4: Biological bases of memory
Students are able to (performance standards):

4.1 Identify the brain structures most important to memory.

Students may indicate this by (performance indicators):
• Relating case studies of damage to the hippocampus and its effect on memory
• Reporting on disorders, such as Alzheimer’s and stroke, that can impair memory

CONTENT STANDARD 5: Methods for improving memory
Students are able to (performance standards):

5.1 Identify factors that interfere with memory.

Students may indicate this by (performance indicators):
• Generating examples of interference that reduce academic performance
• Describing case studies that involve memory loss
• Exploring the controversy surrounding repressed memories related to child abuse
• Explaining cross-racial eyewitness identification

5.2 Develop strategies for improving memory based on our understanding of memory.

Students may indicate this by (performance indicators):
• Developing and describing mnemonic devices to help learn psychological concepts
• Listing specific suggestions to enhance deep processing of information and to minimize the effect of interference
• Describing how concepts such as massed versus distributed practice, overlearning, state and context dependence, and schemas might relate to studying