Memory is the most important function of the human brain, used in mental operations and necessary for composing new facts with familiar information. Any personal characteristics are directly related to a person’s experience, which cannot be accumulated without memory. Without it, it is impossible to adapt to a changing environment.
Short-term memory depends on the brain
Every year more and more information enters the human brain, it is necessary to be able to analyze it. For this purpose, there is short-term memory, which is used in any mental work. Understanding the principles of memory functioning will help you use and develop it more effectively.
What is short-term memory
A simple definition is this: short-term (working) memory is a function of the human brain, the task of which is to retain the necessary information for a short time.
It is impossible to consider short-term memory in isolation from sensory and long-term memory. When a person sees or hears something, the first type of memory works for him. Sensory memory stores information for a few seconds while the nerve signal is stored in neurons. But then the old information is quickly replaced by new information, which the person perceived through the senses.
Visualizing memory in the brain
Example. If you look at a motionless person for a long time, the eye will remember his silhouette. Sensory memory differs from short-term memory in that the first works only at the moment an object impacts a person’s senses, and in the second, information is still retained for an hour.
There is also long-term memory. As the name suggests, it stores data for a long time.
Information can come into short-term memory from both sensory and long-term memory. Another name for the type of memory discussed in this article is active; a person directly uses it in any intellectual activity.
Short-term and long-term memory are closely related: the longer information is retained in the head, the higher the likelihood of it being stored in long-term memory.
Volume
Volume is a characteristic indicating the maximum amount of information that can be stored in short-term memory at any given moment.
How much data can the human brain hold? It is generally accepted that the capacity of short-term memory is 7+/-2 units or blocks of information. This was discovered by the famous scientist George Miller.
As learning progresses, units of information are combined into blocks. For example, turning a car on the road consists of reducing speed, turning the steering wheel in one line, and at the end of the maneuver - in another. A beginner keeps each action in this sequence separately, so a simpler task requires more RAM.
Short-term memory in the human head
Each of these actions takes up at least three cells in a person’s RAM. But as training progresses, they are all executed quickly and begin to occupy one cell. This is why experienced drivers manage to talk on the phone and drive at the same time. They have to process only two blocks of information at the same time.
True, in a non-standard situation, the amount of data in RAM increases sharply (there are many unfamiliar pieces of information), and, if we speak at this time, the probability of an accident increases sharply. Therefore, you should not talk on the phone while driving, even if it seems that you can control the situation on the road. Unforeseen situations arise regularly; while driving, the entire amount of RAM must be available for driving. The ability to effectively drive a vehicle lies in the ability to concentrate as much as possible on the road, keeping all its objects in short-term memory.
Attention! The amount of RAM can be less than 5 units. Everything is very conditional. It is necessary to take into account the specifics of the data being remembered, the person’s condition, motivation and other parameters.
Types of memory and their features
Many people underestimate the importance of memory for self-development and reason like this: “Why train your memory if the main thing is not the quantity of memorized material, but its quality.” This is true, but research shows that by developing memory, you develop many different abilities: creative thinking, the ability to quickly process incoming information, the ability to keep several options in mind in order to choose the best, and much more. Memory is not about memorizing a large amount of material; it is a property of the psyche, which, when developed, has a positive effect on a person’s cognitive abilities. If you want to increase these abilities and improve your thinking, take a course in cognitive science.
In this article we will look not only at all types of memory, but also show the importance of each of them.
Psychologists classify memory in different ways:
- By time;
- By the senses;
- According to the nature of the goals of the activity.
Types of memory by time
Instant
It is associated with retaining a complete and accurate picture of the information just perceived. This type of memory is characterized not by the processing of received information (it does not do this), but by the direct reflection of information by the senses. It is rather an image that we get from encountering an event. The duration of instant memory is from 0.1 to 0.5 seconds.
Short term
This is the type of memory that we often use in dialogue or discussion. Its duration is up to 20 seconds. Someone who has developed it retains in short-term memory all the most important things that happened during this period; it is rather a generalized image of what was perceived. It also has such an important property as volume. For most people, it ranges from 5 to 9 pieces of information. It can be increased: with this approach, a person watches what is happening very carefully and is able to notice more details. Sherlock Holmes probably had a short-term memory capacity of more than ten. If you want to be like Holmes, train this type of memory.
Operational
This is a type of memory in which a person sets himself to store information for a certain period of time - from several seconds to several days. This usually happens when a person needs to work on some project, book or coursework: that is, a certain task is set that needs to be solved. Both when the computer is turned off, and in the case of a person, the RAM can be erased after the task has been solved. However, it can also move into long-term memory.
When you solve a logical problem and need to keep several conditions in mind, you use RAM.
Long-term
This is memory that allows you to store information for an unlimited period. It all depends on the person himself and how much he needs it. The more he repeats information, the more it is imprinted. This requires developed thinking and willpower. This is why memory training is not only necessary for memorization: in parallel with it, extremely important abilities are developed.
Genetic
This memory is stored in the genotype and is inherited. We cannot influence it, because it is outside our zone of influence - in the genes.
Types of memory by sense organs
Figurative
This memory is responsible for remembering sights, smells, tastes and sounds. It is not difficult to guess which sense organs are developed in artists, sommeliers, chefs and musicians. However, figurative memory is quite easy to develop because we always have training tools at hand.
Verbal-logical
This is remembering and reproducing our thoughts. We also remember the content of a film, a conversation, a song.
Memory is not simply called verbal-logical. This type of memory manifests itself in three cases:
- Only the meaning of the information is remembered.
- Not only the meaning of information is remembered, but also the literal verbal expression of thoughts.
- The literal verbal expression of thoughts is remembered, but not the meaning.
Surely it has happened to everyone when we memorized a text word for word, but could not retell it in our own words. Or they didn’t remember the text, but could reproduce the essence.
Motor
This memory plays a key role for athletes and people who, as part of their profession, must remember a certain sequence of movements. For example, actors not only learn to get used to the role in order to look truthful on stage, but also sign up for dances - the more developed the motor memory, the easier it is to improvise and perform non-standard movements.
Emotional
This memory is associated with experiences, both positive and negative. With its help, both phobias and the level of happiness are formed. The higher the emotional intensity, the better a person will remember the experience. This memory is often used to learn foreign words, trying to emotionally “attach” one’s experiences to the word being studied.
By the nature of the goals of the activity
free
We set ourselves the task of remembering information, prepare for this, pay conscious attention to the source of information and make every effort of our own will.
Involuntary
Such memorization occurs automatically, without human effort. Involuntary memory can be used both for harm and for benefit. In the first case, something can be suggested to a person by manipulating him. In the second, using a game or a work of art to convey an important idea that will be remembered for a long time only because the information bypassed the conscious mind and penetrated the subconscious.
As we see, we do not need memory to remember everything that happens around us. There are a variety of types of memory, and those who learn to manage them correctly will be able to achieve many goals.
We wish you good luck!
We also recommend reading:
- Storytelling
- How to remember information: a selection of useful materials
- Cognitive load theory
- What is working memory and how to improve it
- Two important laws of memory
- Rules and ways to improve memory
- Cognitive sphere of personality
- Exercises for memory development in preschoolers
- Visuospatial Corsi test: description and application
- Intelligence and its development: several recommendations
- How to train your memory
Key words:1Mnemonics
Possible problems and violations
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Every person's memory is far from perfect. Therefore, everyone has various problems and dysfunctions of this function. Possible violations:
- Violation of consolidation. Information is not transferred from short-term storage to long-term storage. There are many reasons: lack of sleep, insufficient logical processing of incoming information, illness, hunger, and also ignorance of the mechanisms of memory.
- Impaired entry of information into short-term memory. May occur due to inattention or lack of sleep.
- Diseases. Problems occur both with a common cold (although not so significant) and with serious diseases (Pick's disease, Alzheimer's disease, brain oncology).
These problems may go away over time or get worse.
Problems at a young age
Memory tends to be better at a young age. But disorders can also occur in young people.
Students studying
The reasons are universal for any age; the following can be added to those described above:
- Fatigue. The problems are especially aggravated for students during the session. If too much information enters the brain, a protective inhibition occurs to prevent overload.
- Severe stress. The volume of RAM during periods of stress decreases by 60-70%. As a result, the intelligence of an adult is the same as that of a 10-year-old child.
- Wrong lifestyle. If you sleep little, eat poorly, smoke and drink excessively, then over time your memory will invariably begin to deteriorate, and some of the changes become irreversible.
Prevention of memory deterioration at any age is regular moderate mental stress, walking and a willingness to perceive something new.
Training and development of short-term memory
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Short-term memory is closely related to attention, so by training it, a person influences everything else. Meditation trains short-term memory very well. Meditation is simple: you need to focus on your breathing for a certain amount of time. If focus is lost, you need to focus on breathing again. You can choose any other object for concentration.
Meditation strengthens memory
During meditation, inhalation and exhalation should always be held in short-term memory. It only seems easy, but even within 5 minutes an inexperienced person is distracted 19 or 20 times.
A good way to improve poor memory or preserve it until old age is walking. They are able to develop the hippocampus, a region of the brain responsible for the brain’s ability to store information.
Advice. It is useful to take walks over long distances, exploring new places in the city. London taxi drivers have a great memory precisely because they know every street, which has made their hippocampus truly huge. The minimum walking distance should be 2 hours a day.
Memory and fine motor skills are also well connected. To develop the ability to remember, it is useful to knead plasticine or clay, and sculpt some figures.
Exercises
Any activity that uses short-term memory is exercise. There are a number of techniques that can quickly improve it:
- Memorizing a sequence of numbers. This exercise is also used to test this feature.
- Chucking (grouping of objects). To fit more information into short-term memory, you need to break it up into blocks. Phone numbers are divided into three numbers, since this way you have to remember not seven numbers, but three. You can practice dividing a series of numbers into blocks.
- Mnemonics. It is aimed at developing short-term memory, but if you regularly repeat the material being studied, it will turn into long-term memory. Mnemonics is a full-fledged discipline in psychology, which will require a lot of time to study. To retain information for life, it is necessary to repeat it at regular intervals. You can train mnemonics skills using the Mnemocon program for Android and iOS.
There are many smartphone apps that train a range of cognitive functions.
Auditory memory. Development of auditory memory
Auditory memory is one of the types of memory that allows a person to remember a certain sequence of sounds and then reproduce them.
Short-term auditory memory is a type of memory that helps a person understand the meaning and quickly process incoming sound information.
Short-term auditory memory is associated with the so-called phonetic area, into which the information heard is received and stored for several seconds, which is quite enough to understand the meaning and essence of the conversation. After this, the heard information enters the semantic area associated with long-term memory, where it can be stored from several minutes to infinity, because the capacity of this area is enormous, and it is in it that all the acquired individual experience of a particular person is concentrated.
A person with good auditory memory is able to easily, quickly and accurately remember the content of a text being read, the meaning of events, and the logic of reasoning. At the same time, he can quite correctly reproduce the information received in his own words.
Below are 10 exercises, thanks to which anyone who is thinking about how to develop auditory memory will be able to find for themselves both the answer and a way to solve the problem:
1 Using a tape recorder, listen to a fragment of a familiar musical composition, then mentally reproduce it. In the process of regular auditory memory training, gradually increase the duration of the melody. Ideally, it is necessary to develop auditory memory to a level where, after listening, you can completely mentally reproduce any melody.
2 Ask someone to say 4 single-digit numbers for you, for example: 1, 3, 9, 4. After that, you must say them in reverse order. After you become confident in coping with this task, the number of spoken numbers should be gradually increased to 5, 6, etc. This exercise not only promotes the development of auditory memory, but also trains attentiveness well.
3 The “Zvukvar” simulator, which you will find by following this link, is very suitable for training short-term auditory memory.
4 Ask someone to clap the rhythm of a well-known melody for you using 5-7 hand claps. Your task is to exactly repeat the proposed rhythm. After you confidently begin to cope with the task, the number of claps can be gradually increased.
5 Read books that are interesting to you. At the same time, train yourself to retell individual chapters out loud after reading them.
6 Listening to audiobooks will also help train your auditory memory. After listening, in your free time, mentally repeat what you heard. Analyze how accurately you were able to reproduce the text you heard.
7 After reading, repeat the tongue twisters of varying lengths out loud. During regular training, do not use the same tongue twisters, alternate them and add new ones.
8 Before going to bed, spend some time developing your auditory memory. Listen and try to hear as many sounds as possible that are present in the space around you. This could be a refrigerator running in the kitchen, a fly flying around the room, steps on the landing, etc. Consistently focus on each of the sounds and mentally reproduce them in lower and higher tones.
9 The habit of retelling out loud important information that needs to be remembered will be useful for the development of auditory memory.
10 While on the street and in other public places, listen to the sounds present, isolate from them the conversations of other people and mentally repeat the phrases you hear as accurately as possible.
It is well known that any ability can be developed to a certain extent, you just need not to be lazy and train your auditory memory, and even better, other cognitive functions regularly. Special games for training memory and attention in adults are available on our website.
Good luck to you in improving yourself!
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Examples of short-term memory
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A person constantly encounters the use of short-term memory in life. As a child, he is taught to count: write two down, six in his head. Or when a person repeats a mobile phone number so as not to forget it while he puts it in his address book.
Another example of the use of short-term memory is processing information during a conversation. There is a very close intersection here with concentration. It is impossible to focus on what is not in RAM. You have to keep in your head not only phrases and their meaning, but also nonverbal signs indicating the emotional state of your interlocutor.
If a person imagines a picture in his head, his short-term memory is also activated, ensuring its storage in consciousness.
Thus, there are a huge number of examples of the use of short-term memory. Not a single mental operation is complete without it, even brushing your teeth automatically.
