Starting_with_Psychology_Tma01

Part A. Mental images A mental image is a form of information that we see as iconic thought seeing pictures in our mid instead of words. * When we use mental images we can picture what we want to say. * A picture says a thousand words * Pictures can be precise in what we are trying to say. * We can learn more with images compared to words or pictures * We can remember more information. * Using mnemonics to improve our memory * A number of mnemonics are based on mental images which we have remembered from a young age. * Remember lists of items that we require such as a shopping list. * There is no need to write things down if we can picture a mental image of them. * Forming images fixes our memory * We can remember verbal and written information better. Concept A concept is explained as a process of developing categories, by organising our thoughts by putting them into categories. * Sub concepts with different information * Developing categories form concepts * Memory experiments will help us to remember more * Able to break the concept into different features * Overgeneralization on certain aspects and different people Schema A schema can be described as a mental framework in which we file all our knowledge on a certain topic into one package * Filling cabinet in our minds * Remembering different things that can be filed into our mind cabinet * We use different actions for different schema * We can share different schemas with other people * We can recall information as they provide an organising framework that the information is stored appropriately * Schemas can provide cues to prompt our memory Part B. Introduction In this assignment I will be looking at different ways in which we can improve our memory and in particular using a range of mental images, different forms of concepts and different schemas. I will be explaining what these are and I will also discuss in detail how they can help us to improve our memories. Main Body A mental image can be defined as thinking about words and information and then combining them to form a picture or image that would help us remember different information in more detail. Firstly while mental images are very effective in our day to day lives, they can also help us recall information better. Images that we can think off can also aid us to remember other information. These can be in a form of written or verbal communication. The amount of effort we make in forming the image will also help us to fix it in our own memory. We can remember even more information if the image that we see is bright and colourful. There are many techniques that would help us to improve our memory. Spoors et al. (2007) If we use mnemonics then we would use familiar rhymes or phrases that we had been taught in school. This kind of technique has helped us to remember more complex mental images and will allow us to remember the same information in the future. There have been many other ideas in which forming a mental image can help us improve our memory. One example of using mental image can be described in the research of Raugh and Atkinson (1975). Spoors et al. (2007, p. 37) ‘The participants were asked to learn a list of 60 Spanish words but only half of them were taught to use the key word technique. When they were tested later the participants using the key words scored an average of 88% compared with only 28& for the participants who did not use the key words’. While the evidence shows us that by using key techniques to learn, this can help us to remember more information. The information that we have learned will also help us to improve our own memory. Secondly forming concepts can be described as using the information that we have learned and then organising the same information into categories that show similar effects. While forming concepts can help us recall hidden information, the information that we have learned, we can categories our knowledge into different sub-categories. Using these can help us remember a lot more information as we can recall more words if we have placed them in the correct categories. We form concepts on a daily base as our knowledge is still developing more information. When recalling the information that has been categorised, each bit of the sequence would cue the next bit because the way that we have stored the information and this is easy to recall the information better. There have been other ideas regarding the way that we form concepts. One example of this has been used by Weston Bonsfield (1953). Spoors et al. (2007, p. 42) ‘Bonsfield asked participants to learn a list of sixty words that could be divided into four categories. Though the words were presented in a random order, the participants tended to remember them in groups which belonged to the same category’. As the evidence of Weston Bonsfield shows that using a form of categories for certain words can aid us in recalling each word that would help us to familiarise with the chosen category. When we mention a certain word then this should give us a clue for the next word. Lastly schemas can be described as knowledge that we have learned throughout our lives about different people and past experiences that we have already stored in our memories. While continuing to use schemas in our everyday lives, we are able to update our own knowledge and therefore our memory is frequently updating new information and situations and by using schemas, we can pass our knowledge on to others. Although using schemas can help us recall a lot of information, it can also change our outlook and comprehension of how memory works. There have been other ideas regarding different schemas that can be used. One example of this has been used by John Bransford and Marcia Johnson (1972). Spoors et al. (2007, p. 44) Participants were given the below passage to see f they could understand it. ‘The procedure is actually quite simple. First you arrange things into different groups...Of cause, one pile may be sufficient depending on how much there is to do. If you have to go somewhere else due to the lack of facilities that is the next step. Otherwise you are pretty well set. It is important not to overdo any particular endeavour. That is, it is better to do few things at once than too many. In the short run this may not seem important, but complications from doing too my can easily arise. A mistake can be expensive as well... At first the whole procedure will seem complicated. Soon, however, it will become just another facet of like. It is difficult to foresee any end to the necessity for this task in the immediate future, but then one never can tell. After the procedure is completed one arranges the materials into different groups again. Then they can be put into their appropriate places. Eventually they will be used once more and the whole cycle will have to be repeated. However , that is part of life’. The evidence of Bransford and Johnson shows that without a main title to the passage we are unable to understand the details that are given. We can add any title to the evidence shown and this will provide us the schema of the information. Conclusion Within the assignment I discussed different ways on how to improve our memory by organising and improving recall. As the research of mental images, schemas and forming concept shows that each one proves that we can organise our own recall and by using these, they will also improve our memories. Task 1 word count 1,021