Module 5 –

Associative Memory
NEUROPEDAGOGY

2020-1-PL01-KA203-081740
 Associative Memory

Self-evaluation for the platform users

1. Memory refers to:
a) acquire, retain and retrieve information
b) store, retain and retrieve information
c) acquire, store, retain and retrieve information
d) acquire, store and retain information

2. Sensory memory is:

a) the earliest stage of memory
b) the medium stage of memory
c) the last stage of memory
d) there is no such memory

3. Most of the information stored in short-term (active) memory will be kept for
approximately:
a) 10 – 15 seconds
b) 20 – 30 seconds
c) 1 – 5 minutes
d) 10 – 20 minutes

4. What is Associative Memory?

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

5. How many types of Associative Memory we can distinguish?

a) 1 b) 2 c) 3 d) 4

6. What are episodic memories?

1) There is no such term
2) Memories not important for us
3) Not complete memories
4) Recall of specific personal experiences

Self – reflection (Questions to raise awareness)

1. Do you use Associative Memory in your daily life?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
2. How Associative Memory can be helpful for your study?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
3. How can you practice/improve your (Associative) Memory?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Learning objectives to be defined for each module acc. To Bloom’s
taxonomy
1. Know the definition of (associative) memory and its types
2. Understand the definition of (associative) memory, its types
3. Know how to improve own (associative) memory
4. Practice own (associative) memory

Theory – how does it work?

 Definition of Memory
Memory refers to the processes that are used to acquire, store, retain, and later retrieve
information. There are three major processes involved in memory: encoding, storage, and
retrieval.
Human memory involves the ability to both preserve and recover information we have
learned or experienced. As we all know, however, this is not a flawless process. Sometimes
we forget or misremember things.

Definition according to Psychology Dictionary:

Memory is the ability to understand and then internalize information into the
memory stores based on the processes of learning, encoding, retention and then
retrieval and reactivation of a memory when stimulated. Research has implied
that for every fact or memory, a new neuron is formed in the brain.

 Types of Memory
(based on Richard Atkinson and Richard Shiffrin theory)
 Sensory Memory
Sensory memory is the earliest stage of memory. During this stage, sensory information from
the environment is stored for a very brief period of time, generally for no longer than a half-
second for visual information and 3 or 4 seconds for auditory information. We attend to only
certain aspects of this sensory memory, allowing some of this information to pass into the
next stage: short-term memory.
 Short-Term Memory
Short-term memory, also known as active memory, is the information we are currently
aware of or thinking about. While many of our short-term memories are quickly forgotten,
attending to this information allows it to continue to the next stage: long-term memory.
Most of the information stored in active memory will be kept for approximately 20 to 30
seconds.
The term "short-term memory" is often used interchangeably with "working memory," which
refers to the processes that are used to temporarily store, organize, and manipulate
information.
 Long-Term Memory
Long-term memory refers to the continuing storage of information. This information is
largely outside of our awareness but can be called into working memory to be used when
needed. Some of this information is fairly easy to recall, while other memories are much
more difficult to access.
 Picture after: human-memory.net

 What is Associative Memory?

Associative memory is defined as the ability to learn and remember the relationship between
unrelated items. It refers to the ability to remember relationships between concepts, and not
just the individual concepts themselves. In humans, this relates to visual and verbal
information, such as remembering how two words are related (e.g., man – women), or
seeing an object and its alternate names (e.g., a guitar). Associative memory is thought to be
mediated by the medial temporal lobe of the brain.1

Definition according to Psychology Dictionary:

1. a memory of a past event or place that may occur by recalling something
associated with it.
2. retrieval of a memory of a stimulus or behaviour in relation to the
presentation of an associated stimulus or response.

 Types of Associative Memory

 Implicit Associative Memory
Physiological processes that are affected by implicit memory include the following:
performance, arousal level, reaction time, habituation, and thalamic (in the brain) processing
speed.
One of the most widely-used tests for implicit associative memory is priming, which was
developed by Kutas & Hillyard in 19802. Priming is used to test whether a word or image
influences how the subject responds to another stimulus, thus indicating that they have
previously encountered the word or image before.
An example of priming is when a person is shown a picture of a car, and then asked to
identify a second picture that is related in some way (e.g., another car). If they are able to
identify the correct match faster than if they had never seen the first picture, then it is
considered evidence that the first picture primed the person to recognize the second.
 Explicit Associative Memory

1
Mayes A, Montaldi D, Migo E. Associative memory and the medial temporal lobes. Trends Cogn Sci.
2007;11(3):126-135. doi:10.1016/j.tics.2006.12.003
2
Kutas M, Hillyard SA. Event-related brain potentials to semantically inappropriate and surprisingly large
words. Biol Psychol. 1980;11(2):99-116. doi:10.1016/0301-0511(80)90046-0
 Explicit associative memory relies on conscious recollection of information or events. There
are two types of explicit associative memory: episodic and semantic3.

o Episodic memories are the recall of specific personal

experiences, such as a wedding anniversary
o Semantic memories refer to facts about the world, such as
knowing that Paris is in France.

 Impact of Associative Memory

The value in developing associative memory capabilities has far-reaching implications for
your daily life.
Establishing associations helps you to remember information more easily, such as names of
people and places, phone numbers, birthdays and anniversaries. This may help you to recall
other related information about them (e.g., someone's birthday might remind you that he or
she has a party planned for that evening).
It also helps you to remember things in an efficient manner by recalling information that is
useful for specific tasks. For example, you might form associations between the things that
you need to do and the people who can help you accomplish them.

 Pitfalls of Associative Memory

Associative memory is not always a perfect science. Below are some ways that associative
memory might connect in ways that you don't intend when a bad memory is brought back to
your mind or a random association is created.
 You associate your kindergarten teacher with a monkey because she had one on
her desk.
 A smell brings back an event, like the apple pie that your mom would make when
you were sick.
 Your favourite movie or tv show reminds you of someone in it, and then
immediately makes you think of them in a new way (in a different context).
 The school bully draws out the memory of an embarrassing event you had when
you were around that person.
 A song reminds you of your first kiss or some other memorable event in your life,
and in doing so makes it harder for you to get "that" song out of your head.

Interactivities – suggestions on how to implement it?

https://h5p.org/content-types-and-applications

 Brain training - exercises to improve memory and concentration

 Count rectangles (Type: Collage ???)

3
Renoult L, Irish M, Moscovitch M, Rugg MD. From Knowing to Remembering: The Semantic-Episodic
Distinction. Trends Cogn Sci. 2019;23(12):1041-1057. doi:10.1016/j.tics.2019.09.008
 (picture after: https://www.poradnikzdrowie.pl/psychologia/rozwoj-
osobisty/trening-umyslu-czyli-cwiczenia-na-dobra-pamiec-aa-mBpT-qKuE-
qxcU.html)

 Playback of a sequence of pictures or photos

Look at the picture for a moment (for example 5 seconds) and try to redraw
it (Type: Collage ???)

(picture after: https://www.poradnikzdrowie.pl/psychologia/rozwoj-

osobisty/trening-umyslu-czyli-cwiczenia-na-dobra-pamiec-aa-mBpT-qKuE-
qxcU.html)

 In the following sequence of letters, please find the hidden words (Type:
find the words)
Alecheeselegantxyetigerenergypalacellawfullongwcutextensiongoingreatrust
ationextrayellowerroralsometimespeciallyricspecialboxygenerally
  Arrange the names of the professions from the letters below (Type: Drag
the words)
ubrmpel ...plumber …
aedgrner …………………..
troac ………….
rabke ………………..
motnacsou …………………….

 Memory Game (Type: Memory Game)

 Meditation/Relaxation
 Tips how to Improve Associative Memory (Type: Course Presentation)
1. Create a network of associations. This means associating yourself with people who are
able to recall many things (or who say they are good at recalling things). By watching them
and modeling their actions, you can improve your own ability to recall items by overlearning.

2. Associate one person or thing to another in some way, such as using a rhyme, sentence or
phrase. The association can be general (e.g., "grass is green") or specific (e.g., "the doctor is
in the house").

3. Create a story with many associations to make it more memorable and to help you recall
details. If you have trouble recalling information, then practice recalling it again and again,
and note where you are having problems.

4. Practice remembering items in a serial list by creating associations to things at the

beginning of the list (as opposed to holding these items in short-term memory). The goal is to
make it easier to remember the first item, which will help you recall the rest of the items.

5. Use the method of loci to remember lists or other materials by associating them with
locations that you are familiar with (e.g., rooms in your home). This is related to space-coding
techniques used by pilots to remember flight paths and procedures, and it works best if you
create a visual image of each location.

6. Use imagery to remember a list, an event or other materials by creating mental pictures
and/or using props (e.g., if you are remembering the items on your grocery list, then picture
them in your mind when you are at the store).

7. Create associations that show how things are alike or different from one another. For
example, if you want to remember the steps in a process, then associate them somehow so
that they make sense to you (e.g., "take out" is similar to "out of").

8. Use memory-triggering devices (e.g., cues), which are items or actions that prompt recall
of information that is easy to forget. You can use a memory-triggering device by tying it to
anything you want to remember, such as setting an alarm or writing down the information.

9. Associate people with words (or situations) in some way, and then try to recall the
person's name by recalling the word (e.g., the word "green" might trigger the name of your
friend, "Jenny").
 10. Use a method that suits you best. Everyone is different, and some people find it easier to
create music or phrases to help them remember things.

Additional Resources
 Research articles
https://academic.oup.com/acn/article/28/4/348/4775 Developmental Aspects of Working
and Associative Memory
https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2018-08555-001.html Age-Related Differences in Associative
Memory: Empirical Evidence and Theoretical Perspectives
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0896627301001994 Cognitive
Association Formation in Human Memory Revealed by Spatiotemporal Brain Imaging

 You tube videos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-o8pcWC81Xc – Memory and Models of memory
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCLdryjDl6E - Memory techniques - Your secret weapon
in the information age | Simon Reinhard | TEDxTUM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hh2Z2hSgFIY - Improving working memory capacity |
Torkel Klingberg | TEDxNorrköping
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tcEgqTWbxQ - Top 10 Tips to Keep Your Brain Young |
Elizabeth Amini | TEDxSoCal
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gA2lcNWloU - Memory fit - How I learnt to exercise
my memory | Anastasia Woolmer | TEDxDocklands
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ebJlcZMx3c - How to become a memory master | Idriz
Zogaj | TEDxGoteborg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gj3ZnKlHqxI - How to draw to remember more |
Graham Shaw | TEDxVienna
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=associate+memory+psychology&docid=607987259
837733828&mid=4C06AC252EB93876D6BB4C06AC252EB93876D6BB&view=detail&FORM=V
IRE
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=associate+memory+psychology&&view=detail&mid
=33889E97D4484600D44233889E97D4484600D442&&FORM=VRDGAR&ru=%2Fvideos%2Fse
arch%3Fq%3Dassociate%2520memory%2520psychology%26%26FORM%3DVDVVXX

 Other Links
https://www.psychologistworld.com/memory/association - Memory and Association
https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/memory/an-overview-of-associative-memory/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/associative-memory

References
1. A. Cuncic, What Is Associative Memory? https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-associative-
memory-5198601#citation-6
2. https://psychologydictionary.org/associative-memory/
3. K. Cherry, What is Memory? https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-memory-2795006
4. https://www.poradnikzdrowie.pl/psychologia/rozwoj-osobisty/trening-umyslu-czyli-
cwiczenia-na-dobra-pamiec-aa-mBpT-qKuE-qxcU.html
5. Checklist according to implementation in the classroom