My research assignment will be on human memory and the psychology behind the way humans process information. Some people believe that many psychology concepts are common sense and humans are able to recognize their inner thoughts, feelings, and motives, on their own. However, professional psychologists trained in the study of the brain, disagree with that viewpoint. Many case studies and experiments prove that the human mind often tricks us, without us acknowledging it.

The way the human brain interprets memories, may be drastically different than some may believe, without researching the topic closer. The human brain stores information in different ways, and many times changes original information before it’s cognitively stored. This is typically uncommon knowledge to most people. It’s counterintuitive to believe that humans often create memories that might never have happened. How can a person swear they’ve experienced something, even if the experience never occurred?

 Human Memory #1

Background: Dr. Susan Siegfried, a licensed clinical psychologist, gives background on memory and its ability to retain information. Dr. Siegfried gives her insight on the brain’s ability to encode, store, and retrieve information. Also, she elaborates on the different types of memories and how frequently humans are subjected to error and bias, which distorts the way memories are remembered.

How I Intend to Use It: I will use this article to provide information on the various ways in which humans store information into their memories. This will provide insight on which memories are stored by the brain in either long-term, short-term, sensory, or other areas of the brain.

The Man With No Memory #2

Background: Henry Molaison, who is commonly referred to as “HM,” provided fascinating information for psychologist and scientist to research about the human brain. Molaison suffered from epileptic seizures for many years and had a new, unique procedure performed on him, on August 1953, to try and cure his problem. He ended up losing his memory after a procedure done by William Beecher Scoville, a Hartford neurosurgeon. The effects of this surgery are astonishing and provided material for psychologists around the world to study.

How I Intend to Use It: I will use this article to provide insight on how various structures in the brain are essential for creating and storing memories. The famous experiment with Henry Molaison (HM) the well-known “man with no memory,” provided new and crucial information for psychologist to work with about the brain.

Creating False Memories #3

Background: Professor of psychology, Elizabeth F. Loftus, focuses much of her research on human memory. Loftus has conducted over 200 experiments involving over 20,000 people. She provides fascinating insight through years of research on how exposure to misinformation induces memory distortion. The information provided by Loftus is incredible and shocking, showing the power lies can have on the brain and a person’s mental well-being.

How I Intend to Use It: I found this article to be one of the most interesting out of every article I’ve researched so far. I will use this article to provide examples on how memory is counterintuitive and can play tricks on the mind. Although, many times humans don’t acknowledge they’re being mentally fooled. I will include Loftus’ research on memory distortion and the consequences that follow. 

Repressed Memories #4

Background: The website, A Guide to Psychology and its Practice, offers insight on why humans tend to repress memories, especially traumatic experiences, in the article Repressed Memories. There are various reasons why an individual may try and hide a memory from their conscious awareness. The article offers valuable information and scenarios explaining human behavior.

How I Intend to Use It: I will use this article to benefit the main concept of my paper, explaining how the brain often tricks the mind, and hides valuable information. I will reflect on the articles’ examples with traumatic experiences, especially in childhood, to strengthen my paper’s argument and create my own ideas.

The Multi-Store Model of Memory  #5

Background: The article, AS Psychology: The Multi-Store Model of Memory, elaborates on the definition of “memory” and the ways the human brain stores memory. The article includes supporting research evidence on how memory can often be displaced.

How I Intend to Use It: I intend to strengthen my research on the way the brain interprets and stores information in various spots in the brain. I will consider the memory case studies in my paper, showing how the brain can recall information in unique ways, that aren’t necessarily common sense.

#6. Forgetfulness- 7 types of normal memory problems

Background: The article makes the case that it’s normal for healthy human beings to make memory mistakes and lists 7 types of memory problems. These 7 memory problems: Transience, absentmindedness, blocking, misattribution, suggestibility, bias, and persistence, can occur at any age. However, if these normal problems occur in extreme-form, there could be a possible memory-impairing illness.

How I Intend to Use It: The source supports my position on memory forgetfulness and how it can actually be useful and a normal occurrence among humans.

#7. How to Instill False Memories

Background: The article describes the process in which you can fool a friend into believing they experienced a memory that never happened, based off of Carl Sagan’s book, The Demon-Haunted World. Although the article focuses on “tricking” a friend as a joke, it also mentions similar studies conducted by psychologists. The process includes four steps: 1. Select one of your mates, 2. Fabricate a memory, 3. Prepare, and 4. Set your plan in motion.

How I Intend to Use It: The source supports my argument that memory isn’t set in stone. Memory changes and often distorts information, considering people can truly believe in a fabricated memory.

#8. A picture is worth a thousand lies: Using false photographs to create false childhood memories

Background: The article makes the case that it is possible for humans to recall events that never happened, especially in childhood. Psychologist conducted an experiment on twenty subjects who: 1. had not taken a hot air balloon ride, 2. was at least 18 years old, and 3. had not taken a psychology class before. The subjects, 10 male and 10 females, were students at Victoria University of Wellington or at other local universities. The article provides the procedure and logic behind the reason why the selected subjects were manipulated into believing they were in a hot air balloon as a child, even though the memory was fake.

How I Intend to Use It: The article strengthens my argument that memory can fool us, by making us believe we’ve experience an event that never happened, due to the manipulation by others.

#9. The Problem with Eyewitness Testimony

Background: The United States’ judicial system heavily relies on eyewitness testimony to help determine whether a defendant is guilty or not guilty, and the weight of the sentence. However, eyewitness testimony incorporates memory, and memory isn’t reliable and can often be distorted.

How I Intend to Use It: To bring attention to the fact that memory often tricks us. Therefore, since human memory isn’t reliable and consistently accurate, why is the judicial system depending on memory to help determine the fate of someone’s life?

#10. The Impact of Stereotype Theory on Age Differences in Memory Performance

Background: The study investigated the effects of memory with 48 younger adults and 48 older adults. The results concluded that many older adults’ memories are worse when they’re in circumstances of high perceived threat vs. non-threatening situations. The condition in which older individuals experienced more threat, increased with the value placed on memory.

How I Intend to Use It: To show how memory is different for various age groups and how stereotypes influence memory ability.