Memory

Memory is fascinating and a fundamental component of daily life. We rely on it so heavily, that it is not a stretch to say that life without memory would be close to impossible. Our very survival depends on our ability to remember who we are, who others are, our past experiences, what is dangerous, what is safe, etc. Its importance can’t be understated.

I was a third generation baton twirler.  My mom had a group called the Teddyettes  I was five years old and performed with the group in parades and competition.  We performed  on  a show called “Tony Grant’s Stars of Tomorrow” in Atlantic City, New Jersey.  I remember the diving horse and a glass blower that was part of “Steel Pier.”  I remembered my sequin outfits, curly hair and wearing make-up.  I remembered standing behind the curtains on the far left and, “Tiny Tim,” performed before our group.   He was a very tall man with curly hair, he played a ukulele and he was known for a song called, “Tip Toe through the Tulips.” I remembered my grandmother always talking about Tiny Tim and always giggling when he performed.  I’m doubting the fact that I was actually stage left or  stage right or was I in the audience and audience watching his performance and wishing I was closer.   I want to believe that I was going on after Tiny Tim, but now I’m not sure.  I checked with my mom and found out that we didn’t go on after him, we performed during the day and Tiny Tim was on in the evening and we would go watch.  Crazy….!

I spent every summer during my childhood performing in Atlantic City and then that spilled over to competing in competitions in the tri-state area. I had the best teachers in the area.  My mother worked two jobs just to make sure I had the best of everything in the “baton” world.   I remember always feeling bad that my mom was working so hard.  I also remember how much I disliked the sport. I was afraid to tell my mom so, I continued to twirl professionally until I was sixteen.   I didn’t have much of a childhood, I went to school, practiced every day and traveled on the weekends.   You can compare my competitions to the Olympics.  You have one chance to present your skills and I did just that.  When I was sixteen I remember traveling for hours to get to the venue to compete.  I performed a perfect routine, no drops, no breaks, all my lines were perfect.  It was an amazing feeling.  What just happened was amazing, the crowd gave me a standing ovation.  As I’m writing about my experience I can feel how proud I was.  We waited for the judges to make their decision my name was called and I was awarded first runner-up.  Really….I worked so hard and deserved first place.  The winner in my category was Tammy Monahane, I will never forget her name.  I was disappointed, I told my teacher and my mom that I was done.  I reached my peek and I knew I couldn’t get any better.  It was time to retire and have a normal life.   The decision to leave the sport was my decision and I remember feeling empowered that I made an important life changing decision.

Content Descriptions

• The Study of Human Memory
• Memory Encoding
• How many of your Memories are Fake?
• How Much of your Memory Is True?
• Brian Williams and the false memory phenomenon
• What Your Most Vivid Memories Say About You
• Types of Memory
• Emotion Affects Memory
• How Do You Know If Memory Is Real
• How The Brain Creates False Memory
• Memory Retrieval
• Dr. Kevin Leman and Randy Carlson: Childhood Memories and Birth Order

Working Hypothesis 1

Prosecutors rely on eyewitness testimony even though many studies show eyewitness testimony is unreliable.  Are prosecutors the reason for so many innocent people be convicted or the lack of reliable eyewitness testimony as it relates to false memory.  accurate

The memory is a fascinating and complex part of our anatomy. We shape our memories into the people we are today. The most important part of the memory process is our “self-defining memories.”   A “self-defining memory,” is easily remembered, and emotionally intense. In some cases, these memories represent ongoing themes that we play out over and over again in our lives.

Working Hypothesis 2

Can we rely on eyewitness testimony?  Psychological studies are casting doubts on the accuracy of my memory.  Is there any truth to the idea of “false memores” that could have been implanted by someone else? Or even by myself, unknowingly?

Topics for Smaller Papers

Memory Retrial

Explain the differences between recall, recollection, recognition and relearning memory and how they play a part in shaping who we are today.

How emotions play a part with memory.

Studies show that emotions can play a part of our memories. Share examples of how and why heightened experiences increase the memory.  Compare to my own personal experiences.

Why some memories are reliable and other are manipulated or false?

Scientific studies done that identify the difference between reliable and unreliable memories.  I will be able write a small paper detailing the difference and share case studies and outcomes.

What part of the brain is memory stored.

I will reference the Human Memory Network and share my findings on how several parts of the brain interconnect to the memory.

Reveal a Counterargument to be flawed

Memories can be unreliable and false; does that mean we are not the same person if we find out the memories have are fake.  It’s counterintuitive to say no, but that is the case.  You would think if your memory is fake, then so are you.  Not the case, we are still the same person we just have a different perception of who we are due to the changes in our memory.

I’m feeling good about my paper so far.  It’s counterintuitive that I am able to identify with my childhood memories.  I’m writing about several of my memories.  This assignment is deep and taking me to places I don’t want to be.  However, after reading about memory this paper may be one of my “self-defining moments”.  It has been a crazy trip  and I find myself calling my mom to validate the events.  It’s been a long time since I sat down and went back to my childhood.  Doing this exercise certainly validates that memory is related to emotions.  I am finding out that I have been through quite a bit and glad I chose this topic.  I’m looking  forward to being able to change a bit and learning how to shape a better future.