​NATURE AND CAUSES OF FORGETTING

The first systematic attempt to understand the nature of forgetting

was made by Hermann Ebbinghaus, who memorised lists of
nonsense syllables (CVC trigrams such as NOK or SEP etc.) and then
measured the number of trials he took to relearn the same list at
varying time intervals.
the rate of forgetting is maximum in the first nine hours,
particularly during the first hour. After that the rate slows down
and not much is forgotten even after many days.
Forgetting due to Trace Decay Trace decay (also called disuse
theory) is the earliest theory of forgetting. The assumption here is
that memory leads to modification in the central nervous system,
which is akin to physical changes in the brain called memory
traces. When these memory traces are not used for a long time,
they simply fade away and become unavailable
Because trace decay theory did not explain forgetting adequately, it
was soon replaced by another theory of forgetting which suggested
that new information that enters the long-term memory interferes
with the recall of earlier memories and therefore, interference is
the main cause of forgetting.
Forgetting due to Interference
Interference can be proactive (forward moving) which means what
you have learnt earlier interferes with the recall of your
subsequent learning or retroactive (backward moving) which
refers to difficulty in recalling what you have learnt earlier because
of learning a new material
learning interferes with the recall of later learning while in
retroactive interference the later learning interferes with the recall
of past learning
Forgetting due to Retrieval Failure
was advanced by Tulving and his associates who carried out
several experiments to show that contents of memory may become
inaccessible either due to absence or inappropriateness of retrieval
cues that are available/employed at the time of recall.
ENHANCING MEMORY
There are a number of strategies for improving memory called
mnemonics (pronounced ni-mo-nicks) to help you improve your
memory. Some of these mnemonics involve use of images whereas
others emphasise self-induced organisation of learned information.
Mnemonics using Images
The two prominent mnemonic devices, which make interesting use
of images, are the keyword method and the method of loci.
(a) The Keyword Method :
The Method of Loci : In order to use the method of loci, items you
want to remember are placed as objects arranged in a physical
space in the form of visual images. This method is particularly
helpful in remembering items in a serial order.
Mnemonics using Organisation
Organisation refers to imposing certain order on the material you
want to remember
(a) Chunking : While describing the features of short-term memory,
we noted how chunking can increase the capacity of short-term
memory. In chunking, several smaller units are combined to form
large chunks.
First Letter Technique
(VIBGYOR-
In such an approach, emphasis is laid on applying knowledge about
memory processes to the task of memory improvement. Let us
examine some of these suggestions. It is suggested that one must :
(a) Engage in Deep Level Processing : If you want to memorise any
information well, engage in deep level processing. Craik and
Lockhart have demonstrated that processing information in terms
of meaning that they convey leads to better memory as compared
to attending to their surface features
(b) Minimise Interference : Interference, as we have read, is a
major cause of forgetting and therefore you should try to avoid it as
much as possible. You know that maximum interference is caused
when very similar materials are learned in a sequence. Avoid this.
Arrange your study in such a way that you do not learn similar
subjects one after the other.
(c) Give Yourself enough Retrieval Cues :
Thomas and Robinson have developed another strategy to help
students in remembering more which they called the methods of
PQRST. This acronym stands for Preview, Question, Read, Self-
recitation, and Test..
Memory is seen as consisting of three interrelated processes of
encoding, storage and retrieval.
• While encoding is registering the incoming information in a way
that it becomes compatible to the memory system, storage and
retrieval refers to holding the information over a period of time
and bringing the information back to one’s awareness, respectively.
• The Stage Model of Memory compares memory processes with the
working of a computer and suggests that incoming information is
processed through three distinct stages of sensory memory, short-
term memory and long-term memory.
• Levels of processing view of memory contends that the
information can be encoded at any of the three levels, namely, the
structural, the phonetic and the semantic. If an information is
analysed and encoded semantically, which is the deepest level of
processing, then it leads to better retention.
• Long-term memory has been classified in many ways. One major
classification is that of declarative and procedural memory and
another is that of episodic and semantic memory.
• Forgetting refers to loss of stored information over a period of
time. After a material is learnt, there is a sharp drop in its memory
and then the decline is very gradual.
• Forgetting has been explained as resulting from trace decay and
interference. It may also be caused due to absence of appropriate
cues at the time of retrieval.
• Mnemonics are strategies for improving memory. While some
mnemonics use images, other emphasise organisation of the learnt
material.
Repressed Memories
Sigmund Freud posited that such experiences are repressed into
the unconscious and are not available for retrieval from memory
One of the results of such flights is the emergence of a disorder
known as ‘fugue state’.