Cherrie L. Kassem

By Dr. Cherrie Kassem

Ramapo College of New Jersey

Memories are believed to have an electrochemical nature; however, we do not know exactly what memories are, or even exactly where memories reside. We DO know that memories, like muscles, can be strengthened with practice. This story about memory will help us learn how memory works, which in turn will help us improve it. So let’s take a little trip.

•Even though nearly everyone has them, memories are hard to define.

•What most of us want to know about memory is how to improve it!

My name is Mem Ory and this is my story.

Come along with me and you'll see how this little Mem Ory came to be.

The memory process begins when information from all 5 senses enters the sensory register, the first stage of memory.

•I began as just a twinkle in my Mom’s eye.

•No, really. First, I twinkled her rods and cones.

•Then I did a little jig in her sensory register. (That’s the thalamus, for you brains).

The sensory register is like a set of Venetian blinds. It screens incoming sensory data and filters out most of it. Only a small fraction of the incoming info is processed further.

How does the sensory register know what to process further and what to discard? Well, a lot depends on what we already know. Stored information in LTM affects what we pay attention to and what we process further. In this way, what we already know affects what we will know. And all of this happens subconsciously in two seconds or less!

•Something about me tickled Mom’s fancy– or maybe she saw a little of herself in me.

•Anyway, I made it past the gatekeeper.

•

•P.S. A lot of my friends didn’t make it through, and I never saw them again.

The second stage of processing, Short-term Memory, has two parts. The first is a very short-term holding bin that has been likened to a computer clipboard. Here info is held for approximately 30 seconds. For example, when we look up a phone number, we remember it just long enough to dial the number before that number is discarded from memory. We stored it on our clipboard.

•I wound up in Mom’s frontal lobe.

•For a few seconds, I had to hang on this clipboard while Mom examined me all over again.

The second component of STM is called working memory, and it is our first conscious memory. Working memory is like a work table; it holds the few items that we are working on at the moment.

•Naturally, I was so important (not to mention modest) that I moved onto the work table for further processing.

Unfortunately, working memory has major limitations. It can work with only a limited amount of info (5-9 items) for a limited amount of time (20-45 minutes).

In order to keep info on the work table, it is often necessary for us to rehearse or repeat the info. Otherwise, it simply fades away.

•I was on the work table with 6 other newbies for about 45 minutes while Mom worked with us.

•While I was there, Mom kept saying my name over and over.

	By Dr. Cherrie Kassem Ramapo College of New Jersey All Rights Reserved ® 2004	Memories are believed to have an electrochemical nature; however, we do not know exactly what memories are, or even exactly where memories reside. We DO know that memories, like muscles, can be strengthened with practice. This story about memory will help us learn how memory works, which in turn will help us improve it. So let’s take a little trip.	•Even though nearly everyone has them, memories are hard to define. •What most of us want to know about memory is how to improve it!
			My name is Mem Ory and this is my story.
	Come along with me and you'll see how this little Mem Ory came to be.	The memory process begins when information from all 5 senses enters the sensory register, the first stage of memory.	•I began as just a twinkle in my Mom’s eye. •No, really. First, I twinkled her rods and cones. •Then I did a little jig in her sensory register. (That’s the thalamus, for you brains).
The sensory register is like a set of Venetian blinds. It screens incoming sensory data and filters out most of it. Only a small fraction of the incoming info is processed further. How does the sensory register know what to process further and what to discard? Well, a lot depends on what we already know. Stored information in LTM affects what we pay attention to and what we process further. In this way, what we already know affects what we will know. And all of this happens subconsciously in two seconds or less!	•Something about me tickled Mom’s fancy– or maybe she saw a little of herself in me. •Anyway, I made it past the gatekeeper. • •P.S. A lot of my friends didn’t make it through, and I never saw them again.	The second stage of processing, Short-term Memory, has two parts. The first is a very short-term holding bin that has been likened to a computer clipboard. Here info is held for approximately 30 seconds. For example, when we look up a phone number, we remember it just long enough to dial the number before that number is discarded from memory. We stored it on our clipboard.	•I wound up in Mom’s frontal lobe. •For a few seconds, I had to hang on this clipboard while Mom examined me all over again.
The second component of STM is called working memory, and it is our first conscious memory. Working memory is like a work table; it holds the few items that we are working on at the moment.	•Naturally, I was so important (not to mention modest) that I moved onto the work table for further processing.	Unfortunately, working memory has major limitations. It can work with only a limited amount of info (5-9 items) for a limited amount of time (20-45 minutes). In order to keep info on the work table, it is often necessary for us to rehearse or repeat the info. Otherwise, it simply fades away.	•I was on the work table with 6 other newbies for about 45 minutes while Mom worked with us. •While I was there, Mom kept saying my name over and over.