Types of memory and brief description. Definition of Memory

Types of memory are classified according to the following criteria: the degree of awareness of the memorized information (images), the nature of mental activity, the duration of preservation of images, the goals of the study, the nature of the connection with the goals of the activity Kozubovsky, V.M. General psychology: cognitive processes: tutorial[Text]. - 3rd ed. - Minsk: Amalthea, 2008. - P. 156.. The nature of mental activity depends on what types of analyzers, sensory systems and subcortical formations of the brain are included in memory processes. Based on this, memory is distinguished: figurative, motor, emotional, verbal-logical.

Figurative memory is the memorization, preservation and reproduction of images of previously perceived objects and phenomena of reality. There are subtypes of figurative memory:

Visual (visual;

Auditory (sound, auditory;

Flavoring;

Olfactory;

Tactile.

There are statistics showing the relative capabilities of these types of memory in educational process. Thus, after listening to a lecture once (when only auditory memory is used), the student the next day can repeat only 10% of its content. Independent visual study of the lecture (only visual memory is used) increases this figure to 30%. Retelling and visualization bring the figure to 50%. And practical development of lecture material using all the types of memory listed above allows you to achieve 90% success.

Motor (also known as motor) memory is the ability to remember, retain and reproduce various characteristics of movement, their amplitude, speed, pace, rhythm, sequence (riding a bicycle, swimming, playing volleyball, etc.).

Labor skills and any appropriate motor acts are based on this type of memory.

Emotional memory is memory for. Emotional states experienced and stored in memory act as signals either prompting action or restraining from actions that caused negative experiences in the past.

Emotional memory is one of the most reliable, durable “repositories” of information. “What a vindictive one!” - we are talking about a person who is unable to forget the offense for a long time and cannot forgive the offender.

This type of memory reproduces feelings previously experienced by a person (secondary feelings). Often these feelings not only do not correspond to their originals (that is, the initially experienced feelings) in strength and semantic content, but even change their sign to the opposite. For example, we previously feared something, but now it has become desirable.

Or, at work, the new boss was initially perceived as more demanding than the previous one, which caused some dissatisfaction among employees. Later it turned out that this was not entirely true: such a demanding boss contributed to the professional growth of employees and a natural increase in their wages.

Lack of emotional memory leads to the so-called. “emotional dullness”, when a person becomes, in the eyes of others, an uninteresting, unattractive creature, like a robot or a zombie.

The ability to express one's emotions, to rejoice and suffer is a necessary condition human mental health Klimov, E.A. General psychology [Text]. - M.: Unity, 2006. - P. 179..

Verbal-logical (semantic) memory is expressed in remembering and reproducing our thoughts. We remember and reproduce the thoughts that arose in us during the process of thinking, thinking, we remember the content of a book we read, a conversation with friends.

There are no thoughts without words, as the title emphasizes. Based on the degree of participation of thinking, this type of memory is divided into mechanical and logical.

Memory is called mechanical in the case when memorization and storage of information occurs primarily through repeated repetition without understanding its content.

With age, such memory tends to deteriorate. An example of mechanical memory could be the “forced” memorization of words that are not related in meaning to each other Kozubovsky, V.M. General psychology: cognitive processes: textbook [Text]. - 3rd ed. - Minsk: Amalfeya, 2008. - P. 158..

Unlike mechanical memory, logical memory is based on the use of semantic connections between memorized objects, phenomena or objects. It is constantly used, for example, by teachers, when they present new lecture material, they periodically remind students of previously introduced concepts mentioned in the lecture.

Based on the degree of awareness of the information being remembered, implicit and explicit types of memory are also distinguished.

Implicit memory is memory for material that a person is not aware of. The process of memorization occurs in this case independently of consciousness, implicitly, and therefore inaccessible to direct observation. Such memory requires a kind of “launch”, and such a starter may be the need to solve some problem that is important for a given moment. At the same time, a person is not aware of the knowledge that he possesses.

For example, in the process of socialization, a person perceives the values and norms of society without realizing the basic theoretical principles, which underlie his behavior. This happens to him as if by itself.

Explicit memory, on the contrary, is based on a person’s conscious application of previously acquired knowledge. And when solving any problem, this knowledge is extracted from consciousness on the basis of recognition, recall, etc.

There is also a division of memory into types, which is directly related to the characteristics of the activity being performed. Thus, depending on the goals of the activity, memory is divided into involuntary and voluntary.

Involuntary memory is memorization and reproduction that occurs automatically, without volitional efforts of a person, without control by consciousness. In childhood, this type of memory is more developed, but weakens with age. An example of involuntary memory is remembering a picture of a long line at the box office of a cinema.

Voluntary memory requires the volitional efforts of a person and the purpose of memorization and is carried out using special techniques.

For example, memorizing poetry. Or memorization by a police officer external signs in the guise of a wanted criminal in order to identify him upon meeting and arrest him. It should be noted that comparison of the characteristics of arbitrary and involuntary types memory in terms of the strength of memorizing information does not give absolute advantages to any of them.

Based on the duration of storage of images, human memory is divided into instantaneous (sensory), short-term, operational and long-term memory.

Instantaneous (or sensory) memory retains information perceived by the senses without further processing. It is almost impossible to manage this type of memory. It is divided into the following subtypes:

Iconic afterimage memory - after a brief presentation of an object, images are stored in memory for a short period of time (if you close your eyes, then open them for a moment and close them again, then the image of what you saw saved for a time of 0.1 - 0.2 s will be the content of this type of memory) ;

Echoic afterimage memory - in this case, images are stored for 2 - 3 s after a short auditory stimulus.

Short-term (or working) memory is memory for images after a single, short-term perception and subsequent immediate (in the very first seconds after perception) reproduction.

This type of memory depends on the number of perceived signs (symbols), their physical nature, but not on their information content. Experiments have revealed the following formula short term memory person: "7±2".

That is, with a single presentation of objects (numbers, letters, words, symbols, etc.), 5-9 objects remain in a person’s short-term memory of this type. Information is retained in short-term memory for an average of 20-30 seconds. Sorokun, P.A. Fundamentals of Psychology [Text]. - Pskov: PGPU, 2005 - P. 187.

With RAM, akin to short-term memory, a trace of the image is retained only for the duration of the current operation (action). For example, sequentially reading the symbols of a message from the monitor screen and holding them in memory until the entire message is completed.

Long-term memory is a memory for images, which involves long-term preservation of their traces in consciousness and subsequent repeated use in the future. Long-term memory forms the basis of strong knowledge. Retrieval of information from long-term memory can be of two types: or by at will, or through external stimulation of certain areas of the cerebral cortex (for example, hypnosis or stimulation of certain areas of the brain with a weak electric current). The most valuable information is stored in a person’s long-term memory throughout his life.

It has been noted that short-term memory in relation to long-term memory acts as a kind of “checkpoint” through which perceived images enter long-term memory subject to repeated reception. Without repetition, images are lost.

Some researchers introduce the concept of “intermediate memory” and attribute to it the function of primary processing of input information: the more interesting part of the information is retained in it for several minutes, and if during this time it is not in demand, then its complete loss is likely.

Finally, depending on the purposes of the study, memory is divided into genetic (biological), episodic, reconstructive, reproductive, associative, autobiographical Klimov, E.A. General psychology [Text]. - M.: Unity, 2006. -S. 216..

Genetic (biological) memory is the memory of biological events of the vast evolutionary period of man as a species.

It is determined by the mechanism of heredity and preserves a person’s tendency to patterns of action and certain types of behavior in specific situations. It is through genetic memory that instincts, elementary innate reflexes and even elements of a person’s physical appearance are transmitted. Episodic memory stores individual fragments of information with a fixation of the situation in which it was perceived (place, time, method). For example, a person, in search of purchases, outlined a certain route around shopping places, recording suitable items by location, store departments, floors and faces of the salespeople who work there.

Reproductive memory is the repeated reproduction by recalling a previously stored original object. For example, a painter draws from memory (based on recollection) a picture of a forest landscape that he observed while on a creative business trip. It is known, for example, that I.K. Aivazovsky (1817-1900) created all his paintings from memory. Reconstructive memory consists not so much in the reproduction of an object, but in the restoration of a disrupted sequence of stimuli in its original form. For example, a process engineer reconstructs from memory a lost technology for manufacturing a complex part. Associative memory is based on any established functional connections (associations) between memorized objects. For example, a person passing by a candy store remembers that at home he was instructed to buy groceries for dinner. Autobiographical memory - memory of the events of one's own life (to some extent it can be classified as a type of episodic memory) General psychology. In 7 volumes: textbook for students. higher textbook institutions / ed. B. S. Bratusya [Text]. - T. 3. Memory / V.V. Nurkova. - M.: Academy, 2006. - P. 219. All types of memory, although they belong to different classification bases, are closely related to each other. For example, the quality of short-term memory determines the level of efficiency of long-term memory.

At the same time, objects perceived simultaneously through several channels are better remembered by a person.

Many people underestimate the importance of self-development and reason like this: “Why train your memory if the main thing is not the quantity of material remembered, but its quality.” This is true, but research shows that by developing memory, you develop many different abilities: creative thinking, the ability to quickly process incoming information, the ability to keep several options in mind in order to choose the best, and much more. Memory is not about memorizing a large amount of material; it is a property of the psyche, which, when developed, has a positive effect on a person’s cognitive abilities. If you want to increase these abilities and upgrade your thinking, go through.

In this article we will look not only at all types of memory, but also show the importance of each of them.

Psychologists classify memory in different ways:

By time;
By the senses;
According to the nature of the goals of the activity.

Types of memory by time

Instant

It is associated with retaining a complete and accurate picture of the information just perceived. This type of memory is characterized not by the processing of received information (it does not do this), but by the direct reflection of information by the senses. It is rather an image that we receive from encountering an event. Duration instant memory- from 0.1 to 0.5 seconds.

Short term

This is the type of memory that we often use in dialogue or discussion. Its duration is up to 20 seconds. Someone who has developed it retains in short-term memory all the most important things that happened during this period; it is rather a generalized image of what was perceived. It also has such an important property as volume. For most people, it ranges from 5 to 9 pieces of information. It can be increased: with this approach, a person watches what is happening very carefully and is able to notice more details. Sherlock Holmes probably had a short-term memory capacity of more than ten. Do you want to be like Holmes?

Operational

This is a type of memory in which a person sets himself to store information for a certain period of time - from several seconds to several days. This usually happens when a person needs to work on some project, book or coursework: that is, a certain task is set that needs to be solved. Both when the computer is turned off, and in the case of a person, the RAM can be erased after the task has been solved. However, it can also move into long-term memory.

When you solve a logical problem and need to keep several conditions in mind, you use RAM.

Long-term

This is memory that allows you to store information for an unlimited period. It all depends on the person himself and how much he needs it. The more he repeats information, the more it is imprinted. This requires developed thinking and willpower. This is why memory training is not only necessary for memorization: in parallel with it, extremely important abilities are developed.

Genetic

This memory is stored in the genotype and is inherited. We cannot influence it, because it is outside our zone of influence - in the genes.

Types of memory by sense organs

Figurative

This memory is responsible for remembering sights, smells, tastes and sounds. It is not difficult to guess which sense organs are developed in artists, sommeliers, chefs and musicians. However, figurative memory is quite easy to develop because we always have training tools at hand.

Verbal-logical

This is remembering and reproducing our thoughts. We also remember the content of a film, a conversation, a song.

Memory is not simply called verbal-logical. This type of memory manifests itself in three cases:

Only the meaning of the information is remembered.
Not only the meaning of information is remembered, but also the literal verbal expression of thoughts.
The literal verbal expression of thoughts is remembered, but not the meaning.

Surely it has happened to everyone when we memorized a text word for word, but could not retell it in our own words. Or they didn’t remember the text, but could reproduce the essence.

Motor

This memory plays a key role for athletes and people who, as part of their profession, must remember a certain sequence of movements. For example, actors not only learn to get used to the role in order to look truthful on stage, but also sign up for dances - the more developed the motor memory, the easier it is to improvise and perform non-standard movements.

Emotional

This memory is associated with experiences, both positive and negative. With its help, both phobias and level are formed. The higher the emotional intensity, the better person will remember the experience. This memory is often used for learning foreign words, trying to emotionally “attach” their experiences to the word being studied.

By the nature of the goals of the activity

free

We set ourselves the task of remembering information, prepare for this, pay conscious attention to the source of information and make every effort of our own will.

Involuntary

Such memorization occurs automatically, without human effort. Involuntary memory can be used both for harm and for benefit. In the first case, something can be suggested to a person by manipulating him. In the second, with the help of a game or a work of art, convey an important idea that will be remembered for a long time only because the information bypassed the conscious mind and penetrated the subconscious.

As we see, we do not need memory to remember everything that happens around us. There are the most different types memory and those who learn to manage them correctly will be able to achieve many goals.

We wish you good luck!

There are several main approaches to memory classification. Currently, as the most general basis for distinguishing different types of memory, it is customary to consider the dependence of memory characteristics on the characteristics of memorization and reproduction activities. Wherein individual species memories are distinguished in accordance with three main criteria: 1) according to the nature of mental activity prevailing in the activity, memory is divided into motor, emotional, figurative and verbal-logical; 2) according to the nature of the goals of the activity - involuntary and voluntary; 3) according to the duration of consolidation and preservation of the material (in connection with its role and place in the activity) - short-term, long-term and operational (Fig. 3).

Rice. 3. Classification of main types of memory

The classification of types of memory according to the nature of mental activity was first proposed by P.P. Blonsky. Although all four types of memory he identified (motor, emotional, figurative and verbal-logical) do not exist independently of each other, and moreover, are in close interaction, Blonsky was able to determine the differences between individual types of memory.

Let's look at the characteristics of these four types of memory.

Motor (or motor) memory - this is memorizing, preserving and reproducing various movements. Motor memory is the basis for the formation of various practical and work skills, as well as the skills of walking, writing, etc. Without memory for movements, we would have to learn to carry out the appropriate actions every time. True, when reproducing movements, we do not always repeat them exactly in the same form as before. There is undoubtedly some variability in them, a deviation from the initial movements. But the general character of the movements is still preserved. For example, such stability of movements, regardless of the circumstances, is characteristic of writing movements (handwriting) or some of our motor habits: how we shake hands when greeting a friend, how we use cutlery, etc.

Movements are most accurately reproduced under the conditions in which they were performed previously. In completely new, unusual conditions, we often reproduce movements with great imperfection. It is not difficult to repeat movements if we are accustomed to performing them using a certain instrument or with the help of certain people, but in new conditions we were deprived of this opportunity. It is also very difficult to repeat movements if they were previously part of some complex action, but now they must be reproduced separately. All this is explained by the fact that we reproduce movements not in isolation from what they were previously connected with, but only on the basis of previously formed connections.

Motor memory develops very early in a child. Its first manifestations date back to the first month of life. Initially, it is expressed only in motor conditioned reflexes developed in children already at this time. Subsequently, memorization and reproduction of movements begin to take on conscientious character, closely associated with the processes of thinking, will, etc. It should be especially noted that by the end of the first year of life, the child’s motor memory reaches a level of development that is necessary for the acquisition of speech.

It should be noted that the development of motor memory is not limited to infancy or the first years of life. Memory development occurs in more late time. Thus, motor memory in children up to school age reaches a level of development that allows them to perform finely coordinated actions associated with mastering written language. Therefore, at different stages of development, the manifestations of motor memory are qualitatively heterogeneous.

Emotional memory - this is a memory for feelings. This type of memory is our ability to remember and reproduce feelings. Emotions always signal how our needs and interests are satisfied, how our relationships with the outside world are carried out. Therefore, emotional memory is very important in the life and activities of every person. Feelings experienced and stored in memory act as signals that either encourage action or deter actions that caused negative experiences in the past.

It should be noted that reproduced, or secondary, feelings may differ significantly from the original ones. This can be expressed both in a change in the strength of feelings, and in a change in their content and character.

The strength of the reproduced feeling may be weaker or stronger than the primary one. For example, grief is replaced by sadness, and delight or intense joy is replaced by calm satisfaction; in another case, the resentment suffered earlier is aggravated by the memory of it, and anger intensifies.

Significant changes can also occur in the content of our feelings. For example, what we previously experienced as an annoying misunderstanding can, over time, be reproduced as a funny incident, or an event that was spoiled by minor troubles, over time begins to be remembered as very pleasant.

The first manifestations of memory in a child are observed towards the end of the first six months of life. At this time, the child can rejoice or cry at the mere sight of what previously gave him pleasure or pain. However, the initial manifestations of emotional memory differ significantly from later ones. This difference lies in the fact that if at the early stages of a child’s development emotional memory is conditioned reflex in nature, then at higher stages of development emotional memory is conscious.

Figurative memory - this is a memory for ideas, pictures of nature and life, as well as for sounds, smells, tastes, etc. The essence of figurative memory is that what was previously perceived is then reproduced in the form of ideas. When characterizing figurative memory, one should keep in mind all those features that are characteristic of ideas, and above all their pallor, fragmentation and instability. These characteristics are also inherent in this type of memory, so the reproduction of what was previously perceived often diverges from its original. Moreover, over time, these differences can deepen significantly.

The deviation of ideas from the original image of perception can take two paths: confusion of images or differentiation of images. In the first case, the image of perception loses its specific features and what the object has in common with other similar objects or phenomena comes to the fore. In the second case, the features characteristic of a given image are enhanced in memory, emphasizing the uniqueness of the object or phenomenon.

Particular attention should be paid to the question of what determines the ease of reproducing an image. In answering this question, two main factors can be identified. Firstly, the nature of reproduction is influenced by the content features of the image, the emotional coloring of the image and the general state of the person at the moment of perception. Thus, even a hallucinatory reproduction of what was seen can cause a strong emotional shock. Secondly, the ease of reproduction largely depends on the state of the person at the time of reproduction. Recall of what was seen is observed in bright figurative form most often during quiet rest after severe fatigue, as well as in a drowsy state preceding sleep.

The accuracy of reproduction is largely determined by the degree to which speech is involved in perception. What was named during perception, described in a word, is reproduced more accurately.

It should be noted that many researchers divide figurative memory into visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory, and gustatory. Such a division is associated with the predominance of one or another type of reproduced ideas.

Figurative memory begins to manifest itself in children at approximately the same time as ideas, i.e., at one and a half to two years. If visual and auditory memory are usually well developed and play a leading role in people's lives, then tactile, olfactory and taste memory in in a certain sense can be called professional types of memory. Like the corresponding sensations, these types of memory develop especially intensively in connection with specific conditions of activity, reaching an amazingly high level in conditions of compensation or replacement of missing types of memory, for example, in the blind, deaf, etc.

Verbal-logical memory is expressed in remembering and reproducing our thoughts. We remember and reproduce the thoughts that arose in us during the process of thinking, thinking, we remember the content of a book we read, a conversation with friends.

The peculiarity of this type of memory is that thoughts do not exist without language, which is why memory for them is called not just logical, but verbal-logical. In this case, verbal-logical memory manifests itself in two cases: a) only the meaning of the given material is remembered and reproduced, and precise preservation of the original expressions is not required; b) not only the meaning is remembered, but also the literal verbal expression of thoughts (memorization of thoughts). If in the latter case the material is not subject to semantic processing at all, then its literal memorization turns out to be no longer logical, but mechanical memorization.

Both of these types of memory may not coincide with each other. For example, there are people who remember well the meaning of what they read, but cannot always accurately and firmly memorize the material, and people who easily memorize, but cannot reproduce the text “in their own words.”

The development of both types of verbal-logical memory also does not occur parallel to each other. Children sometimes learn by heart more easily than adults. At the same time, adults, on the contrary, have significant advantages over children in remembering meaning. This is explained by the fact that when memorizing the meaning, first of all, what is most essential, the most significant is remembered. In this case, it is obvious that identifying the essential in the material depends on understanding the material, so adults remember the meaning more easily than children. Conversely, children can easily remember details, but remember the meaning much less well.

In verbal-logical memory, the main role is given to the second signaling system, since verbal-logical memory is a specifically human memory, in contrast to motor, emotional and figurative memory, which in their simplest forms are also characteristic of animals. Based on the development of other types of memory, verbal-logical memory becomes leading in relation to them, and the development of all other types of memory largely depends on the level of its development.

We have already said that all types of memory are closely related to each other and do not exist independently of each other. For example, when we master any motor activity, we rely not only on motor memory, but also on all its other types, since in the process of mastering an activity we remember not only movements, but also the explanations given to us, our experiences and impressions. Therefore, in each specific process, all types of memory are interconnected.

There is, however, a division of memory into types that is directly related to the characteristics of the activity itself. So, depending on the goals of the activity, memory is divided into involuntary And arbitrary . In the first case, we mean memorization and reproduction, which is carried out automatically, without volitional efforts of a person, without control by consciousness. In this case, there is no special goal to remember or remember something, i.e., no special mnemonic task is set. In the second case, such a task is present, and the process itself requires volitional effort.

Involuntary memory is not necessarily weaker than voluntary memory. On the contrary, it often happens that involuntarily memorized material is reproduced better than material that was specifically memorized. For example, an involuntary heard phrase or perceived visual information is often remembered more reliably than if we specifically tried to remember it. Material that is in the center of attention is involuntarily remembered, and especially when certain mental work is associated with it.

There is also a division of memory into short-term And long-term . Short-term memory is a type of memory characterized by very brief retention of perceived information. From one point of view, short-term memory is somewhat similar to involuntary memory. As in the case of involuntary memory, short-term memory does not use special mnemonic techniques. But unlike involuntary memory, with short-term memory we make certain volitional efforts to remember.

A manifestation of short-term memory is the case when the subject is asked to read words or is given very little time to memorize them (about one minute), and then is asked to immediately reproduce what he remembers. Naturally, people differ in the number of words they remember. This is because they have different amounts of short-term memory.

The capacity of short-term memory varies from person to person. It characterizes a person’s natural memory and is preserved, as a rule, throughout life. The volume of short-term memory characterizes the ability to mechanically, i.e., without the use of special techniques, remember perceived information.

Short-term memory plays a very important role in human life. Thanks to it, a significant amount of information is processed, unnecessary information is immediately eliminated and potentially useful remains. As a result, long-term memory is not overloaded. In general, short-term memory is of great importance for organizing thinking, and in this it is very similar to working memory.

Concept RAM denote mnemonic processes that serve actual actions and operations directly carried out by a person. When we perform any complex operation, such as arithmetic, we carry it out in parts. At the same time, we keep some intermediate results “in mind” as long as we are dealing with them. As we move towards the final result, specific “worked out” material may be forgotten. We observe a similar phenomenon when performing any more or less complex action. The parts of the material with which a person operates may be different (for example, a child begins to read by folding letters). The volume of these parts, the so-called operational memory units, significantly affects the success of performing a particular activity. Therefore, for memorizing material, the formation of optimal operational memory units is of great importance.

Without good short-term memory, normal functioning of long-term memory is impossible. Only what was once in short-term memory can penetrate into the latter and be deposited for a long time, therefore short-term memory acts as a kind of buffer that passes only the necessary, already selected information into long-term memory. At the same time, the transition of information from short-term to long-term memory is associated with a number of features. Thus, short-term memory mainly contains the last five or six units of information received through the senses. Transfer from short-term memory to long-term memory is carried out through volitional effort. Moreover, much more information can be transferred into long-term memory than the individual capacity of short-term memory allows. This is achieved by repeating the material that needs to be memorized. As a result, the total volume of memorized material increases.

Memory is one of the most important cognitive processes. Its place in our lives is difficult to overestimate, because success in any activity depends on how quickly we remember and retain the necessary information for a long time. Wanting to improve our memory, make it more efficient and use it at our service, we do not always think about what kind of memory we need. After all, this phenomenon of our psyche manifests itself differently in different areas of our lives.

It is not for nothing that memory is referred to as cognitive processes. Like any process, memorization and preservation take time and have their own levels or stages, which are also considered as types of memory.

RAM

Although this type relates to the processes of memorization, it stands somewhat apart. RAM serves human activity. Information at this level is not stored for long, but, most importantly, the brain does not consider it at all as something that needs to be remembered. Why? Because we need it exclusively to carry out specific operations. For example, to understand a sentence, you need to store the meanings of the words you read in your memory. Sometimes, however, there are such long sentences that by the time you read to the end, you forget what happened at the beginning.

RAM is superficial and short-lived; it is working memory. But it is necessary for successful activity, it can be developed and increased in volume. She trains exclusively in activities. So, while reading, we gradually learn to understand more and more complex and longer sentences, largely due to the improvement of RAM. Good RAM is what sets professionals apart.

Sensory memory

This is the very first stage of the process of memorizing information, which can be called the physiological or reflex level. Sensory memory is associated with a very short-term retention of signals arriving at the nerve cells of the sensory organs. The duration of storing information in sensory memory is from 250 milliseconds to 4 seconds.

The two most well-known and studied types of sensory memory are:

visual,
auditory.

Moreover, sound images are stored somewhat longer. This feature allows us to understand speech and listen to music. The fact that we perceive not individual sounds, but an integral melody is a merit of sensory memory. But a newborn child, whose senses are not yet fully developed, sees the whole world as a cluster of color spots. The ability to perceive a holistic picture is also a result of the development of visual sensory memory.

The information that attracted our attention moves from sensory memory to short-term memory. True, this is a very small part of the signals received by our senses; most do not attract our attention. American inventor T. Edison wrote: “The average person’s brain does not perceive even a thousandth part of what the eye sees.” And often memory problems are actually related to a lack of ability to concentrate.

Short-term memory

This is the first stage of processing information intended for storage. Almost everything that attracts our attention comes to the level of short-term memory, but stays there for a very short time - about 30 seconds. This is the time the brain needs to begin processing the received data and determine the degree of its need.

The volume of short-term memory is also small - 5-7 elements unrelated to each other: words, numbers, visual images, sounds, etc.
At this level, the process of evaluating information occurs; the one you need is duplicated, repeated, it has a chance to end up in longer-term storage.

To retain information for a longer period of time (but no more than 7 minutes), it is necessary to maintain focused attention, which is a signal that the information is needed. A failure in the area of attention leads to a phenomenon called substitution. It occurs when the flow of information entering the brain is large enough that it does not have time to be processed in short-term memory. As a result, the newly received data is replaced by new ones and is irretrievably lost.

This situation occurs when preparing students for an exam, when trying to “swallow” as much as possible in a limited period of time. a large number of information, the student prevents his brain from assimilating it normally. You can prevent replacement, retain a large amount of material in short-term memory for a longer period, and ensure its transfer into long-term memory through conscious repetition and pronunciation. The longer information is retained in short-term memory, the more durable it is remembered.

Long-term memory

This is a warehouse of various data, which is characterized by almost indefinite storage and huge volume. Sometimes, for example, a student before an exam complains that it is simply impossible to remember so much. And since there is too much information, your head is literally full of it and can’t fit in anymore. But this is self-deception. We cannot store information in long-term memory not because there is no space there, but because we remember incorrectly.

The level of long-term memory receives and is stored for a long time only:

included in the activity;
meaningful;
processed information, linked by semantic and associative connections to what is already there.

How more people knows, the easier it is for him to remember subsequent information, since connections between the new and the already known are established faster.

Problems with storing data in long-term memory may also be due to other reasons. Information stored in long-term storage may not be so easy to retrieve. The fact is that long-term memory has two layers:

The top one, where frequently used knowledge is stored. Remembering them requires no effort; they seem to always be at hand.
The lower level, which contains “closed” information that has not been used for a long time, is therefore assessed by the brain as insignificant or even unnecessary. To remember it, effort and special mnemonic (related to memory processes) actions are required. The less often information is used, the deeper layers of long-term memory it is stored. Sometimes drastic measures are required to get to the bottom of it, for example, hypnosis, and sometimes some minor event is enough to trigger a chain of associations.

But the variety of types of memory is not limited to stages that differ in the duration of information storage.

Types of memory: what we remember

In our lives, we are faced with the need to remember very diverse information that comes to our brain through different channels and different ways. Depending on what mental processes are involved, types of memory are distinguished.

Figurative memory

The largest amount of information in our memory is stored in the form of sensory images. We can say that all senses work on our memory:

visual receptors supply visual images, including information in the form of printed text;
auditory – sounds, including music and human speech;
tactile – tactile sensations;
olfactory – smells;
gustatory – a variety of tastes.

Images in the brain begin to accumulate literally from birth. This type of memory is not only the largest storage of information, it can also be literally phenomenal in accuracy. The so-called eidetic memory is known - photographically accurate, detailed memorization of images. The most studied cases of such memorization are in the visual field. Eidetics are extremely rare and usually have some kind of mental abnormality, for example:

autism;
schizophrenia;
suicidal tendencies.

Motor or movement memory

This is a very ancient type of memorization that arose at the dawn of evolution. But memory for movements still plays a huge role, and not only in sports activities. So we go to the table, take a mug, pour tea into it, write something in a notebook, talk - all these are movements, and they are impossible without motor memory. What can we say about the importance of motor skills in work or sports. Without motor memory it is impossible:

teaching children to write;
mastering the skills of knitting, embroidery, drawing;
Even teaching babies to walk requires active motor memory.

Emotional memory

Memory for feelings is less noticeable in Everyday life people and seems less significant. But that's not true. Our whole life is saturated with emotions, and without them it would lose its meaning, and its attractiveness too. Of course, vivid, emotionally charged events are remembered best. But we are able to remember not only the bitterness of resentment or the fireworks of first love, but also the tenderness of communication with our mother, the joy of meeting friends or getting an A in school.

Emotional memory has a pronounced associative nature, that is, memories are activated in the process of establishing a connection - an association with some phenomenon or event. Often, some insignificant detail is enough for us to once again experience a waterfall of feelings that we once experienced. True, feelings-memories never reach the strength and energy that was inherent in them for the first time.

Emotional memory is also important because emotionally charged information associated with strong feelings is best remembered and stored longer.

Verbal-logical memory

This type of memory is considered exclusively human. Pet lovers might argue that animals, such as dogs and cats, can also remember words well. Yes it is. But words for them are simply combinations of sounds associated with one or another visual, auditory, olfactory image. In humans, verbal-logical memory has a semantic, conscious character.

That is, we remember words and their combinations not as sound images, but as certain meanings. And a striking example of such semantic memorization can be the story of A.P. Chekhov “The Horse's Name.” In it, the person remembered the surname according to the meaning, and then for a long time remembered this “horse” surname. And she turned out to be Ovsov. That is, it was associative-semantic memorization that worked.

By the way, verbal-logical memory works better when you need to remember not individual words, but their meaningful structures - sentences combined into a text that has a more detailed meaning. Verbal-logical memory is not only the youngest type, but also requires conscious, purposeful development, that is, associated with memorization techniques and voluntary mental activity.

Types of memory: how we remember

The abundance of information entering the brain requires its sorting, and not everything we receive through sensory channels is remembered by itself. Sometimes it takes effort to remember. Depending on the degree of activity of mental activity, memory is divided into involuntary and voluntary.

Involuntary memory

The dream of every schoolchild and student is for knowledge to be remembered by itself without any effort. Indeed, a lot of information is memorized involuntarily, that is, without volitional effort. But for the mechanism of involuntary memory to turn on, it is necessary important condition. We remember involuntarily what attracted our involuntary attention:

bright, strong and unusual information (loud sounds, strong flashes, fantastic pictures);
vital important information(situations associated with a threat to the life and health of the person himself and his loved ones, important, key events in life, etc.);
data related to a person’s interests, hobbies and needs;
emotionally charged information;
something that is directly related to professional or included in labor, creative activity.

Other information is not stored by itself, unless a smart student can captivate himself and become interested educational material. Then you will have to make a minimum of effort to remember it.

Arbitrary memory

Any training, be it schoolwork or mastering a professional activity, contains not only bright, exciting information, but also simply necessary information. It is necessary, although not very interesting, and should be remembered. This is what voluntary memory is for.

This is not only and not so much a simple convincing of oneself that “this is something that must be kept in one’s head.” Voluntary memory is, first of all, special memorization techniques. They are also called mnemonics techniques after the ancient Greek muse of memory Mnemosyne.

The first techniques of mnemonics were developed in Ancient Greece, but they are still used effectively, and many new techniques have been created to make it easier to memorize complex information. Unfortunately, most people are not very familiar with them and simply use repeated repetition of information. This is, of course, the simplest, but also the least effective technique memorization. Up to 60% of information is lost in it, and it requires a lot of effort and time.

You have become acquainted with the main types of memory that are studied by psychology and which are of fundamental importance in a person’s life, in mastering knowledge and professional skills. But in various areas science, one can also encounter other types of this mental process. For example, there are genetic, autobiographical, reconstructive, reproductive, episodic and other types of memory.

Memory- this is a process occurring in the human psyche, thanks to which the accumulation, saving and display of material is carried out. Memory in psychology is the definition of the brain’s ability to perform the functions of remembering, storing and recreating experience. Also, this mental process allows a person to remember experiences and events of the past, consciously thinking about its value in his own history and comprehend the feelings and emotions that are associated with it. This process allows a person to expand his cognitive abilities. This property also has a complex structure, consisting of several functions and processes that ensure the perception of information from the surrounding reality and its recording in past experience. Inner memory difficult process, in which the perception, accumulation, storage, systematization and very rapid reproduction of information is carried out.

Memory in psychology

Memory in psychology is the definition of a person’s ability to remember, retain, reproduce and forget information own experience. This property helps a person move in space and time. There are different psychological theories, which have their own view of this concept.

In associative theory key concept there is an association. In memory, it connects parts of the perceived material. When a person remembers something, he begins to look for a connection between these materials and those that need to be reproduced. The formation of associations has patterns: similarity, contiguity and contrast. Similarity is manifested in the fact that the material that is memorized is then reproduced through connection with similar material. Contiguity occurs when incoming material is remembered in relation to previous material. The contrast is expressed in the fact that the material that should be remembered is different from that which is retained.

According to behavioral theory, special exercises help memorize material. Such exercises help to better and faster fix attention on objects and episodes. Several factors influence quality memorization: age, individual characteristics, interval between exercises, volume of material and others.

In cognitive theory, this process is characterized as a certain set of blocks and processes of transformation of information material. Some blocks ensure recognition of the expressive features of the material, others create a cognitive orienting map of information, with the help of others, information is retained, and the fourth block transforms the material into a specific form.

Activity theory considers this process as an active component of the connection between a person and the world. This occurs through the processes of analysis, synthesis, grouping, repetition and identification of features; with their help, a mnemonic image is also created, a unique form of material in which a person’s personal attitude lies. Memorization is also influenced by external stimulus signs, which later become internal and the person, guided by them, controls this process.

Types of memory

This process is multi-level and multifunctional; such complexity requires the distinction of several of its types.

Inner memory reflects the biological processes of human memorization of information.

External memory is recorded on external means (paper, voice recorder). The distinction between other types is based on the nature of mental activity, the characteristics of ideas, the nature of the connection with the target activity, the duration of storage of images and the purposes of the study. The simplest distribution this process into internal and external. Division into types based on the nature of mental activity: figurative, motor, verbal-logical and emotional.

Figurative memory is the process of memorizing images that were formed on the basis of material from sensory systems. As a result, in the imaginative process there are also types of memory, depending on the main analytical system: visual (fixing images of objects or people with whom contact often occurred); auditory (image of sounds that a person once heard); gustatory (tastes that a person once felt); olfactory (the image of smells with which a person can associate some memory); tactile (images of tangential sensations that are reminiscent of objects or people).

Motor memory- this is a type thanks to which people learn to ride a bicycle, memorize a dance, play games, swim, and also do any labor activity and various appropriate movements.

Emotional memory- this is the ability to remember feelings, experiences or, to remember emotions and their relativity to a specific situation at that moment. If a person did not have this mental process, then he would be “emotionally stupid” - this is the definition of a person’s state in which he looks unattractive, uninteresting to others, a kind of robot-like object. The ability to express your emotions is the key to mental health.

Verbal-logical memory divided into words, judgments and thoughts. It is also divided into mechanistic and logical. Mechanistic involves memorizing material through its constant repetition, when there is no awareness of the meaning of the information. Logical – makes semantic connections in memorized objects. Beyond the level of awareness of the material being memorized, memory is of two types: implicit and explicit.

Implicit – memory for information that a person is not aware of. Memorization occurs in a closed manner, independent of consciousness and inaccessible to direct observation. Such a process is carried out with the need to find a solution in some situation, but even then the knowledge that a person has cannot be realized. An example of such a process is that a person, in the process of his socialization, perceives the norms of society and is guided by them in his behavior, without realizing the basic theoretical principles.

Explicit memory occurs when the acquired knowledge is used absolutely consciously. They are retrieved and recalled when there is a need to solve some problem using this knowledge. This process can be: involuntary and voluntary. In an involuntary process, traces of images remain that arose unconsciously, automatically. This type of memorization is more developed in childhood; it weakens with age.

Arbitrary memory– this is purposeful memorization of an image.

Depending on the duration of time, memory is divided into instantaneous, short-term, operational, and long-term.

Instant Memory, also called sensory, is reflected in the retention of information perceived by sensory analyzers. It, in turn, is divided into iconic and echoic.

Iconic is a kind of sensory recorder of visual stimuli. With its help, information is recorded in a holistic form. A person never distinguishes between iconic memory and environmental objects. When iconic information is displaced by other information, the visual sense becomes more receptive. If visual material arrives too quickly, then there is a layering of one information over another, which is still retained in memory and has passed into long-term memory. This is called the reverse masking effect.

Echoic memory– after-image, images are stored in it for no more than 2-3 seconds, when there was an influence of the auditory stimulus.

Short-term memory promotes a person’s memorization of images after a single, short-term perception of them and instant reproduction. In such a process, what matters is the number of stimuli that are perceived, their physical nature, and their information load is not taken into account.

Short-term memory has a certain formula that determines the number of remembered objects. It sounds like “seven plus or minus two.” When a person is presented with stimulus material depicting a certain number of objects, he can remember 5 or 9 objects from them for up to 30 seconds.

RAM– saves a trace of the image that is necessary to perform the current action.

Long-term memory can store traces of images for a very long time and allows them to be used in future activities. Thanks to such memorization, a person is able to accumulate knowledge, which he can later retrieve either at his own request or through external intervention in the brain (with the help of).

Depends on target research activities There are special types of this mental process: biological, episodic, associative, reproductive, reconstructive, autobiographical.

Biological or also called genetic, is determined by the mechanism of heredity. It presupposes a person’s possession of such patterns of behavior that were characteristic of people in earlier periods of evolution, this is expressed in reflexes and instincts.

Episodic is a repository of fragments of material that are tied to a specific situation.

Reproductive consists in repeating the reproduction of information, remembering original look saved object.

Reconstructive helps restore the disrupted sequence of stimuli to their original form.

Associative memory forms functional connections, that is, associations between objects that are remembered.

Autobiographical memory helps a person remember the events of his own life.

Memory training

Training happens when people don't even notice it. Memorizing the list of products needed in the store, the names of new acquaintances, dates of birth - all this is training for a person. But there are more specific exercises for development; they promote much better memorization and concentration on the specific development of these abilities. If memory develops, then other mental processes (thinking, attention) also develop simultaneously.

There are exercises for developing this process, the most common ones will be briefly described below.

Memory development in adults exercises are very different. A very popular exercise is Schulte tables. They contribute to the development of peripheral vision, attention, observation, speed reading and visual memory. When looking for sequential numbers, vision fixes only a few cells, so the location of the desired cell and the cells of other numbers is remembered.

Exercise to develop photographic memory using the Aivazovsky method. Its essence is to look at an object for five minutes. Afterwards, close your eyes and restore the image of this object in your head as clearly as possible. You can also draw these images, this will help improve the effectiveness of the exercise. It must be performed periodically so that visual memory develops well.

Exercise playing matches helps train visual memory. To do this, you need to put five matches on the table and look at their location, then turn away, take five more matches and try on another surface to recreate the location of the matches that were memorized.

Exercise roman room helps develop the ability to structure stored information, but with its help it also trains visual memory. It is necessary to remember the sequence of objects, their details, color, shape. As a result, more information is remembered and visual memory is trained.

There are also exercises to train auditory memory.

Development of memory in adults exercises should be subject to certain rules. The first exercise is reading aloud. When a person voices memorized material, he develops his lexicon, improves diction, intonation, improves the ability to add emotional coloring and brightness to your speech. The auditory components of what is read are also better remembered. You need to read easily, take your time, read as you speak. There are some rules: pronounce words clearly, with appropriate placement, pronounce each word expressively, do not “eat up” the ending, pronounce the text as if it were the speech of a diplomat or speaker expressing his own thoughts on some serious issue. If you read for at least ten or fifteen minutes every day, adhering to all the rules, you can notice results in speaking abilities and auditory memory within a month.

Regular study of poems is good and in a simple way in memory training. When studying a verse, it is necessary to understand its meaning and highlight the techniques that the author used. Divide it into semantic components, highlight main idea. When learning a poem, it is important to repeat it all the time, saying it out loud, using intonation, conveying the mood of the author, thus further developing diction. You need to repeat it many times, and over time the number of repetitions will decrease. When pronouncing a verse in your head or out loud, the articulatory apparatus is activated. Studying a poem is used for long-term memorization of abstract information. Such memorization occurs, for example, in studying the multiplication table, or memorizing the number Pi.

Auditory memory develops through eavesdropping. When you are among people, in transport or on the street, on a bench, you need to focus on the conversation of other people among themselves, comprehend the information, try to remember it. Then, when you come home, speak out the conversations you heard with the appropriate intonation and remember the expressions on people’s faces at the time of the conversation. By practicing this very often, a person will be able to learn to perceive text fluently by ear and will become much more attentive and sensitive to intonation and tone.

An effective method is the development of memory using the methods of special services. This is a training program that is based on techniques used in intelligence agencies. The effectiveness of such a program has been verified by intelligence officers and counterintelligence officers. This method is presented in the book by the author Denis Bukin, which is called “Development of memory according to the methods of the special services.”

IN modern world Almost everyone is accustomed to the fact that they always have a phone, tablet, or organizer at hand, which stores the necessary information and can always be seen there. Routine work, overloading the memorization process with unnecessary information, and the inability to systematize this information leads to a weakening of mnemonic processes. The book describes a profession in which a well-developed memory is the key to success, or rather, it is vital - this is an intelligence officer. He cannot save the operation plan or map on his phone, he does not have time to leaf through a notepad. All important information should be stored only in the head, all the details, so that they can be clearly reproduced at the right time. Each chapter of the book describes each stage of an intelligence officer's career. Each stage contains techniques, exercises and instructions for them.

Memory development

Developed memory is a very big plus for a person’s personality, both in everyday life and at work. In most professions, developed memory is highly valued; it is big advantage, helping to achieve great achievements at work and take on greater responsibility. There are certain ways to develop this process. To remember something, you need to focus on the process, on the material itself. You need to comprehend the information, look for parallels in it in relation to your experience. The more chances there are to establish such a connection, the better the memory will be.

If you need to remember some element, for example, a name, phone number, number, you don’t need to immediately rush to a notepad or the Internet for the answer. Within a couple of minutes, you need to abstract yourself from everything external, look into the depths of your brain and try to remember yourself.

If you need to remember something very important, you need to create some kind of image, a very vivid association in your head regarding it. The brain remembers something original much easier, which makes it easier to remember the right thing. To easily remember numbers, you need to divide them into groups, or, as in the previous method, create associations.

Very effective method memory development there is a simulator for the development of cognitive abilities, called the Vikium project.

In order to remember something well, you need to immediately after perceiving the information, speak it, then retell it to someone else, this will make it easier to remember and better understand the meaning of the material.

Very simple method, which can be applied everywhere, is the mental solution of the simplest arithmetic problems.

Also, the simplest way to develop memory is to replay the events of the day in your head. It is better to do this at the end of each day before going to bed, recreating all the details and episodes, feelings, experiences, emotions that filled this day. You also need to evaluate your actions and actions performed on this day.

Reading books contributes to the development of memorization, the brain concentrates, the text is perceived, and details are stored in memory.

Effective memorization involves understanding the meaning of the text. It is very unprofitable to memorize material mechanically without retelling it in your own words. Such a process will stop at the level of RAM and will not move into long-term memory.

To develop memory, you need to accustom yourself to repeat information, at first it will require multiple repetitions to memorize, after such frequent repetition the brain will be developed enough to remember information faster.

Mechanical movements of the hands help in the development of memory. When a person does some long-term action with his hands, brain structures are activated.

Studying foreign languages also a good remedy for improving memory.

will play a significant role emotional condition person. When a person is calm and happy, he will be able to quickly and easily remember information and reproduce it than a person in a state of anger or anxiety.

To develop memory you need to work on it, focused and purposeful. Laziness will contribute to the degradation of the human psyche, and a good memory obviously will not characteristic feature such a person. Developed memory opens up great prospects for a person; thanks to memory, one can achieve high results, both at work and in communication.

With the help of neurobics, you can also develop and support this mental process. There is relevant literature that describes a lot of methods for developing this process.

Using the methods described above, you need to load your memory; without regular training, it will weaken, fail and accelerate the aging of thinking.

There are a few more rules that must be followed to effectively develop this process. In order for the memory to be good, it is necessary for the brain to be functional; for this it must be saturated with oxygen, which enters the blood. To do this, you need to often be in the air, take breaks from mental work for a few minutes, do exercises and exercises that promote a rush of blood to the brain.

If a person smokes and does not train his memory, he prescribes for himself a rapid deterioration of mental processes. If a person smokes and trains his memory, such processes begin a little later, but still faster than in people who do not smoke at all.

Adequate sleep promotes the development of this process and ensures brain activity. If a person does not get enough sleep, his memory at the biological level is not able to work as needed. Because the brain depends on the biological rhythms of day and night, so only at night are brain cells restored and the next morning, after sleeping for seven or eight hours, a person will be ready for a productive working day.

To maintain mental flexibility, you need to give up alcohol. The more a person uses, the more damage he causes to his brain. Some people have the experience of not remembering half of the events that happened after drinking alcohol. Especially when you need to learn some material, you should avoid drinking even wine and beer, not to mention stronger drinks. For a well-developed memory, you need to eat right, especially foods that contain phosphoric acid and calcium salts.

All of the above methods and rules, if applied in combination, guarantee the development and preservation of memory for many years.

Memory development in children

From early childhood, memory development occurs in several directions. The first path assumes that mechanical memory gradually begins to change, is supplemented, and then is completely replaced by logical memory. The second direction involves direct memorization of information, gradually turning into indirect, which is used in memorizing and reflecting various mnemonic means. The third way is involuntary memorization, which dominates in childhood, but becomes voluntary with age.

Creation internal methods memorization depends on the development of speech. Memorization that switches from externally mediated to internal, associated with the metamorphoses of speech from external to internal.

Memory development in preschool children, in particular, the process of direct memorization proceeds a little faster than the formation of indirect memorization. And at the same time, the gap in the performance of these types of memorization in favor of the first becomes larger.

Development of memory in children of primary school age is expressed by the simultaneous development of direct memorization and indirect, but the rapid development of indirect memory. Developing at a rapid pace, indirect memorization is catching up with direct memorization in terms of productivity.

The development of this process in preschool children is expressed by a gradual transition from unintentional to voluntary memorization. In children of the middle preschool period, by about the age of four, memorization and reproduction, which have not yet been amenable to learning mnemonic functions and in natural conditions developments are involuntary.

Under the same conditions, older preschoolers are characterized by a gradual transition from involuntary to voluntary memorization of material. At the same time, in the corresponding processes, almost independent process development of special perceptual actions, development of mediating mnemonic processes aimed at improving the memorization and display of materials.

Not all of these processes develop equally in all children with age; some tend to outstrip others. Thus, voluntary reproduction develops faster than voluntary memorization and surpasses it in development. Memory development depends on the child’s interest and motivation in the activity he performs.

The development of memory in preschool children is characterized by the predominance of involuntary, visual-emotional memory. In the primary – middle preschool period, mechanical and immediate memory are well developed.

The development of memory in children of primary school age proceeds quite well, especially with regard to mechanical memorization and its progression over a period of three to four years of study, which occurs very quickly. Logical and indirect memory is slightly behind in development, but this is a normal process. Children are fully equipped with rote memory in their learning, work, play and communication. But special training in mnemonic techniques for children from their first years of education significantly improves the productivity of logical memory. Failure to use these techniques, or inept use of them in practice, may be the reason for the poor development of voluntary memory in young children. Good development This process for children is facilitated by the use of special mnemonic tasks; they are placed in front of children according to their activities.