From: bill@nsma.arizona.edu (Bill Skaggs)
Newsgroups: alt.consciousness
Subject: Re: The Mind: A Model (Part 2)
Date: 22 Jul 92 03:07:30 GMT
Organization: ARL Division of Neural Systems, Memory and Aging, University of
	Arizona

csscudmo@atlas.cs.upei.ca (Scott Cudmore) writes:

>   Memory

A reasonable picture, for the most part -- surprisingly good since
you pretty obviously have no familiarity at all with the literature on
this topic (which is massive).  The best way to get into it is
probably to read the standard discussion that appears in any Intro to
Cognitive Science textbook.

The literature is still full of controversy.  Even the basic
*categories* of memory have not been mapped out in any generally
agreed-upon way; let alone more subtle distinctions.  Still, there are
a few standard terms whose meanings are mostly clear. 

>   We all seem to have a supply of what I will term _working_ memory.
>   Please forgive my atrocious and totally obnoxious computer-lingo 
>   bias!

"Working memory" is actually the term commonly used by psychologists
for memory that is only useful for a limited period of time (e.g. the
fact that you took your vitamins this morning).  The current
conception of it was thoroughly reviewed by Alan Baddely in *Science*
about six months ago (unfortunately, I don't have the exact reference
at hand).

There are at least two shorter-lasting forms of memory.  One,
commonly called "short-term memory" or "magic number seven plus or
minus two memory", holds information only so long as your attention is
focused on it.  (The second name derives from a very famous paper that
claimed that the capacity of this kind of memory, for a variety of
different types of information, is seven items plus or minus two.)
Short term memory seems to be very closely related to consciousness:
the only manipulations that interfere with short term memory are ones
that somehow reduce awareness.

The other short-lasting form is the "language buffer"; this is what
you are using when you hold something in memory by repeating it to
yourself over and over again.

>   It appears to be geared
>   to event and action experience, for example, what did you have for
>   breakfast one day ago? two days ago? one week ago? one month ago?

Psychologists call this "episodic memory".  There may actually be two
distinguishable kinds -- "medium-lasting" and "long-lasting".
(Evidence:  certain kinds of brain damage leave victims unable to
remember things like what they had for breakfast or what they were
talking about five minutes ago, but leave intact memories formed
before the injury, such as experiences from childhood.)

>    As
>   the duration of time increases we find it harder to answer the
>   question through rememberance (unless like myself, you never eat
>   breakfast! or, you always eat exactly the same thing for breakfast). I
>   will call this type of memory _noncommitted_ memory.

This doesn't correspond to any of the standard distinctions; it would
probably be called something like "long-term declarative memory".

>   Finally, we seem
>   to possess a vast store of what I will call _habituated_ memory. For
>   example, what is your name? . . .

Psychologists call this "semantic memory".

	-- Bill
Newsgroups: alt.consciousness