Brain Structures and Memory Loss: The Case Study of H.M.

One of the most famous case studies in the history of psychology involves a man who suffered from severe epilepsy.  In an attempt to alleviate his seizures, doctors performed brain surgery and removed a portion of his temporal lobes - the hippocampus.  Following his recovery it was discovered that his memory was noticeably affected - and not in a good way.  He still maintained many earlier memories, although he appeared unable to place them in the correct place in time.  He also was found to have no ability to move memories from short-term to long-term stores and, therefore, was unable to create new memories that he could later recall.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/05/us/05hm.html?pagewanted=all

H.M. died less than three years ago at the age of 82. 

Your assignment is to read the article linked above and write a brief analysis of this important case study.
Your analysis should include information about his story as well as an explanation for what was learned from his case.  This post should be at least 250 words and include two pictures relevant to what you write.  You should also link the article from above and any other sources you use in your post.

Test your memory...

Here are some interesting memory games to test your memory's ability.  Notice how practice brings improvement.   http://www.improvememory.org/category/games 

How Does Memory Work?

 One popular theory, generated in the 1950,s by George Miller, states that the human memory can recall about seven chunks of information (plus or minus two).  The method by which he arrived at this theory is suspect at best but appears to be somewhat accurate.  It seems that any theory which attempts to explain something as important as memory should be able to give us a better range than 71% -128% of an average.  But Miller's Magic Number, none-the-less, remains a popular topic in the study of memory.

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Studies on the Limitations of Memory

Using the studies we have examined in class, (Bartlett, 1932) (Loftus & Palmer, 1974)(French & Richards,1993) Ronald Cotton legal case study), explain schema theory and how it both helps and hinders the accurate recall of memory.

Your essay should be a minimum of 300 words - be sure to organize it with the standard format (intro, body, conclusion) and make direct reference to each of the above mentioned studies.  This blog post should also include one or more related pictures and links to each of the studies mentioned. 

Assignment Due Date: September 20th (Tuesday)

False Memory

Memory was long thought to be reliable - what better evidence could there be than the word of an eyewitness to a crime?  But studies conducted over the years have demonstrated a different theory as to how memory works and cast doubt on its reliability. 
We will examine an empirrical study and a case study relating to the concept of how memory works and false memories in particular.  Elizabeth Loftus is a renowned psychologist who has spent decades studying the workings of memory and her famous "car crash" study from 1974 gives us an understanding of how memory can be easily influenced.

The story of Ronald Cotton takes us inside the U.S. criminal justice system and helps to explain how over 230 convicted criminals (mostly for rape and murder)  have been released from prison over the past two decades as part of an effort to help the unjustly accused - most of them convicted, in part, with the help of eyewitness tesitmony.After discussing these two studies and viewing the short video, you should be able to discuss and analyze the limitations of memory. 

Your assignment is to write a 300 word (minimum) review of the case of Ronald Cotton, explaining the general details of the case, the possible reasons for the eyewitness' false memories and your conclusion about the usefulness of this type of evidence in court.  Please include at least two pictures to go with your written review and link at least one related site in your text.

Schema Theory

Think of your brain as a giant file cabinet - but how can we possibly store and retrieve all the information that bombards us each day?  Frederic Bartlett, a British psychologist from Cambridge University, performed several studies in the 1930's which helped pinpoint a theory of how we use past information to assist us in processing new information.  His concept, called schema theory, has helped identify cognitive strategies that make our brain more powerful than the greatest super-computer.

The War of the Ghosts was perhaps his most famous study - a fable which proved very difficult for his subjects to recall.  Why were subjects' memories so poor in remembering this short tale?  Bartlett theorized that cultural elements interfere with most people's ability to recall specific information.  Therefore, we place details into certain categories which allow us to make greater sense of the countless stimuli.

http://ibpsychologynotes.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/03-evaluate-schema-theory-with-reference-to-research-studies.pdf