Challenges of Learning Memory

Cognitive psychology refers to the scientific study of the brain as the processor of information. According to Lachman et al. (2015), cognitive psychologists try to understand what goes on in people’s minds, including attention, thinking, consciousness, perception, memory, and language. One of the biggest challenges cognitive psychologists encounter in studying memory. Memory is the power to take in information, store it and retrieve it when required. Psychologists divide memory into three stages: encoding, storage, and retrieval. Studying memory is exploited mainly to understand the process of decision making and judgment. There are numerous strategies applied when determining judgment and decision-making process. It is for this reason that cognitive psychologists encounter multiple challenges in exploiting memory. For instance, Lachman et al. (2015) assert that it is hard for psychologists to ascertain that some decisions are made by depending on recognition memory – one must analyze which model the person has used in recognition instead of other processes. The paper explores the challenges of learning memory and how cognitive psychologists have defeated these problems.

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            Robinson-Riegler & Robinson-Riegler, (2016) note that psychologists find it challenging to model and define the basis of recognition as a memory role. The recognition procedure works on the output of memory and as such it does not model the memory’s recognition process. On the contrary, the inferences of modeling as a function of the memory in the output section appears to be correctly understood. Much can be learned by beginning where memory sets off.

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            To solve this challenge, cognitive psychologists decided to study structures versus processes. This involves the study of methods of human thinking and the human mind. Psychologists use models to understand recognition processes. Robinson-Riegler & Robinson-Riegler, (2016) give examples of structural models such as model airplanes or model cars. These models are created to appear like a real plane or car. As a result, process models are involved in the study of cognitive mechanisms.           

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In conclusion, various memory models indicate processes and differentiate patterns for people to understand them better. Through these models’ study, cognitive psychologists overcame the initial challenges they faced when cognitive psychology emerged as a science subject of study.

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