This initial, broad categorisation of memory theory will be developed through book research and first hand investigation.
I am very interested in the concept of false recognition in memory, and how this can be affected onto people.
Tuesday, 8 November 2011
Memory theory
This initial, broad categorisation of memory theory will be developed through book research and first hand investigation.
I am very interested in the concept of false recognition in memory, and how this can be affected onto people.
Understanding Memory: Exploring Memory Models
Memory Models
: Various different types, but one that it often referred to to explain basic memory concepts is the 1968 Atkinson and Shiffrin multi store model.
Image from http://www.simplypsychology.org/multi-store.html
Three stages: Environment Input-Sensory Memory - Short Term memory - Long term memory
Short Term Memory
Long Term Memory
• Duration: Unlimited
• Capacity: Unlimited
• Encoding: Mainly Semantic (but can be visual and auditory)
This model has strength and weaknesses for example the fact that many believe it to be oversimplified.
Different types of long-term memory have been identified: (memories of events), procedural (knowledge of how to do things) and semantic (general knowledge)
: Various different types, but one that it often referred to to explain basic memory concepts is the 1968 Atkinson and Shiffrin multi store model.
Image from http://www.simplypsychology.org/multi-store.html
Three stages: Environment Input-Sensory Memory - Short Term memory - Long term memory
Sensory Memory
• Duration: ¼ to ½ second
• Capacity: all sensory experience (v. larger capacity)
• Encoding: sense specific (e.g. different stores for each sense)
Short Term Memory
• Duration: 0-18 seconds
• Capacity: 7 +/- 2 items
• Encoding: mainly auditory
Long Term Memory
• Duration: Unlimited• Capacity: Unlimited
• Encoding: Mainly Semantic (but can be visual and auditory)
This model has strength and weaknesses for example the fact that many believe it to be oversimplified.
Different types of long-term memory have been identified: (memories of events), procedural (knowledge of how to do things) and semantic (general knowledge)
Further reading
Amended reading list. This has been adapted to further explore my areas of interest around memory. These will be taken out from Goldsmiths university library tomorrow morning (09 Nov) to look over before the presentation on Monday.
Social Cognition, from brain to culture
302.12 FIS Main Seq
Reading to understand social psychology
Memory in the Real World- Gillian Cohen & Martin Conway
153.12
Reading to understand memory further. This was available in ebook form.
Deep learning : how the mind overrides experience / Stellan Ohlsson.
153.13
Understanding the mind and its ability to change, take on new information, learn new skills and change between incompatible beliefs. This relates strongly to memory and how this formulates a mental state at any given point
Cognitive psychology: Mind and Brain
153 SMI
An overview of cognitive psychology which effects the way people think, perceive, remember and learn.
A cognitive psychology of mass communication
RJC Harris 153 SMI
'With this fourth edition of A Cognitive Psychology of Mass Communication, author Richard Jackson Harris continues his examination of how our experiences with media affect the way we acquire knowledge about the world, and how this knowledge creates consequences for attitudes and behaviour. Presenting theories from psychology and communication along with reviews of the corresponding research, this text covers a wide variety of media and media issues, ranging from the commonly discussed topics--sex, violence, advertising--to less-studied topics, such as values, sports, and entertainment education'
This would be useful in understanding how media interventions are affected by and affect people.
Social Cognition, from brain to culture
302.12 FIS Main Seq
Reading to understand social psychology
Memory in the Real World- Gillian Cohen & Martin Conway
153.12
Reading to understand memory further. This was available in ebook form.
Deep learning : how the mind overrides experience / Stellan Ohlsson.
153.13
Understanding the mind and its ability to change, take on new information, learn new skills and change between incompatible beliefs. This relates strongly to memory and how this formulates a mental state at any given point
Cognitive psychology: Mind and Brain
153 SMI
An overview of cognitive psychology which effects the way people think, perceive, remember and learn.
A cognitive psychology of mass communication
RJC Harris 153 SMI
'With this fourth edition of A Cognitive Psychology of Mass Communication, author Richard Jackson Harris continues his examination of how our experiences with media affect the way we acquire knowledge about the world, and how this knowledge creates consequences for attitudes and behaviour. Presenting theories from psychology and communication along with reviews of the corresponding research, this text covers a wide variety of media and media issues, ranging from the commonly discussed topics--sex, violence, advertising--to less-studied topics, such as values, sports, and entertainment education'
This would be useful in understanding how media interventions are affected by and affect people.
Research: Memory
Investigating memory: Brainstorm how i share my memories. Exploring different ways that I record and share memories. Certain aspects are hidden even from oneself: one may not be aware of them because one is not focusing on them. The quantified self could act as a mediating lens if a filter is applied to draw attention to aspects of life which could then be designed for or be a subject on intervention.
Group brainstorm: a way to collect and explore group ideas. All members were able to view previous members input. Conducted with three people.
This topic: Why do we remember some things and not others. What was learnt: themes: trauma, association/isolation, short term vs long influence, importance, respect of a person creating a memory, how much attention is paid.
Question: Why are some memories more important to use than others. What was learnt: Themes: Who the memory is about i.e. family, determined by its relation to other aspects of our lives, does the memory simulate nostalgia i.e. triggers i.e. smell triggers
Which memories are important to you? Put a tick by a point if you agree with one that's already there. This incorporated a quantitative factor which was very useful visually to get a general consensus on key themes. Family formed a central part of all respondents important memories.
Group brainstorm: a way to collect and explore group ideas. All members were able to view previous members input. Conducted with three people.
This topic: Why do we remember some things and not others. What was learnt: themes: trauma, association/isolation, short term vs long influence, importance, respect of a person creating a memory, how much attention is paid.
Which memories are important to you? Put a tick by a point if you agree with one that's already there. This incorporated a quantitative factor which was very useful visually to get a general consensus on key themes. Family formed a central part of all respondents important memories.
Week 5 write-up: Quantified Self, Moslow
1 Nov-group tutorial. Notes on discussion points/individual participation and research.
Natasha-Tested the shadowing IDEO card for her project focus on 'Subliminal Messaging'. Interested in concealment.
Kaf-produced an app using yahoo app builder
Bhavesh-used exflar to create an AR app
The concept of 'the quantified self'
http://quantifiedself.com/ A website for people interested in self-tracking. I signed up.
Essentially a concept centred around the collection of data through a filter, and how this can enrich our understanding of ourselves and others through this. Massively linked to the concept of memory and self-understand/identification. What can be learnt through tapping into memory streams that individuals themselves may be unaware of.
Robert Carlsen
http://robertcarlsen.net/dev/mobile-logger
Robert Carlsen - Riding Through Mountains of Data from Steven Dean on Vimeo.
Robert Carlsen initially created a piece of software that allowed him to track data about bumps/disturbances in the road surface. He wanted to understand his own usage, as well as being able to share and track his own other peoples data. This was turned into a visual illustration that would show where the roughest part of NYC were.
This was then developed into software that was able to track how hard he was pedalling and for how long which allowed him to develop fitness plans.
He then created an iPhone app, called 'MobileLogger' which launched on the app store, which tracks your route. I downloaded the app, and it tracks direction, speed, and your exact location. The user chooses when to start and stop logging. A quick test of this application showed that the user it able to then export the file in .csv format or upload it to the server for community review. Carlesen analysed group data, and identified the potential to create communities around this.
This is a way in which personal and community memory is filtered and shared. What's special about it is that it's data that people aren't aware that they have.
Screenshots of MobileLogger
Homescreen, map visualisation & analysis
The depth of information available is incredible. I did a functionality test on myself on the 9th of november, and started the app on my faily commute. It took information over 1:28 hours, and logged 467 individual data marker. A visualisation of this is below. It mapped this into an excel file which i could view on my computer. There is also the option to share this with the creator-i have attempted to do this but each time the update fails.
More on the Quantified Self
Robin Barooah
http://quantifiedself.com/2011/09/robin-barooah-i-am-broken-or-i-can-learn/
'Robin Barooah gives an insightful talk below on embodied learning. He used a binary self-tracking system, without keeping any of the data, to train his body to know what foods made him feel energized or lethargic. This awareness helped him to lose 45 pounds over the course of several months, but more importantly, it serves as a model of the power of self-tracking to develop intuition and well-being. (Filmed at the inaugural Quantified Self Silicon Valley meetup hosted by Stanford’s Calming Technologies lab.)'
This is a great example of how memory and the techniques to create a quantified self can be accessed via an intervention to solve a problem: weight loss. Robin Barooah collected data about himself after eating and asked himself the question 'am i energised or lethargic'. He did not explicitly analyse the data he collected on paper, but be sub-consciously trained his body and mind to select foods that were beneficial. Simply by asking himself a simple question.
As a spectator pointed out, he engaged in tracking but without quantification. Robin begun to associate the food with the effect of the food by making himself more aware of it. It is a similar 'recognition' effect to the one that i have noticed over the years: if i get a new phone, i start to notice it everywhere and it seems to be everywhere. By bringing something to the forefront of our memory do we instantly become more sensitive/aware of it??
Statistics on yourself-facebook/tweets-location, consumptions, activities.
Creating a sense of community-social bridge
People as interactive objects-we already are interactive objects. Augmenting ourselves-KAF- Embedded oyster card.
Mazlows' hierarchy of human needs-debate.
Is this a set of filters? creating filters for ideation.
Memory has an application within all of these, demonstrating the need to narrow my focus within memory soon.
Natasha-Tested the shadowing IDEO card for her project focus on 'Subliminal Messaging'. Interested in concealment.
Kaf-produced an app using yahoo app builder
Bhavesh-used exflar to create an AR app
The concept of 'the quantified self'
http://quantifiedself.com/ A website for people interested in self-tracking. I signed up.
Essentially a concept centred around the collection of data through a filter, and how this can enrich our understanding of ourselves and others through this. Massively linked to the concept of memory and self-understand/identification. What can be learnt through tapping into memory streams that individuals themselves may be unaware of.
Robert Carlsen
http://robertcarlsen.net/dev/mobile-logger
Robert Carlsen - Riding Through Mountains of Data from Steven Dean on Vimeo.
Robert Carlsen initially created a piece of software that allowed him to track data about bumps/disturbances in the road surface. He wanted to understand his own usage, as well as being able to share and track his own other peoples data. This was turned into a visual illustration that would show where the roughest part of NYC were.
This was then developed into software that was able to track how hard he was pedalling and for how long which allowed him to develop fitness plans.
He then created an iPhone app, called 'MobileLogger' which launched on the app store, which tracks your route. I downloaded the app, and it tracks direction, speed, and your exact location. The user chooses when to start and stop logging. A quick test of this application showed that the user it able to then export the file in .csv format or upload it to the server for community review. Carlesen analysed group data, and identified the potential to create communities around this.
This is a way in which personal and community memory is filtered and shared. What's special about it is that it's data that people aren't aware that they have.
Screenshots of MobileLogger
Homescreen, map visualisation & analysis
The depth of information available is incredible. I did a functionality test on myself on the 9th of november, and started the app on my faily commute. It took information over 1:28 hours, and logged 467 individual data marker. A visualisation of this is below. It mapped this into an excel file which i could view on my computer. There is also the option to share this with the creator-i have attempted to do this but each time the update fails.
More on the Quantified Self
Robin Barooah
http://quantifiedself.com/2011/09/robin-barooah-i-am-broken-or-i-can-learn/
'Robin Barooah gives an insightful talk below on embodied learning. He used a binary self-tracking system, without keeping any of the data, to train his body to know what foods made him feel energized or lethargic. This awareness helped him to lose 45 pounds over the course of several months, but more importantly, it serves as a model of the power of self-tracking to develop intuition and well-being. (Filmed at the inaugural Quantified Self Silicon Valley meetup hosted by Stanford’s Calming Technologies lab.)'
This is a great example of how memory and the techniques to create a quantified self can be accessed via an intervention to solve a problem: weight loss. Robin Barooah collected data about himself after eating and asked himself the question 'am i energised or lethargic'. He did not explicitly analyse the data he collected on paper, but be sub-consciously trained his body and mind to select foods that were beneficial. Simply by asking himself a simple question.
As a spectator pointed out, he engaged in tracking but without quantification. Robin begun to associate the food with the effect of the food by making himself more aware of it. It is a similar 'recognition' effect to the one that i have noticed over the years: if i get a new phone, i start to notice it everywhere and it seems to be everywhere. By bringing something to the forefront of our memory do we instantly become more sensitive/aware of it??
Statistics on yourself-facebook/tweets-location, consumptions, activities.
Creating a sense of community-social bridge
People as interactive objects-we already are interactive objects. Augmenting ourselves-KAF- Embedded oyster card.
Mazlows' hierarchy of human needs-debate.
Is this a set of filters? creating filters for ideation.
Memory has an application within all of these, demonstrating the need to narrow my focus within memory soon.
Monday, 7 November 2011
Brief Feedback & Reflection
Project working brief feedback
You need at least 3 theory titles within your brief, published books, as indicative reading references.
I would say firstly that the investigation of digital devices asks for further definition. I agree that they are inseparable from much in life, but you must expand this, I think to include objects as a whole. In your context try and explain the important social and cultural issues, observations and recent developments in the field that you are investigating. Describe what design has previously had to do with your field and what potential there is for interventions by designers now, or in the future. It is good practise to write a title and a subtitle sentence that supplements the core of the ideas you are looking to investigate.
An insight is a theoretical or ideological observation or notion. It should be formed of ideas from outside your own thinking, ideally gleamed from published work- books are best for this- brought up against your own ideas.
Engage with the human, social, cultural and societal issues at stake before you think about something as specific as a digital device. If you are already planning to involve a device you may completely miss an opportunity to actually take a fresh look at 'memory' and it's place in a wider field of experience.
Also try and write more, a brief should be about 1000 words.
To clarify-
Define all your terms. What is 'embodiment' etc. Try not to write as though you might see existing technologies as the only embodiment of your aims. These exist as a tiny part of a whole world of human interactions. People interact and use memory in so many ways and there is a huge insight that you will miss if you do not understand how and why remembering, recognition, groups, 'the remembered' and other key notions in this space operate and
effect behaviour. Danah Boyd writes a lot of good theory on social networks and youth. http://www.danah.org/ Also look at the work of Durrell Bishop- http://www.designinginteractions.com/interviews/DurrellBishop
Explain more clearly how you could create your approach, how it may question an issue through research methods and design experiments that you will then specifically define and how and why these methods are appropriate to your aims.
The presentation should include your results from all the ideation work so far, your brief and an explanation of a time frame map for the different stages of the project.
To do: Research memory/recognition in more depth: academic journals, books try and explain the important social and cultural issues, observations and recent developments in the field Describe what design has previously had to do with your field and what potential there is for interventions by designers now, or in the future. Investigate the concept of memory first hand. Detach the concept from digital platforms/devices. Clarify terms within the brief, and rewrite it taking into consideration the research and investigation.
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