When people think of memory, we think of memory in a general term. However, we are faced with different types of memory, which perform different functions, such as long-term memory or short-term memory. Short-term memory refers to the temporary retention of information, it is kept for a few seconds and has a limited capacity.
It is common for memory alterations to occur with age due to neuronal changes. However, age is not the only factor involved in the alterations produced in memory, drugs, alcohol, leading a sedentary life, lack of stimulation, malnutrition, among others, are factors that produce a deterioration in the memory. For this reason, it is important to know how to improve short term memoryIf you want to learn how to make your memory work, keep reading this Psychology-Online article.
Index
- What is short-term memory
- Short-term memory loss
- Improve short term memory
- 5 short-term memory exercises
What is short-term memory.
Short-term memory refers to the
In the literature, several authors have called short-term memory "working memory", with the aim to abandon the idea that long-term memory is dependent on short-term memory. The most representative authors of this concept were Baddeley and Hitch (1974). However, working memory refers to the processes that are responsible for the temporary storage and manipulation of information. Faced with this, it is worth highlighting the distinction between these two processes in memory, because although both are characterized by the short duration of information storage, in the working memory manifests a manipulation or transformation of said information, thus enabling more complex cognitive processes such as understanding, language and reasoning. In the clinical setting, this distinction is executed in the memory tests performed in the assessment. For example, in the WAIS-IV the working memory breadth test is evaluated based on “Digits in order reverse or in increasing order ”and on the other hand, short-term memory is evaluated with the test“ Digits in order direct". If you want to evaluate your memory you can do this memory test.
Short-term memory loss.
As noted above, short-term memory acts as a step prior to long-term memory retention. term, allowing us to retain the information we need at a certain time and delete it when it is no longer us necessary. Against this, it is important to note that damage to the short-term memory system would make it difficult to acquire information stored in long-term memory.
Short-term memory allows us to retain information for a specified duration, allowing us to This is the quick understanding of the environment such as a conversation or the facilitation of the problems. Short-term memory damage causes the person to lose the ability to retain information in the moment, thus preventing, for example, being able to understand a conversation with sentences of a certain length, due to lack of capacity to retain momentary information. The ability to solve problems is also affected, because of not being able to retain the information to understand what happened, assess the alternative solutions based on the problem and take a decision. The memory loss it is a subject of recurring concern for many people.
When we think of memory loss, we tend to associate it with age, but many factors can lead to memory impairment. The most common causes of memory loss are normal aging and during dementia, as well as the different memory psychopathologiesHowever, other factors that can cause these difficulties are:
- Head Injuries (TBI)
- Ictus
- Brain tumors
- High pressure
- Neurodegenerative diseases
- Nutritional deficiency: lack of vitamins B6, B9 and B12
- Thyroid, kidney, or liver problems
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Sleep problems
- Alcohol consumption
- Sedentary life
- Lack of stimulation
Improve short-term memory.
To avoid the mentioned causes of memory leak, it is recommended to prevent memory problems with healthy habits. For example, it is advisable to eat an adequate diet, as well as to do physical exercise, have adequate sleep, have an active social life and carry out cognitive activities.
In addition to this, you can improve short-term memory if you work practicing with tasks that require activation of short-term memory. You can work on short-term memory, for example, trying to learn phone numbers of your schedule, instead of depending on the device or non-memory aids, as well as remembering lists. Reading is another habit that will help us work on short-term memory, in addition to its many benefits. These habits and exercises also serve to improve memory to study.
5 short-term memory exercises.
As we have already discussed, you can improve short-term memory by practicing. Next, we propose 5 short-term memory exercises, do you dare?
1. Memorizing digits
A simple exercise to stimulate short-term memory is digit repetition. Start with the first row, until the last, reading the digits once and repeating them later as far as you remember.
546
5676
35894
137598
2479643
23457965
132443267
23425436136
2. Shopping list
This exercise to improve short-term memory consists of looking at the following shopping list for half a minute. See how many ingredients you can remember after 20 minutes!
- Coffee
- Apples
- Milk
- Peppers
- Garbage bags
- Yogurts
- Salmon
- Garbanzo beans
- Lentils
- Lettuce
- Avocado
- Jewish
3. Remembering the image
Another of the exercises for short-term memory involves visual memory. Find an image in which there are different objects, characters or situations. Observe it for a minute and then try to describe everything you remember.
4. Colorful animals
Read the following list of animals with their respective characteristics three times and then describe the ones you remember.
- Angry yellow dog
- Hungry red cat
- Fat violet hamster
- Long orange giraffe
- Happy pink crocodile
5. Form pairs
The classic game of finding the even-numbered pictures on a set of children's cards is a great exercise to work on short-term memory.
This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
If you want to read more articles similar to How to improve short-term memory, we recommend that you enter our category of Cognitive psychology.
Bibliography
- Aguado-Aguilar, L. (2001). Learning and memory. Rev. Neurolo, 32, 372-381.
- Gontier, J. (2004). Working Memory and Aging. Journal of Psychology of the University of Chile, 2, 111-124.
- Ostrosky-Solís, F. & Lozano, A. (2003). Memory rehabilitation in normal and pathological conditions. Advances in Latin American Clinical Psychology, 21, 39-51.
- Parker, A. and cols. (2013). Effects of Saccadic Bilateral Eye Movements on Episodic and Semantic Autobiographical Memory Fluency. Front Hum Neurosci; 7, 630.
- Turrillo, M. (2014). Relationship of short-term memory in academic performance in primary education. UNIR: International University of La Rioja.
