Culture+and+memory

=Learning outcome= //**Discuss how social or cultural factors affect one cognitive process**//

There is a cross-over here with
 * the LO on schema theory
 * the LO on flashbulb memory ( ** //Evaluate one theory of HOW EMOTION MAY AFFECT one cognitive process (for example, state-dependent memory, flashbulb memory, affective filters//).  **

This means that the studies for those LOs may be applied to THIS learning outcome. Just make sure you understand the context that you need these studies for.

Resources
Law et al. page 94 (a brief overview and a connection with flashbulb memory)
 * Source 1**

Crane - pages 80 - 81
 * Source 2**

Matsumoto and Juang 'Culture and memory' in //Culture and Psychology,// pg 119-120
 * Source 3**

[|Michael Cole's] (1996) research on the Kpelle and Vai in Africa (also mentioned in Crane) - an example of the effects of culture on memory See class handout on 'Michael Cole: culture and memory research' in Jamison, //Levels of analysis in psychology,// page 84
 * Source 4**
 * Jamison handout**

__**Task**__ As you read the sources above, explain the following statements in your own words, and provide evidence for these statements from the studies in the readings
 * 1) Cultural environments affect the way we encode and remember information because our schemata are shaped by our environment - this in turn affects our learning of new information.
 * 2) Cultures that have a strong oral tradition appear to help people become better at remembering.
 * 3) Learning environments impact __**how** __ we memorize information


 * Download the evidence exercise below**

Vocabulary you may need
Click on http://www.psywww.com/intropsych/ch06_memory/free_recall.html
 * free recall
 * clustering

//**Discuss** - Offer a considered and balanced review that includes a range of arguments, factors or hypotheses. Opinions or conclusions should be presented clearly and supported by appropriate evidence.// **Choose ONE cognitive process**

**Example Topic: Culture and memory in the context of learning**

**Key point 1** - Cultural environments affect the way we encode and remember information because our schemata are shaped by our environment - this in turn affects our learning of new information
 *  Explain the point to demonstrate your understanding:
 * What does encoding mean in the context of memory and learning?
 * How might schema be shaped by the environment?


 *  Now support your key point with reference to specific studies
 * Bartlett (1932) - look at the findings - how do these illustrate that a person's culture can affect what they remember/recall of the story that they heard - what we remember as we learn new information is
 * The Cole study on the Kpelle people - Cole had to make the experimental tasks culturally relevant - the way the information was told to the Kpelle was categorized by them (and stored in memory) in a way that made sense to that culture
 * when it was not made relevant, they did not process that information (and therefore their recall was poor)


 *  Can you make reference to any other study with findings that supports this point?

**Key point 2**
 * Learning environments impact __**how**__ we memorize information - schools teach memorization strategies - poor schooling or no schooling is thus one explanation for differences in recall scores in tests across different environments. This may also explain why learning environments may be a variable in the context of IQ scores

** Key point 3: **
 *  The way we __**categorize**__ information in memory can be affected by our cultural environment