什麼是記憶

對於學習過或經驗過的事情，可以回想或再製的能力和過程。研究指出，在各個正常人身上，儲存資訊的能力是相當一致的；所不同的是，各人對某事物的學習和解釋，以及儲存下來的種類和細節，有程度上的差異。注意（Attention）、動機（motivation）、聯想（association）的能力，都有助於記憶過程。在所有的感官資料中，視覺印象一般來說是最容易被記住的。有些記憶力超強或是擁有「照相式」或「寫真式」記憶力的人，經常會大量利用視覺聯想，包括記憶術的方法也是如此。很多心理學家將短期記憶（short-）和長期記憶（long-term memory）區別開來。短期記憶（一般說法是持續十秒到三分鐘）比起長期記憶來，較不受後天的干擾和扭曲。長期記憶可以再分為插曲式（episodic，以事件中心）和語意式（semanic，以知識為中心）。關於記憶，學者提出過很多不同的模型，根據啟蒙主義時代的觀念，記憶是把形象印製在大腦纖維（後來在二十世紀改稱為「記憶分子」〔memory molecules〕或被解釋為「記憶痕跡」〔engrams〕），到史金納（B. F. Skinner）則提出「黑盒子」（black box）理論，最近則有學者提出「資訊處理」（information processing）以及「神經細胞群形成」（formation of neuronal group）的概念。關於記憶方面的疾病，包括阿茲海默症（Alzheimer's disease）、失憶症（amnesia）、柯薩科夫症候群（Korsakoff's syndrome）、創傷後壓力症候群（post-traumatic stress disorder）及老人痴呆症（senile dementia）。亦請參閱hypnosis。

memory

Power or process of recalling or reproducing what has been learned or experienced. Research indicates that the ability to retain information is fairly uniform among normal individuals; what differs is the degree to which persons learn or take account of something to begin with and the kind and amount of detail that is retained. Attention, motivation, and especially association facilitate this process. Visual images are generally better remembered than are other forms of sense-data. Memory prodigies, or people with “photographic” or “eidetic” memories, often draw heavily on visual associations, including mnemonics. Many psychologists distinguish between short- and long-term memory. The former (variously said to last ten seconds to three minutes) is less subject to interference and distortion than the latter. Long-term memory is sometimes divided into episodic (i.e., event-centered) and semantic (i.e., knowledge-centered) memory. Various models of memory have been proposed, from the Enlightenment notion of impressions made on brain tissues (restyled as “memory molecules” or coded “engrams” in the 20th century) to B. F. Skinner's “black box” to more recent ideas concerning information processing or the formation of neuronal groups. Disorders of or involving memory include Alzheimer's disease, amnesia, Korsakoff's syndrome, post-traumatic stress disorder, and senile dementia. See also hypnosis.