Types of Memory

1. Sensory Memory

Sensory memory allows individuals to retain impressions of sensory information after the original stimulus has ceased. It is not consciously controlled. The role of sensory memory is to provide a detailed representation of our entire sensory experience for which relevant pieces of information are extracted by short-term memory and processed by working memory.

2. Short-Term Memory

Short-term memory is also known as working memory. It holds only a few items for a short period of time; items can be moved from short-term memory to long-term memory via processes like rehearsal. An example of rehearsal is when someone gives you a phone number verbally and you say it to yourself repeatedly until you can write it down. If someone interrupts your rehearsal by asking a question, you can easily forget the number, since it is only being held in your short-term memory.

3. Long-Term Memory

Long-term memories are all the memories we hold for periods of time longer than a few seconds. Long-term memory has an incredibly vast storage capacity, and some memories can last from the time they are created until we die.

Forgetting or Disremembering

Forgetting can be defined as is the apparent loss or modification of information already encoded and stored in an individual's short or long-term memory. It is a spontaneous or gradual process in which old memories are unable to be recalled from memory storage.

Causes of Forgetting

Amnesia: Is a condition in which we lose memories, facts, dates, or have a difficult time remembering recent or past events. Amnesia can be caused by things such as a stroke, a major blow to the head, or a tumor impacting part of the brain. Excessive use of drugs or alcohol can also cause amnesia. There are a few major kinds of amnesia: retrograde, anterograde, and infantile.

1. Retrograde amnesia: in this type of amnesia, memories of the recent past (things that happened before the onset of this amnesia) are difficult or can’t be remembered. An individual might be able to form new memories, but not able to recall things that happened before he/she experienced amnesia. For example, if an individual experience retrograde amnesia, an individual can probably only remember a the content of a book he/she just read, but might not be able to remember the content of a book that he/she read  two months ago.

2. Anterograde amnesia: Is the opposite. This refers to an inability to make new memories after the onset of amnesia. In this kind of amnesia our memories from the past are intact, but we might not be able to remember the name of a person we just met. 

Note: A good trick to keep these straight is to keep in mind that the prefix retro refers to the past and the prefix ante means front, but think of it as forward or future-oriented.

3. Infantile amnesia: This is the loss of very early memories. Most individual cannot recall the things they experienced when they were very young. Some have suggested that they lose these memories because they might have been traumatic, and so they repress them. But other explanations are slightly different, suggesting that these memories were not formed and therefore they cannot access them, not necessarily that they were traumatic.

Emotions

Emotion can be defined as a person’s internal state of being and involuntary psychological response to an object or situation.

Types of Emotions

• Happiness

Happiness is defined as a pleasant emotional state that is characterized by feelings of contentment, joy, gratification, satisfaction, and well-being. Of all the different types of emotions, happiness tends to be the one that people strive for the most.

Happiness is linked to a variety of outcomes including increased longevity and increased marital satisfaction. Conversely, unhappiness has been linked to a variety of poor health outcome such as stress, anxiety, depression, and loneliness, high blood pressure, heart problems, forgetfulness, lowered immunity, increased inflammation, and decreased life expectancy etc. 

Happiness can be expressed through:

1. Facial expressions: such as smiling

2. Body language: such as a relaxed stance

3. Tone of voice: an upbeat, pleasant way of speaking

• Sadness

Sadness is a type of emotion often defined as a transient (short time) emotional state characterized by feelings of disappointment, grief, hopelessness, disinterest, and dampened mood.

Like other emotions, sadness is something what all people experience from time to time. In some cases, people can experience prolonged and severe periods of sadness that can turn into depression. 

Sadness can be expressed in a number of ways including;

1. Crying

2. Dampened mood

3. Lethargy

4. Quietness

5. Withdrawal from others

• Fear

Fear is the emotional response to an immediate threat. Fear is a powerful emotion that can also play an important role in survival. When a person faces some sort of danger and experience fear, such person goes through what is known as the fight or flight response.

The persons  muscles become tense, heart rate and respiration increase, and his/her  mind becomes more alert, priming the body to either run from the danger or stand and fight. Of course, not everyone experiences fear in the same way. Some people may be more sensitive to fear and certain situations or objects may be more likely to trigger this emotion.

This type of emotion can be expressed by:

1. Facial expressions : such as widening the eyes and pulling back the chin

2. Body language: attempts to hide or flea from the threat

3. Physiological reactions : such as rapid breathing and heartbeat

• Disgust

This is an intense dislike for something. Disgust can be displayed in a number of ways including: when a person feels an unpleasant taste, sight, or smell. When people smell or taste foods that have gone bad, for example, disgust is a typical reaction. Poor hygiene, infection, blood, rot, and death can also trigger a disgust response. This may be the body's way of avoiding things that may carry transmittable diseases. People can also experience moral disgust when they observe others engaging in behaviors that they find distasteful, immoral, or evil. 

This type of emotion can be expressed by:

1. Body language: turning away from the object of disgust

2. Physical reactions: such as vomiting or retching

3. Facial expressions: such as wrinkling the nose and curling the upper lip

• Anger

Anger is an emotion characterized by feelings of hostility, agitation, frustration, and antagonism towards others. Like fear, anger can play a part in your body's fight or flight response.

Anger is often displayed through:

1. Facial expressions: such as frowning or glaring

2. Body language: such as taking a strong stance or turning away

3. Tone of voice: such as speaking gruffly or yelling

4. Physiological responses: such as sweating or turning red

5. Aggressive behaviors: such as hitting, kicking, or throwing objects

While anger is often thought of as a negative emotion, it can sometimes be a good thing. It can be constructive in helping clarify a person’s needs in a relationship, and it can also motivate person to take action and find solutions to things that are bothering you.

Anger can become a problem, however, when it is excessive or expressed in ways that are unhealthy, dangerous, or harmful to others. Uncontrolled anger can quickly turn to aggression, abuse, or violence.

This type of emotion can have both mental and physical consequences. Unchecked anger can make it difficult to make rational decisions and can even have an impact on your physical health.

Anger has been linked to coronary heart diseases and diabetes. It has also been linked to behaviors that pose health risks such as aggressive driving, alcohol consumption, and smoking.

• Surprise

Surprise is a physiological startle response following something unexpected.

This type of emotion can be positive, negative, or neutral. An unpleasant surprise, for example, might involve someone jumping out from behind a tree and scaring you as you walk to your house at night.

An example of a pleasant surprise would be arriving home to find that your closest friends have gathered to celebrate your birthday. This type of emotion can be expressed by;

1. Physical responses: such as jumping back

2.  Facial expressions : such as raising the brows, widening the eyes, and opening the mouth

3. Verbal reactions : such as yelling, screaming, or gasping

Surprise is another type of emotion that can trigger the fight or flight response. When startled, people may experience a burst of adrenaline that helps prepare the body to either fight or flee.

Surprise can have important effects on human behavior. This is why surprising and unusual events in the news tend to stand out in memory more than others 

Other types of emotions and types of emotional responses;

1. Amusement

2. Contempt

3. Contentment

4. Embarrassment

5. Excitement

6. Guilt

7. Pride in achievement

8. Relief

9. Satisfaction

10.  Shame