Mood Congruence and Mood-Dependent Memory
1. Mood congruence means that if your mood and the mood of the memory are the same, it will be more easily remembered. Mood-dependent memory means that you will remember a memory more easily if your mood at that time is the same as your mood when you originally saved the memory. Mood-dependent memory is an example of encoding specificity.
2. We have spent the last two weeks learning about short and long term memory. These two concepts help to describe two ways that memories are retrieved. Mood-dependent memory reinforces encoding specificity that was brought up earlier in the chapter. Also, these help to clarify some things we learned about working memory and storing information into long term memory.
3. The study done by Laura Murray says that Dysphoric participants recalled 35% of positive words and 39% of negative words. I wish it would clarify why they thought that these individuals recalled a percent so close to equal for each.
4. I would apply this to my work by trying to keep a good atmosphere and helping students to feel their best when possible. As a school counselor, an open minded attitude will help students be at ease when we talk and hopefully they will remember more of the information we talk about if we can reduce their stress at the time of the meeting. I know why I'm stressed I don't remember things as well.
5. The author offers proof through Laura Murray research, but this isn't very detailed. I would have like the author to provide more examples of mood congruence and mood-dependent memory. The author needed to add in more real life examples of these two concepts.
6. This helps to understand why we recall the memory that we do, when we do. It does seem like one happy memory comes one after another when we are feeling good, and sometimes, when you are in a bad place in your life you seem to remember all the bad things that have happened. It makes sense why anxious or depressed people have a hard time changing their moods.
7. Like I said earlier, I will try to reduce students' stress prior to giving them important information. Also, with students who I know have anxiety or depression, I can use my social work background to help them find resources and try to help them learn self-help techniques to get our of their rut.
8. I would say that there are better ways to do research on this. One way I would think would be beneficial is if there could be a study done with more categories of people: depressed, nondepressed, and people who are indifferent to the study. Also, using more personal information might help to clarify these issues more in research.
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You focused in on the mood-memory section of the chapter because of your profession, I am sure. In the school district that I teach in the poverty level keeps rising. This population brings many challenges to the teaching profession. Many students come to school out of focus due to their home situation. I know that I would struggle too, even as an adult, if I had some of the worries that they have at home. This effects the mood of the student and therefore their ability to concentrate and learn new information. I try to provide a positive, structured environment. Most of the students seem to do well when they have a routine, expectations, and consequences. But the truly depressed student/emotional issue, hard core, my collegues and I find it difficult to understand our role. Reducing their stress at school will help them, I guess because their mood at school would perhaps be more positive and in turn they would be more receptive to learn.
ReplyDeleteI have a few different thins in my room that we use to reduce anxiety before test taking. Just as the text says, my students will perform better by remembering more when they are stress free and able to focus better because of the mood they are in. I know that students come to school with many home issues that they are struggling with. We do exercises in the morning called "Brainsmart" to get motivated and begin learning. They are short little dances that students do with a partner. It brings a smile to their face each morning and lets them break free from possible issues that are holding them back at home. We also have what is called "The Feel Good Button" I let students push the button when they seem to be feeling down in order to lift their spirits. My only rule is that when you hit the button you have to dance!!! Students seem to perform better in class after doing some of these activities throughout the day.
ReplyDeleteI like the fact that you focused on moods. This is a real big focus for me dealing with my students. In Alton, we have a high number of kids with emotional(behavior)problems. I never really thought about how this may effect their memory. Thinking back on how some of these kids have episodes, then snap back like they didn't even know they ever happened--or can't recall past actions is amazing. I use to think it was just a cop out, but now I see what it does. I do agree, I wish there was more information or studies in the book to show this, (guess its library and internet time for me to do some research)
ReplyDeleteI agree with number 6 but I also question how some people are in a great mood one moment, but then someone or something can immediately change a person's entire mood. So, to me, mood congruence can quickly change according to the stimuli in the current situation. The book did not discuss this disorder but Borderline personality came to mind. They can be in a great mood one minute and all of a sudden something or someone (stimuli) can occur and change their whole mindset and personality. And not too long after, they are an entire different person. I guess this also applies to those bi-polar.
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