Example research essay topic: Short Term And Long Memory - 691 words

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Short Term and Long Term Memory It is impossible to imagine any kind of mental activity without brains ability to store information. This ability is commonly referred to as memory. As our knowledge about mental properties of human mind progressed, scientists learned to distinguish two specific types of memory short and long term. Short term memory enables the brain to operate with the flow of constantly incoming information. It rarely stores data for longer than 30 seconds, which allows individual to manage information, without having to accumulate consequential data for a long time.

For example, we can memorize a phone number within an instant, but we will only be able to keep it in our memory for a very short time. Long term memory corresponds to persons ability to remember information for as long as few years. This is crucial for the development of ones sense of identity. Long term memory enables person to relate its own existence to the objective reality. For example, it will be hard to convince us that rotten meat smells like roses, because the essences of both scents are stored up in our long time memory. We can point out at two similarities between these types of memory.

First of all the process of memorizing is based on one universal principle. It is nothing but regrouping of neurons in our brain. Therefore, we can say that the nature of mental activity, which involves memorizing, is physical. This statement is true for both, long and short term memories. Even though that the mechanics of memorizing are not being fully explained, it is clear there is nothing mystical about them. In both cases, information is being saved, stored for some time and than deleted.

Another similarity between long and short term memories lies in fact that the incoming information is being restructured, where the most important elements are being given a memorizing priority. We can memorize a phone number and forget the next day. However, if we were to put an effort in recalling this number, we might be able to recollect the key digits, which would enable us to restore the forgotten number with the mean of logical analysis. The same rule applies to long term memory. Only the memories that can be used as tools in the process of self-identification are being stored up in our brain for the longest. It is very common for people to completely forget the contents of books that they had read, even though that at the time of reading, it seemed like this could never happen.

This is because the brain comes up with its own judgments about what is important and what is not. The differences between these two types of memory are defined more easily, because of their obviousness. Short term memory serves as brains operational software, while long time memory can be compared to computers hard drive, which simply stores up information. The purpose of short term memory is to provide information for an uninterrupted flow of mental activity. Long term memory, on the other hand, serves as an informational backup. Only with the mean of short term memory can our brain operate with stored data.

This allows us to point out at another difference between these two types of memory. Many times brains injuries result in elimination of persons long term memory. Nevertheless, his brain will still be capable of effective mental activity, for as long as persons short term memory remains intact. On the other hand, when persons short term memory no longer functions; he inevitably turns into the vegetable. This is because the information itself has no practical value, if it simply remains stored up. The essence of brain power consists in its ability to relate the abstract concepts to the memories of physical events.

Only this allows individual to have a worldview, which is the most important precondition of intellectual excellence. Long and short term memories are integral elements of thinking process. They are the tools of intellect that allow individual to be referred to as human being. These tools are very complex and fragile, but without them, peoples mental activity is impossible.

Research essay sample on Short Term And Long Memory