✓ Details This week, in our discussion about autobiographical memory retrieval, we talked about how encoding specificity and context-dependency effect can trigger memories about specific events in our life. Revisiting a location, an event, meeting someone, or hearing a song can trigger "forgotten" memories to resurface. The goal of this exercise is to use music as a context-dependent memory retrieval strategy and analyze your experience in terms of the encoding specificity principal. Procedure A+ 1. Pick a time period of your life (elementary school, junior high, or high school). 2. Search through your music collection (especially any homemade playlists/mixtapes you've made or received), and spend 30-60 minutes listening to old songs. Particular attention should be given to songs that you haven't listened to much (or at all) since that time period of your life when you originally listened to that music. 3. As you listen, document the memories that come to mind. You can use pen and paper, or type them out via a keyboard, but it may be best to use a method that captures a lot of thought quickly, like a voice/memo recorder, as the memories will likely flood back in a very fast stream and you don't want to lose good memory "material" because of slow capture. 4. After 30-60 minutes have gone by, look back over your memories and ask yourself: Were there any memories that you hadn't really thought about during the intervening years? If so, could you tell what triggered those memories? How does the encoding specificity principle help to explain why those memories came to you in that moment or context? • Think about this carefully, as the cues can be quite subtle. In some cases, it is the whole song that is associated with a particular moment or event. But often there will be just a tiny feature of a song (e.g., a voice or instrument) that, because it captured our attention when we were younger, reminds us for a moment of how we used to feel or think about something: the unique way a word was sung, the way we used to imitate the singer's voice, our (mis)understanding of what the song (or particular lyric) was about, etc. For This Assignment Pick one of the memories you experienced during the above procedure and write a 2-3 paged paper describing your recollection in terms of encoding specificity. Your goal is to demonstrate your understanding of the encoding specificity principle and how this applies to your experience. You need to use and explain the following terms at minimum, but you are encouraged to use more from your readings and this week's content! ⚫ encoding ⚫ retrieval • cue(s) • context-dependency effects Have fun with this (it should be enjoyable!), but be thorough, precise, and concise. Encoding Specificity Rubric Criteria Completeness Ratings Clear and complete 10 to >9 pts Full Marks 9 to >7 pts Satisfactory Clear and complete. Student presents a compelling overview of the key elements. 7 to >3 pts Unsatisfactory Somewhat unclear or missing key elements. 3 to >0 pts No Marks Missing or inadequate to support the concepts. Critical Thinking 5 to >4 pts Full Marks High degree of critical thinking. Highly substantive evidence is provided to support statements. 4 to >3 pts Satisfactory Adequate degree of critical thinking. Adequate evidence is provided to support statements 3 to >1 pts Unsatisfactory Some degree of critical thinking. Minimal evidence is provided to support statements. 1 to >0 pts No Marks No degree of critical thinking. No evidence is provided to support statements. Writing Quality 5 to >4 pts Full Marks Writing is exceptional in all aspects, such as (1) communication of content, ideas, and analysis, (2) organization, voice, and tone, and (3) conformity to writing conventions. Sources are included and are cited correctly. 4 to >3 pts Satisfactory Writing is adequate in most quality aspects and/or contains errors, but the writer's position remains comprehensible. Errors in citations 3 to >1 pts Unsatisfactory Writing is underdeveloped in most quality aspects and/or contains errors that cause the writer's position to be partially incomprehensible. Errors in citations 1 to >0 pts No Marks Writing is poor in all quality aspects and/or contains errors that cause the writer's position to be fully incomprehensible. No Sources cited. Pts / 10 pts / 5 pts / 5 pts Total Points: 0