Studies of human memory began with Ebbinghaus in 1885. The experiments, although flawed (he tested only himself and his ability to learn nonsense syllables – not laden with ‘meaning baggage’ – to the sound of a metronome) produced data on memory that continues to be relevant today and also gave us the terms ‘forgetting curve’ and the more recognisable ‘learning curve’.

Approaching the study of memory in rather mechanistic ways, behaviourists and later cognitive psychologists went on to look at procedural memory, working memory, long and short-term memory and how rehearsal (and the articulatory/phonological loop) affects retrieval, and how interference affects retention and/or depth of processing.

Some of the most interesting research into memory involves schemas. Inaccuracies of recall often occur because people distort situations to fit in with their own cultural stereotypes.

When subjects read a story that does not fit with their own schemas they will exhibit a powerful tendency to distort the story to make it fit. (Bartlett 1932)

This work follows a schema theory trajectory from Plato to Kant to Piaget and the Gestaltists.

The founding fathers of psychoanalysis (Freud and Jung) also had very interesting things to say about memory. Freud pioneered theories of suppressed memory and false memory while Jung is famous for concepts such as psychological archetypes, the collective unconscious and synchronicity.

All of the above might form the basis of your study for your memory artefacts. What do we remember and why do we forget? Cognitive psychology (which is experimental/empirical) attempts to answer these questions as does psychoanalysis but in a more conceptual/theoretical way.

Mood board of memory and symbols

Following on from Jung and his concept of the collective unconscious (which also feeds into the schematic underpinnings of memory) I’d also like you to think about cultural symbols, propaganda and how these affect memory. We are constantly bombarded with a peculiar set of cultural messages which we internalise, process (hopefully evaluate) and often regurgitate. Memory is working here at all levels and dovetails into social and cultural understanding of things as fundamental as family, relationships, religion and belief systems.

In the workshop today will look at cultural schema and memory – in the meantime you might find it useful to make a mood board of memory and symbols. I made a quick one this morning which includes religious symbols, national symbols, archetypal images/stories etc.

Remembering plays a huge part in the cultural life of a nation. ‘Lest we forget’ has become an even more poignant mantra in recent years as soldiers continue to fall in Afghanistan. But we are are encouraged to remember so many things; anniversaries of deaths and births and publications, our top 100 1980s hits, videos, and comedy moments. We are continually advised to preserve our memories photographically or on film. This preservation of memory is nothing new. Ancestor worship for example had, and still has in some societies huge significance and cultures rely on traditions being passed from one generation to another. This can only happen by being taught to remember.

There are 2 thing here I think – the nostalgia-monger stance – ‘capture everything on camera’ before it deteriorates phenomenon of the 20th and 21st centuries. Then of course there’s the passed down cultural memories that underpin societies, their religions, traditions and ways of life.

The snap-happy obsession with capturing memory can seem frantic – obsessive. Gathering the memories (actively collecting memories using film or photography) also puts a buffer between the individual and the actual experience. And here I have my own theories about photography representing our fear of death (I’ll elaborate later).

Sadly I have no time left, so I’ll stop there and hopefully you’ll carry on where I have left off.