You store any info that you’ll need for longer than 18 seconds in your long-term memory (LTM).
- Retention has been described as being like a desk and filing cabinet.
- LTM can be imagined as the filing cabinet. Here you store info for later use.
STM, on the other hand, can be imagined as the desk top that can only hold seven bits of info. This is your “workspace.”
- STM is where you do your thinking while you store things in LTM for later use.
- The info in STM either gets filed into LTM, or it goes into the trash. In other words, you store it for later recall or you forget it.
- Info can’t be kept in STM. Moreover, if the info goes unnoticed (selective attention), it won’t go into STM, which means it can’t go into LTM. This explains why a song must be both catchy and memorable.
LTM can be reinforced by context. Try memorizing this passage:
With hocked gems financing him, our hero bravely defied all scornful laughter. ‘Your eyes deceive,’ he had said, ‘an egg, not a table, correctly typifies this unexplored planet.’ Now three sturdy sisters sought proof.
Forging along, days became weeks as many doubters spread fearful rumors about the edge. At last, from nowhere welcome winged creatures appeared, signifying momentous success (Dennis Coon, Introduction to Psychology 235).
How did you do? This shows that the meaning of a passage can affect its memorability.
- In terms of long term memory and songwriting, a lyric must be a cohesive whole.
- The verses must support the chorus, and the chorus must support the title.
- In addition, you must establish early in the lyric what the song is about.
Oh, by the way, the title of the above passage? Columbus Discovers America.