As I was gaining knowledge in the study of psychology this semester, that has not only deepened my understanding of human behavior but also significantly altered my outlook on life. Investigating many subjects in psychology has been likened to dissecting a complicated tapestry, where every thread has unveiled novel understandings and discoveries. Every facet of psychology, from exploring the complexities of cognitive functions to analyzing the dynamics of social relationships, has profoundly impacted my thinking and outlook. This investigation has helped me to comprehend the true significance of studying psychology, which is to understand ourselves and others on a deeper level rather than just for knowledge’s sake. I’ve been particularly interested in learning how our brains work and how they affect our unique actions. It is astounding and humbled by the intricacy of the human brain and how it shapes our feelings, ideas, and behaviors. Another part of the curriculum that intrigued me was human motivation, in chapter 9, the process in which people gain motivation through the innate drive to satisfy physiological needs for survival and reproduction and through genetic predispositions that guide behaviors essential for survival. My excitement for psychology stems from my fascination with the mind’s workings, which motivates me to explore its mysteries with intense curiosity and zeal.
As biology pre-med scholars and college students, you and I are always trying to take in and remember a ton of material. I recently learned about Atkinson and Shiffrin’s (1968, 1971) information processing model of memory, distinguishing between three main types of memory stores: sensory, short-term, and long-term. How our brains process and remember information at each level is really fascinating. For example, George Sperling’s (1960) experiment demonstrated that sensory memory records transient perceptions of stimuli, such as a mental image of letters. This famous memory, which lasted for only a few seconds, illustrates how quickly the senses digest information. Similar to a mental scratchpad, short-term memory stores essential facts for a small period—roughly 15 to 20 seconds. Repetition helps move information from short-term to long-term memory, crucial to our academic endeavors, as Hermann Ebbinghaus (1913) showed. Recollections that persist for days, months, or even years are stored in long-term memory, which appears to have an infinite capacity and durability. As aspiring medical professionals, we find the brain mechanisms responsible, such as the hippocampus and cerebellum, fascinating. Our desire to solve the mysteries of the human brain is stoked by our increased understanding of these memory mechanisms, which also improves our study strategies.
For us to succeed as pre-medical biology majors, learning how to effectively store and retrieve knowledge is essential. Examining the details of the information processing model of memory provides us with critical new perspectives on studying and retaining information. We can enhance our learning processes and achieve academic success by understanding the workings of sensory, short-term, and long-term memory. Furthermore, the scope of this knowledge goes well beyond what we study in school. Understanding and utilizing memory systems will help future doctors diagnose patients more accurately, treat patients better, and work more productively overall. A solid grasp of memory processes will surely help us in our employment, whether it’s recalling intricate diagnoses, patient histories, or medical procedures. This acquired knowledge improves our academic performance and establishes a solid basis for our success as doctors in the future.
I’m looking forward to discussing these ideas in more detail with you and watching how they continue to influence our path to becoming healthcare professionals.
