When we study how memory works, we use different methods to see what people remember after seeing things for a short or long time. These methods show us how well information is stored in our brains. The amount and quality of exposure to the information, as well as how relevant it is to our past experiences, can affect how well we remember it.
There are two main types of tests we use to understand memory. One is called a recall test, where people are asked to remember things on purpose. The other is a recognition test, which can detect information that we might not even realize we remember. In recognition tests, people have to tell the difference between things they have seen before and new things, even when there are some new things mixed in that they haven’t seen before.
Scientists often use word lists to study memory. They ask people to study a group of words or come up with words that go with a certain starter word. Another popular way to study memory is through chess. Researchers show players a chessboard for a short time and then ask them to remember where the pieces were. Experts in chess tend to remember the positions better than beginners, especially when the pieces are set up like in a real game (Chase & Simon, 1973). This has led scientists to develop ideas about how our brains group information together and theories about memory and expertise (Ericsson & Kintsch, 1995).
These memory tests have also been used in sports to see how well athletes remember game plays. They might look at still pictures or videos and compare how experts and beginners remember what they saw. These tests have shown that memory skills are important for success in sports (Starkes, 1987).
Sometimes researchers use these tests to see what information athletes remember after making decisions. They might block out certain players or cues and see if the athletes can still remember the missing information. In general, the more skilled the athlete, the better their memory is. However, there is one interesting exception called “representational momentum.” Athletes, especially skilled ones, tend to remember actions a bit ahead of what they actually saw, especially when it comes to game-related information.
Chase, W. G., & Simon, H. A. (1973). Perception in chess. Cognitive Psychology, 4, 55 81.
Ericsson, K. A., & Kintsch, W. (1995). Long-term working memory. Psychological Review, 102, 211.
Starkes, J. L. (1987). Skill in field hockey: The nature of the cognitive advantage. Journal of Sport Psychology, 9, 146 160.