The psychology behind memory: can images make yours better? (mooc)
How long is it?
There are six sessions. The course is relatively short.
Is it easy to understand?
According to Unifrog, the course is ‘intermediate level’. You have to read and comprehend an article with some technical terms, but it is not difficult.
Who is it for?
It is aimed at secondary school students who are considering studying psychology at university, but no experience of studying psychology is required.
What to expect in this MOOC on the psychology behind memory
1. An introduction to HSAM (Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory)
- Read an article about HSAM
- Answer questions about HSAM using the article
2. Testing your memory
- Participate in a test to assess if images can aid memory
3. How to design an experiment
- Learn how to design an experiment
- Answer questions about the experiment you were part of in Session 2
4. How was the Words and Images memory test designed?
- Review how the experiment from Session 2 was designed
- Answer questions about experiments
5. Results analysis and experiment critique
- Analyse memory test results
- Learn how to critique an experiment
6. Designing your own experiment
- Design your own experiment to test whether writing things down can help improve people’s memory
- Critique your experiment design
My thoughts…
If you were to design an experiment investigating the impact of something on memory, what would it be and why?
I would investigate the impact of anxiety and depression on memory. If we can prove that either condition worsens memory, diagnosed students could be given additional support by their teachers to retain information. They could also receive additional time in examinations if we can prove that this levels the playing field. As well as this, if schools are aware of the negative effects of mental health conditions on academic performance, they may be more likely to implement strategies to improve the mental well-being of their students.