According to Wikipedia, memory is an organism’s ability to store, retain, and recall information and experiences. There are three main stages in the formation and retrieval of memory:
- Encoding or registration (receiving, processing and combining of received information)
- Storage (creation of a permanent record of the encoded information)
- Retrieval, recall or recollection (calling back the stored information in response to some cue for use in a process or activity)
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THEORY
The three stages of memory may be described as follows:
(1) Encoding or Registration
The sensory input enters the brain and it is immediately processed into perception. Within 300 – 500 milliseconds the perception is processed into experience. In hours or days, the experience is then processed into information. As time passes, the information is further processed into hypothesis, theory, principles, axioms and self.
Thus, the sensory input gets encoded in the form of the following layers (see Thinking & Thought).
- Perception
- Experience
- Information
- Hypothesis
- Theory
- Principles
- Axioms
- Self
Current perception has a span from present up to 500 milliseconds in the past. There may be ‘undigested perception’ in the form of some incident from a longer past but those are very few. This ‘undigested perception’ has been called ‘engram’ in the subject of Dianetics.
(2) Storage
The sensory input is being received continuously. It gets converted into perception. This is the most detailed form of memory, and requires a lot of storage space. This is the reason why perceptual memory lasts for a very short period before it gets converted into experience.
Experience is less detailed form of memory, and it takes less storage space. Thus, the original input may be stored as experience for a relatively longer period of time.
The layers that follow experience (see above) provide different forms of memory that require lesser and lesser amounts of storage space.
The memory at the level of perception is very detailed. Therefore, perception takes the most storage space and provides least durable memory. On the other hand, the memory at the level of self exists as one’s viewpoint. Therefore, self takes the least amount of storage space, and provides the most durable memory.
Self makes one appear to be an individual. This is essentially a construct.
(3) Retrieval, recall or recollection
Memory is retrieved when attention is placed on an area of the mind. This is also knowledge.
The mind is essentially a cross-indexing of these layers. Attention simply activates the data one is interested in. This cross-indexing reconstructs the memory using the ability to visualize.
Thus, memory, or knowledge, is essentially an extrapolated visualization from current and undigested perception, experience, information, hypothesis, theory, principles, axioms, and self.
This knowledge may not be a hundred percent accurate. It depends on what one expects to be there. It also depends on one’s viewpoint and beliefs. The beliefs reside on the layers of hypothesis and below. The deeper are the beliefs, the more influence they have on knowledge.
The exact knowledge is limited to the current perception that has a span from present up to 500 milliseconds in the past. Knowledge that is retrieved from past beyond 500 milliseconds, is not so exact because it is influenced by one’s expectations, presuppositions, speculations, etc.
Looking per KHTK differentiates the exact knowledge from the extrapolated knowledge. It helps one spot inconsistencies to improve one’s knowledge.
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APPLICATION
In the absence of a guide these exercises may be done by oneself. The guide may help the student as follows.
(A) Go over the theory section with the student.
- Answer any questions as best as you can.
- Discuss the theory materials until no questions remain.
- Make sure the student understand the main points highlighted in bold in theory section.
(B) Have the student do the exercises in sequence.
- Guide the student through the exercises.
- Maintain an open and friendly communication about student’s experience on the exercise
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EXERCISE
THE PURPOSE OF THESE EXERCISES IS TO APPRECIATE MEMORY AND KNOWLEDGE.
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Exercise 1
Look at the following items one at a time. Each time close your eyes for a few seconds. Note down the picture or idea that comes up in the mind without any effort.
(a) Mother
(b) Father
(c) Your childhood house
(d) A friend
(e) A person you liked
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Exercise 2
Take the pictures or the ideas, which came up in Exercise 1. Identify which of the following layers (or none) they may belong to.
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Perception
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Experience
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Information
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Hypothesis
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Theory
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Principles
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Axioms
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Self
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Exercise 3
Look at the following items once again and spot some inconsistency in whatever comes up. If an inconsistency is there then trace it to underlying expectation, presupposition, speculation, etc.
(a) Mother
(b) Father
(c) Your childhood house
(d) A friend
(e) A person you liked
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Glossary
Memory
Memory is essentially a visualization extrapolated from current and undigested perception, experience, information, hypothesis, theory, principles, axioms, and self.
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