P.G.I.

MEMORY SCALE

AIM

To assess the memory of the individual with the help of P.G.I. Memory Scale.

INTORDUCTION

Memory is defined as the process of maintaining information over time” (Matlin, 2005) or
“Memory is the means by which people draw on their past experiences in order to use this
information in the present’ (Sternberg, 1999).

Stages of memory involve encoding, storage and retrieval. Encoding is the crucial first step to
creating a new memory. It allows the perceived item of interest to be converted into a construct
that can be stored within the brain, and then recalled later. There are three main ways in which
information can be encoded. Visual, semantic and acoustic. Visual encoding is the process of
encoding images and visual sensory information. Visual sensory information is temporarily
stored within the iconic memory before being encoded into long-term storage. Semantic
encoding is the process of encoding sensory input that has particular meaning or can be applied
to a particular context, rather than deriving from a particular sense. Acoustic encoding is the
processing and encoding of sound, words and other auditory input for storage and later
retrieval. This is aided by the concept of the phonological loop, which allows input within our
echoic memory to be sub-vocally rehearsed in order to facilitate remembering. Storage is the
more or less passive process of retaining information. Retrieval is the process of getting the
information out of memory. There are basically two main types of retrieval; recognition and
recall. Recognition is the process of matching a fact or concept with one already in memory.

Mainly there are three different types of memory. Sensory memory, short term memory and
long term memory. Sensory Memory is a very brief (about three seconds) recall of a sensory
experience, such as what one just saw or heard. The duration of STM seems to be between 15
and 30 seconds, and the capacity about 7 items. The Magic number 7 (plus or minus two)
provides evidence for the capacity of short term memory. Most adults can store between 5 and
9 items in their short-term memory. This idea was put forward by Miller (1956) and he called
it the magic number. Baddeley and Hitch (1974) have developed an alternative model of short-
term memory which they call working memory. Theoretically, the capacity of long-term
memory could be unlimited, the main constraint on recall being accessibility rather than
availability. Duration might be a few minutes or a lifetime. One of the earliest and most
influential distinctions of long-term memory was proposed by Tulving (1972). He proposed a
distinction between episodic, semantic and procedural memory. Procedural memory is a part
of the long-term memory is responsible for knowing how to do things, i.e. memory of motor
skills. Semantic memory is a part of the long-term memory responsible for storing information
about the world. This includes knowledge about the meaning of words, as well as general
knowledge. Episodic memory is a part of the long-term memory responsible for storing
information about events (i.e. episodes) that we have experienced in our lives. It involves
conscious thought and is declarative. An example would be a memory of first day at school.

The psychiatrists, neurologists and clinical psychologists working in India have long felt the
need for a short simple, objective and valid test of memory. Such a battery of memory test is
P.G.I. Memory Scale and it was constructed and standardized in 1977. The scale was developed
by Dwarka Prasad and N.N. Wig. It contains ten subtests: 1) Remote memory, 2) Recent
memory, 3) Mental balance, 4) Attention concentration, 5) Delayed recall, 6) Immediate recall,
7) Retention for similar pairs 8) Retention for dissimilar pairs, 9) Visual retention and 10)
Recognition. While constructing memory scale, efforts were made to ensure that it was not
unduly dependent on intelligence and was equally valid for both sexes and applicable and
acceptable to illiterate and unsophisticated subjects who constituted majority of subjects in
Indian hospitals and clinics.

Since the inception of PGIMS, a number of studies have published in the journals showing its
usability in varied fields of research. Evaluation of memory functioning in cannabis users (
Nath & Neki, 1979), yoga exercise group ( Sahasi, 1984 , relationship with depression (
Agnihotri, 1984) etc.
PRELIMINARIES

Name: AS

Age: 22

Sex: Female

Educational qualification: Graduation

Marital status: Unmarried

Date of conduction: 11 Feb 2019

Place of conduction: JMI Psychology Lab

MATERIALS REQUIRED

1. Consumable booklet of P.G.I.Memory Scale (English version).

2. Revised manual for P.G.I.Memory Scale.

3. Paper and pencil.

PROCEDURE

Rapport Formation

The subject is seated comfortably in the laboratory. Then a friendly conversation is don eto
overcome the subject’s nervousness. Her doubts were cleared and asked to follow the
instructions carefully. She was assured that her responses and results will be kept confidential.

ADMINISTRATION

In the first subtest to assess the remote memory, six questions were asked to the subject and in
the second subtest five questions were asked to assess the recent memory. The third subtest is
mental balance. Here, the subject is asked to recite A to Z then for counting backward from 20
to 1 and also for counting backward by misusing 3 s starting from 40. In the fourth subtest,
attention and concentration the subject is told that ‘I am going to say some numbers. Listen
them carefully, when I read them, you will repeat them in the same order’. After this is done
the subject is instructed as follows, ‘I am going to say some numbers but you will be required
to repeat them backward. For example, I say 2, 5 you will say 5, 2’. The fifth subtest is delayed
recall. The subject is told that ‘I am going to read the name of some objects, listen carefully
and when I ask you to repeat, you will do so’. The objects were read at the rate of one word per
second and the subject is asked to repeat it after an interval of one minute. In the sixth subtest,
immediate recall, the experimenter reads few small sentences one by one and subject is asked
to tell the whole sentence as precisely she can. The seventh subtest is verbal retention for
similar pairs. Here the subject is instructed as follows, ‘I am going to read a list of pairs, i.e.,
two words at a time. Listen carefully, when I name one word of the pair you will tell the second
word of the pair read the pairs at the rate of 2 seconds per pair, with a pause of 5 seconds
between pairs); give an interval of 10 seconds after reading last pair and then present a stimulus
word of the pair and ask the subject to recall the second word of the pair. The eighth subtest is
verbal retention for dissimilar pairs. Instructions and administration procedure is same as of
the seventh subtest, with a difference that stimulus words are presented in the order as
mentioned for each of the trial. If the subject fail to give correct answer, it is corrected and then
proceeded to the next stimulus word. If all the answers of the subject are correct in the first trial
even then other two trials are to be completed but in no case, pairs be repeated, only incorrect
answers are to be corrected. The ninth subtest is visual retention. Here experimenter show a
card and after 15 seconds it is taken away and after 30 seconds the subject is asked to draw the
things she saw in the card in a paper. The subject is given paper, pencil and eraser but is not
instructed whether she can use or does not use the eraser. The tenth subtest is recognition. Here
the subject is instructed as follows, ‘I am showing you a card containing pictures of many
objects, see the whole card attentively (expose for 30 seconds). After some time (120 seconds)
I will place before you another card. From this you will be required to identify and name the
objects you saw

In earlier card. (Do not tell the subject, the exact number of objects seen in first card and how
many things she is yet to identify).

SCORING

Subtest 1 & 2 – one score for each correct response. Maximum total scores will be 6 & 5,
respectively.

Subtest 3 Alphabet and counting Backward- 3 scores if all correct within 15 seconds, 2 if take
longer than 15 seconds, 1 if there is one mistake or omission, separately for alphabet and
backward counting. Counting backward by 3’s – 3 scores if all correct within 30 seconds, 2 if
take longer than 30 seconds, 1 if there is one mistake or omission.

Subtest 4- summation of digits forward and backward is the score.

Subtest 5- one score for each word correctly recalled (total 10).

Subtest 6- one score for each clause correctly reproduced (maximum score 12).

Subtest 7- one score for each correct reproduction of the associated word of the pair (total=5).

Subtest 8- one score for each for the correctly reproduced pair, separately for each trial.
Summation of scores on three trials is the score (total 15).

Subtest 9- one score for each type of geometrical figure correctly reproduced in sequence and
number. Thus card 1 to 3, 2 scores each, card 4, 3 scores and card 5, 4 scores (total 13).

Subtest 10- each object correctly recognized and named is to be given a score of one. Number
of wrong identified objects are to be deducted from the earned score (total 10).

Table showing the score of the participant for each subtest of P.G.I. Memory Scale.

Name of the Subtest Score Percentile range

Remote memory 6 40-60
Recent memory 5 40-60
Mental balance 7 20-40
Attention and Concentration 11 60-80
Delayed recall 10 60-80
Immediate recall 9 40-60
Verbal retention for similar pairs 5 40-60
Verbal retention for dissimilar pairs 15 80-100
Visual retention 10 40-60
Recognition 10 60-80
TOTAL 88 60-80
INTERPRETATION OF RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The first subtest is remote memory. Recollection of events and details from the distant past is
known as remote memory. For example, an adult recalling the childhood can be said to be
experiencing remote memory. Score of the participant for this subtest is 6 and the
corresponding percentile range is 40-60 which, is an average range. Score of the participant for
this subtest 2, recent memory is 5 and the percentile range is 40-60 which an average range of
remembrance is also. Recent memory is a system for temporarily storing and managing the
information required to carry out complex cognitive tasks such as learning, reasoning, and
comprehension. Recent memory is involved in the selection, initiation, and termination of
information-processing functions such as encoding, storing, and retrieving data. Mental
balance is the third subtest and it refers to the psychological state of someone who is
functioning at a satisfactory level of emotional and behavioral adjustment. The score for this
subtest is 7 and the percentile range is 20-40 which is below average. Attention and
concentration is the fourth subtest. Attention is the cognitive process of selectively
concentrating on one aspect of the environment while ignoring other things. Examples include
listening carefully to what someone is saying while ignoring other conversations in the room.
Exclusive attention to one object or close mental application is concentration. The score of this
subtest is 11. The percentile score is 60-80 which is above average. The fifth subtest is delayed
recall. The score for this subtest is 10 and the percentile range is 60-80 which, is an above
average performance by the participant. Immediate recall is the sixth subtest. The score is 9.
Percentile range is 40-60. It is an average range. The seventh subtest is verbal retention for
similar pairs. The score is 5 and the percentile range is 40-60 which, is an average range. For
the eighth subtest, verbal retention for dissimilar pairs, the score of the participant is 15 and the
percentile range is 80-100, which is a very good range. The ninth subtest is visual retention.
The sore is 10 and the percentile range is 40-60, that is an average range. The tenth subtest is
recognition. The score is 10. Percentile range is 60-80 and is an above average range.

CONCLUSION

The total score of the participant is 88. And the percentile score is 60-80, which is an above
average range. This means that the person’s overall impression of memory scale is very good
and is in above average range.
REFERENCE

McLeod, S. A. (2007). Stages of memory - encoding storage and retrieval. Retrieved from
https://www.simplypsychology.org/memory.html

The human memory. Retrieved from http://www.human-memory.net/processes_storage.html

4 Types of Memory: Sensory, Short-Term, Working & Long-Term, Esther Heerema

Short term memory, McLeod, S. A. (2009). Short term memory. Retrieved from
https://www.simplypsychology.org/short-term-memory.html

McLeod, S. A. (2010, Dec 14). Long-term memory. Retrieved from

https://www.simplypsychology.org/long-term-memory.html revised manual for P.G.I.
Memory Scale.