Final answer:
The textbook discusses the limitations and imperfections of the memory system, including transience and the seven sins of memory. It also suggests methods to enhance memory retention and underscores the critical role of the hippocampus in memory formation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The textbook highlights the concept of the survival value of the memory system, which is essentially the notion that our memory system, despite its immense importance, is far from perfect and has several limitations. One such limitation is the phenomenon known as transience, where memories can fade over time, an example of storage decay, where unused information tends to fade as time passes. The mother's difficulty in recalling the plot of To Kill a Mockingbird is a classic example of this. Additionally, the textbook refers to Daniel Schacter's categorization of the seven sins of memory, which include errors of forgetting, distortion, and intrusion that contribute to the imperfection of human memory.
Damage to the hippocampus, a critical area for memory processing, could result in various forms of amnesia, such as anterograde amnesia, affecting the ability to form new memories. The textbook also emphasizes strategies to enhance memory, such as the use of mnemonic devices, rehearsal, self-referencing, and ensuring adequate sleep.