2.1 Short and long term memory

Question 1

What is capacity?

Answer 1

This is a measure of how much can be held in memory

Question 2

What is coding?

Answer 2

The way information is changed so that it can be stored in memory.

Question 3

What is duration?

Answer 3

A measure of how long a memory lasts before it is no longer available.

Question 4

What is the capacity of the LTM?

Answer 4

Potentially infinite

Question 5

What is the capacity of the STM?

Answer 5

7+/-2

Question 6

What is the duration of the LTM?

Answer 6

Potentially infinite

Question 7

What is the duration of the STM?

Answer 7

18 seconds

Question 8

What are the types of encoding?

Answer 8

Acoustic - sound

Semantic - meaning

Question 9

Evaluate capacity of memory

Answer 9

Cowan - 4 chunks probably the limit same for visual information
Simon - larger chunks means fewer recalled
Jacobs - 19 year olds have longer digit span than 8 year olds

Question 10

Evaluate duration of memory

Answer 10

Consonant syllables not meaningful but some memory activities do involve such stimuli
Reitman - auditory tones to avoid displacement led to longer duration of STM

Question 11

Evaluate coding of memory

Answer 11

In Baddeley’s study LTM was tested by waiting on 20 mins
STM visually coded if verbal rehearsal presented - Brandimote et al
STM sometimes semantic - Wickens et al