6.11.23 - Memory: Coding, Capacity & Duration

Question 1

What is the short-term memory?

Answer 1

• LIMITED capacity memory store (5-9 items)
• ACOUSTIC coding
• Duration around 18 seconds

Question 2

What is the long-term memory?

Answer 2

• PERMANENT memory store
• SEMANTIC coding
• Potentially UNLIMITED duration

Question 3

What is coding?

Answer 3

FORMAT in which information STORED in various MEMORY stores

Question 4

What is capacity?

Answer 4

AMOUNT of information which can be stored in various memory stores

Question 5

What is duration?

Answer 5

LENGTH of time information can be stored for in MEMORY

Question 6

Who conducted research looking at coding in the STM and the LTM?

Answer 6

Baddeley

Question 7

Procedure of Baddeley study

Answer 7

• FOUR lists of WORDS given to participants
  (acoustically SIMILAR, acoustically
  DISSIMILAR, semantically SIMILAR and
  semantically DISSIMILAR
• Asked to RECALL in correct order

Question 8

Findings of Baddeley’s study

Answer 8

• WORST recall with acoustically SIMILAR and semantically SIMILAR words
• STM worse with acoustically SIMILAR
• LTM worse with semantically SIMILAR

Question 9

Conclusion of Baddeley’s study

Answer 9

Coding in STM ACOUSTIC whereas in LTM SEMANTIC

Question 10

Who investigated chunking in the STM?

Answer 10

Miller

Question 11

Procedure of Miller’s study

Answer 11

Noted things that came in SEVEN’S

Question 12

Findings for Miller’s study

Answer 12

• Capacity of STM about 7+-2 ITEMS
• Also recall words more easily by
  CHUNKING

Question 13

What is chunking?

Answer 13

Grouping sets of DIGITS or LETTERS into CHUNKS or UNITS

Question 14

Who conducted research into the duration of the STM?

Answer 14

Peterson & Peterson

Question 15

Procedure for Peterson & Peterson’s study

Answer 15

• Gave TRIGRAMS for participants to recall
• Asked to count BACKWARDS to PREVENT
  maintenance rehearsal

Question 16

Conclusion for Peterson & Peterson’s study

Answer 16

Duration of STM about 18 seconds unless MAINTENANCE REHEARSAL occurs

Question 17

What is maintenance rehearsal?

Answer 17

VERBALLY repeating information over and over again

Question 18

What is a strength of Baddeley’s study?

Answer 18

Identified clear DIFFERENCE between two memory stores

Question 19

Identified clear difference between two memory stores

Answer 19

• Notion that STM coding is ACOUSTIC and
  LTM coding is SEMANTIC has been fairly
  ACCURATE over time
• Important in UNDERSTANDING of
  memory system
• Led to creation of MULTI STORE MODEL
  OF MEMORY

Question 20

What is a limitation of Baddeley’s study?

Answer 20

LACKS ecological validity

Question 21

Lacks ecological validity

Answer 21

• Word lists had no PERSONAL meaning to
  participants
• Findings may not tell us much about
  coding in different MEMORY tasks
• Findings from study have LIMITED
  application

Question 22

What is a limitation of Miller’s study?

Answer 22

May have OVERESTIMATED capacity of STM

Question 23

May have overestimated capacity of STM

Answer 23

• Cowan suggested capacity of STM is only
  4+-1 chunks
• Miller’s LOWER end of estimate (5 items)
  more appropriate than SEVEN items

Question 24

What is a limitation of Peterson & Peterson’s study?

Answer 24

Stimulus material ARTIFICIAL

Question 25

Stimulus material artificial

Answer 25

• Recalling TRIGRAMS unrealistic task as
  does NOT reflect everyday memory tasks
  where material is meaningful
• Study lacks EXTERNAL VALIDITY