Chapter 4: Information Processing Theory in Preschool Years (Memory)

Question 1

Describe the understanding of numbers in preschoolers

Answer 1

They can count in systematic and fairly consistent manners

Question 2

What is autobiographical memory in preschoolers?

Answer 2

Autobiographical memory is a period in which the child has memories about themselves.

Question 3

What is source memory?

Answer 3

Ability to identify a memory as your own rather than to hear information and assume its from your own memory

Question 4

How does memory retainment differ from 4 year olds vs. 5 year olds?

Answer 4

In 5 year olds, the more recent the memory, the easier they’re able to remember it as their own. In 4 year olds, their ability to monitor the sources of information is not yet developed and they hear stories from other people (like their parents) and think its a part of their memory

Question 5

What is script component of memory?

Answer 5

How the expectations in your mind about how things are supposed to be influence your memories (called confabulation) and often cause a bias.

Question 6

What is long term memory?

Answer 6

permanent and unlimited type of memory

Question 7

What is short term memory?

Answer 7

retention of information for up to 15-30 seconds without rehearsal of information
- if you rehearse information, you retain it for longer periods of time

Question 8

What is working memory?

Answer 8

Working memory is a mental “work bench” here individuals manipulate and assess the information coming in whenever they’re making decisions, problem solving or comprehending written and spoken language

Question 9

Describe what happens during the multi-component working memory model. When does it emerge? What does it do?

Answer 9

Consists of a central executive that is the driving attention that relies on prefrontal cortex.

• The central executive is composed of the the three main manipulating (fluid) systems:
  1. visuospatial sketchpad (holds short term visual information)
  2. Episodic buffer (is important for taking in multiple information together)
  3. Phonological loop (holds short term verbal information)
• Each fluid system breaks off into crystallized systems (long term processes)
  1. Visuospatial sketchpad –> visual semantics
  2. Episodic buffer –> episodic LTM (using your memory of someone to create an overall image of them in your head)
  3. Phonological loop –> language

Question 10

What occurs during semantic ties?

Answer 10

encoding of short term memory to long term memory (you have to make meaningful ties between information in order to get it in your LTM)

Question 11

what is the general pathway of how we process information?

Answer 11

stimulus –> sensory memory –> [attention] –> short-term memory –> [encoding] –> Long term memory

• retrieval is when you take long term memory and bring to your short term memory to remember it
• without attention you will not be able to grab information to your short term memory therefore, you forget
• without encoding or making semantic ties, you will not be able to get information to your long term memory from short term memory
• without retrieval, you will forget LTM

Question 12

What is one factor that is the best predictor of academic success through the role of executive functions?

Answer 12

Attention

Question 13

What are 3 aspects of attention that are covered in childhood?

Answer 13

1. Preschool’s ability to control and sustain attention is a sign of readiness for school
2. Attention to relevant information increases throughout elementary and secondary school (stop processing irrelevant information)
3. Older children and adolescence are better able to multi-task and shift attention from one activity to another (can be bad if task is challenging) –> linked to use of multiple electronic media devices