chapter 5 (short-term and working memory)

Question 1

memory

Answer 1

process involved in retaining, retrieving, and using info about stimuli, images, events, ideas, and skills after the original info is no longer present.

Question 2

modal model of memory

Answer 2

atkinson and shiffrin. describes memory as mechanism that involves processing information through a series of stages, including short-term memory and long-term.

Question 3

structural features

Answer 3

types of memory indicated by boxes in models of memory. in modal model, there are three types:
1. sensory memory
2. short-term
3. long-term

Question 4

control processes

Answer 4

modal model. active processes that can be controlled by the person and that may differ from one task to another. ex: rehearsal.

Question 5

rehearsal

Answer 5

process of repeating stimuli over and over usually for purpose of remembering. keeps stimuli active in short-term memory.

Question 6

sensory memory

Answer 6

brief stage of memory that holds info for seconds or fractions of a second. first stage in modal model.

Question 7

persistence of vision

Answer 7

continued perception of light for a fraction of a second after the original light has been extinguished.

Question 8

whole report method

Answer 8

procedure in sperling’s experiment where participants were instructed to report all the stimuli they saw in a brief presentation.

Question 9

partial report method

Answer 9

procedure in sperling’s experiment where participants were instructed to only report on some stimuli in briefly presented display.

Question 10

delayed partial report method

Answer 10

procedure in sperling’s experiment where participants were instructed to report only some stimuli in briefly presented display. cue tone that was delayed fraction of a second after display ended indicated which part to report.

Question 11

decay

Answer 11

process by which info is lost from memory due to passage of time.

Question 12

iconic memory

Answer 12

brief sensory memory for visual stimuli that lasts fraction of second. corresponds to sensory memory.

Question 13

echoic memory

Answer 13

brief sensory memory for auditory stimuli that lasts for few seconds after stimulus is over.

Question 14

short-term memory (STM)

Answer 14

memory mechanism that ca hold limited info for brief amount of time (~30 sec) unless there is rehearsal. 5-9 items, 15-20 sec.

Question 15

chunking

Answer 15

combining small units into larger ones such as when individual words are combined into a meaningful sentence. chunking can be used to increase the capacity of memory.

Question 16

working memory

Answer 16

limited-capacity system for temporary storage and manipulation of info for complex tasks such as comprehension, learning, and reasoning.

Question 17

phonological loop

Answer 17

part of working memory that holds and processes verbal and auditory info. 2 components.

Question 18

phonological store

Answer 18

component of phonological loop that holds a limited amount of verbal and auditory info for a few seconds.

Question 19

articulatory rehearsal process

Answer 19

component of phonological loop. keeps items in the phonological store from decaying.

Question 20

visuospatial sketch pad

Answer 20

part of working memory that holds and processes visual and spatial info.

Question 21

central executive

Answer 21

part of working memory that coordinates activity of the phonological loop and visuospatial sketch pad. traffic cop.

Question 22

phonological similarity effect

Answer 22

occurs when letters or words that sound similar are confused. ex: t and p.

Question 23

word length effect

Answer 23

notion that it is more difficult to remember a list of long words than short words.

Question 24

articulatory suppression

Answer 24

interference with operation of phonological loop when a person repeats an irrelevant word such as “the” while carrying out a task that requires phonological loop.

Question 25

visual imagery

Answer 25

type of mental imagery involving vision in which an image is experienced in the absence of a visual stimulus.

Question 26

mental rotation

Answer 26

rotating image of an object in the mind.

Question 27

perseveration

Answer 27

difficulty in switching from one behaviour to another which can hinder a person’s ability to solve problems that require flexible thinking. observed in cases in which prefrontal cortex has been damaged.

Question 28

episodic buffer

Answer 28

component added to baddeley’s model. serves as backup store that communicates with both long-term memory and components of working memory. holds info longer and has greater capacity than phonological loop or sketch pad.

Question 29

delayed-response task

Answer 29

info is provided, delay imposed, and then memory tested. task has been used to study short-term memory by testing monkey’s ability to hold info about location of a food reward during a delay.

Question 30

activity-silent working memory

Answer 30

short-term changes in neural networks connectivity that has been hypothesized as a mechanism for holding info in working memory.

Question 31

event-related potential (ERP)

Answer 31

electrical potential recorded with disc electrodes on a person’s scalp that reflects the response of many thousands of neurons near electrode. delays after waves can be linked to different functions.