Chapter 6-2 Flashcards
Manipulating LTM
Slower rate— improves pre-recency, no effect on recency. More time spent on all list items increases the likelihood of transfer.
Brain Region Supporting Working Memory and Long-Term Memory
Retrieval from long-term memory specifically activates the hippocampus.
Brain Region Supporting Working Memory and Long-Term Memory
Retrieval from working memory specifically activates the perirhinal cortex.
The function of Working Memory
Virtually all mental capacities require WM
WM is used whenever multiple elements o ideas are combined or compared in mind.
Individuals can differ in WM.
Digit Span
Participants hear a series of digits and must immediately repeat them back. The list increases until memory fails. # of digits the person can repeat without errors is that person’s digit span.
Average WM capacity is estimated at 7 plus or minus 2 items
But what is an item?
Chunking
The ability to condense information
Example: HOPTRASLU (nine items) HOP TRA SLU (3 chunks)
Requires effort but reduces WM load
Does not increase WM capacity
Reading Span (RSPAN)
Digit-span addresses only WM
Capacity/”slots”, not its active nature
Reading Span (RSPAN)
Ospan measures capacity when WM is “working”
several methods of measuring OSPAN, depending on the “operation” being used (eg., reading span).
Implications of OSPAN
Working memory capacity correlates strongly with:
Standardized academic tests
Reasoning tests
Reading comprehension tests
These correlations are not evident with static span measures (e.g., digit span)
Where is WM
Modern theorists argue that WM is not a place at all
It is a name we give to a certain set of mental activities
WM is divided into multiple components:
Executive
visuospatial buffer
Articulatory rehearsal loop:
subvocalization
phonological buffer
Central Executive
Coordinates and make strategies
Visuospatial Buffer
Stores spatial info
Articulatory rehearsal loop
subvocalization (silent speech) to launch rehearsal loop
Phonological buffer
passively stores the sound representations (internal echo)
A fourth component-episodic buffer- has been proposed– integrates all systems
The Rehearsal Loop
Concurrent articulation tasks support the model of the articulatory rehearsal loop
repeating syllables (e.g., tah-tah-tah) while completing a verbal span test reduces WM capacity
simultaneous visual stimuli eliminate “sound alike” errors (e.g., misremembering “F” as “S”)
Entering Long-Term Storage
2 types of rehearsal
Maintenance rehearsal and relational or elaborative rehearsal
Maintenance rehearsal
reciting, thinking in repetitive way
Relational or elaborative rehearsal
linking, relating
What gets stored in LTM?
Memories are strengthened through rehearsal
is mere exposure good enough?
Not really; listening to lecture 1o times isn’t that great either
If not exposure, then what does get encoded?
Things you attend to, process deeply, that are personally important or interesting
