Chapter 7

Question 1

What are the 3 basic processes of memory?

Answer 1

1. Encoding-Translating information into a neural code that our brain can “understand,” (input process)
2. Storage- Retaining info over some period of time
3. Retrieval- Pulling information out of storage (output process)

Question 2

What is the 3 component model and who was it developed by?

Answer 2

R. Attkinson and R. Shiffrin. Proposes there are 3 components of memory-sensory, short term, and long term.

Question 3

Sensory Memory

Answer 3

Allows complete sensation to “linger”in memory for a very brief (0.5-1 sec) after it has actually ended. Example-after images.

Question 4

Sperling’s Experiment

Answer 4

Presented an array of letters for 1/20 of a second-asked people to tell him all letters they saw-average was 4.5/12 letters. Next asked them to tell him the letters in a certain row after letters are flashed, row is determined by tone-3.3/4 was the average after an immediate tone, delayed tone showed same results as whole report.

Question 5

How long does information stay in our memory?

Answer 5

Visual Info (iconic store)- 1/2 sec. Auditory (echoic store)- 2 secs.

Question 6

Short Term (working) memory

Answer 6

Includes things we’re trying to learn/remember, what we’re currently focused on, things we’ve “remembered,” and are currently thinking about (retrieval). Can be visual, motoric, phonological or semantic.

Question 7

What is the duration of Short Term Memory?

Answer 7

Without rehearsal-about 20 secs. George Miller’s magic number determined most people can hold 5-9 things in their memory.

Question 8

What is chunking?

Answer 8

Breaking things up into smaller parts, can remember chunks of info better than individual (5-9 chunks).

Question 9

Maintenance Rehearsal

Answer 9

Act of repeating information over and over-not good for long term retention.

Question 10

Elaborative Rehearsal

Answer 10

Focus on a meaning, relate things to stuff you already know. Way more effective for long term retention!

Question 11

Working Memory

Answer 11

Where we work with information-example: reciting alphabet backwards (have to work to remember it)

Question 12

Long Term Memory

Answer 12

Vast library of more durable, stored memories. Rehearsal is part of encoding from short term to long term. Unlimited capacity, unlimited duration.

Question 13

Levels of processing Theory

Answer 13

The deeper you process, the better you remember. (elaborative and maintenance rehearsal).

Question 14

Automatic Processing

Answer 14

Unintentional and requires little attention

Question 15

Effortful Processing

Answer 15

Intentional and requires conscious attention.

Question 16

What is the Dual Coding Theory?

Answer 16

Alan Paivio-Says we can remember things verbally and/or visually. Encoding things both ways is better than just one-easy to visualize concrete objects.

Question 17

Method of Loci

Answer 17

Memory technique using visualization. Link every item on a list to a well known, physical environment with distinct locations (mind palace).

Question 18

Declarative Memory and the two types

Answer 18

Memory you can talk about

1. Episodic memory: our personal experiences
2. Semantic Memory- General facts and knowledge

Question 19

Procedural Memory and the 2 types

Answer 19

Memory for skills or actions-someetimes called non-declarative.

1. Memory for skills-riding a bike
2. Conditioning-Classical and Operant

Question 20

Patient H.M.

Answer 20

Had no episodic memory past his 20s-hippocampus removed. Could not form new memories, but had normal procedural memory, figured this out using mirror tracing task.

Question 21

Explicit memory and the 2 types

Answer 21

Conscious or intentional memory about something

1. Recognition-Decide if something is familiar (answer usually given-multiple choice test)
2. Recall-Have to remember something on your own (answer not given-essay questions)

Question 22

Implicit Memory

Answer 22

When memory influences our behaviour without our conscious awareness-automatic proesses.

Question 23

Spreading Activation Theory

Answer 23

Assumes Long Term Memory is network of associations-thinking about one thing “activates” related concepts.

Question 24

Retrieval Cues and the 4 types

Answer 24

Anything that actives a concept/info stored in LTM

1. Self generated cues- “this is how I remember it”
2. Humourous/distintive cues-tends to make them more memorable
3. Multiple cues
4. Well-rehearsed cues-shorter disnace between concepts in our mind.

Question 25

Hermann Ebbinghaus and Forgetting

Answer 25

Conducted first serious research on this topic. Conducted list of “nonsense syllables” which minimized prior knowledge or visualization. Memorized lists and then tested himself later and looked at how much he remembered. Results-forgot lots of information very quickly, but later slowed down.

Question 26

Encoding Failure

Answer 26

Just because we’re exposed to something doesn’t mean we’ll encode it. Without effortful processing or elaborate rehearsal, we don’t remember very well.

Question 27

Memory Decay Theory

Answer 27

Suggests that during storage, time and disuse of certain memories causes them to decay. Not well supported, predicts that memories get worse over time, doesn’t explain reminisence.

Question 28

Memory Interference

Answer 28

Says we forget because other pieces of information interfere with our ability to recall. More likely with similar items that generate similar retrieval cues. Retrieval cue may activate wrong memory or BOTH.

Question 29

Retroactive

Answer 29

New learning interferes with old memory RRR! (retroactive, remember, recent)

Question 30

Proactive

Answer 30

Old learning interferes with new memory. PROactive (Proactive remember old).

Question 31

Retrograde Amnesia

Answer 31

Severe head trauma, causes people to not be able to remember some period of time prior to accident. Associated with loss of consciousness due to head trauma.

Question 32

Psychogenic Fugue

Answer 32

Extremely rare- TV amnesia-12 documented cases.

Question 33

Anterograde Amnesia

Answer 33

Person can’t form new long term memories after onset of amnesia-memory is basically 20 seconds long. Quite rare but extremely severe-often due to hippocampus damage.

Question 34

Memory Construction

Answer 34

We see what we expect to see, debunks that perception is like a camera. Memory is not like a recording device. Constructive process makes inferences, holes in memories fill with best guesses, we don’t know difference between guess and memory.

Question 35

Source Monitering

Answer 35

Determine origin of memories, beliefs, ideas. Retrieve memory and THEN decide where it came from (if you don’t precisely remember where it came from).

Question 36

Daniel Schacter and Source Monitering

Answer 36

Source Monitering errors are why some people believe they were abducted by aliens.

Question 37

Misinformation Effect

Answer 37

Information presented after a person witnesses something, can change how a person later describes the event.

Question 38

Loftus and Palmers experiment

Answer 38

Showed participants video of simulated car crash, asked them to estimate speed of vehicles. Put into different groups, asked each group same question with 1 word different (how fast were the cars going when they smashed/hit/crashed/bumped, into each other). Participants remembered speed dfferently even though they saw the same video. Same participants 1 week later were asked if there was broken glass- 14% said yes if cars had “hit,” 32% said yes if cars had “smashed,” (there was actually no glass)

Question 39

Early work in Biology of Memory

Answer 39

Lesions and ablations used to impair memory, didn’t seem as though memory was localized to any specific part of the brain.

Question 40

Sensory Memory Location

Answer 40

Involved some brain areas of the particular sense

Question 41

Working Memory Location

Answer 41

Generally involves frontal lobes; prefrontal cortex which is involved in complex thought. Additional areas depend on “type,” of working memory.

Question 42

Declarative Memory Location

Answer 42

Hippocampus involved in short term transfer to long term. Hippocampus does not store long term memories, only forms new ones.

Question 43

Procedural Memory Locatin

Answer 43

Cerebellum (muscle memory).