Cognitive: Key concept 1 Flashcards
Capacity
Amount of material that can be kept in the memory store.
Duration
Length of time material can be kept in a memory store.
Encoding
The process of converting information from one form to another so it can be stored in the various memory stores and passed between them.
Short term memory
The temporary storage of information in the brain.
Long term memory
The storage of information for a longer time period.
Sensory memory
Memory stores for each of our five senses. Have a high capacity but brief duration.
What is the difference between encoding in an iconic store and an echoic store?
Iconic store is visual whereas the echoic store is acoustic.
What is the duration of sensory memory?
All stimuli from the environment pass into it - meaning it will be very brief.
What is the duration of short term memory?
As it is a temporary store, information only lasts for 30 seconds before it disappears. Material will stay in STM for longer if it is repeated, then should transfer to the LTM.
What is the duration of the long term memory?
Information can be permanently stored in the LTM if information has been rehearsed for a prolonged time.
What is the capacity of sensory memory?
Very high capacity.
What is the capacity of short term memory?
Limited capacity due to the limited space available to contain information before forgetting.
What is the capacity of the long term memory?
Practically unlimited as we can store everything we have already learnt in it. When trying to find information forgotten in the LTM, cues are needed to recall it.
How does the sensory memory encode information?
Involves converting information from the environment into a form which can be stored in memory. Encoding is different depending on the sense.
Practical Applications Evaluation
Strength is that knowledge of memory stores has practical applications. For example, the limited capacity of STM can be increased by chunking (letters can be organised to make words - known as chunking). This shows how the understanding the characteristics of memory stores can help to improve memory.
Research support evaluation
Strength is evidence showing there are three memory stores with different characteristics. For example, studies show that STM lasts up to 30 seconds (Peterson and Peterson) but the LTM lasts up to a lifetime (Bahrick). Therefore, STM and LTM are separate memory stores because they differ so much in their characteristics.
Issues with research evaluation
Weakness is that a lot of research is not typical of everyday memory. For example, the participants only had to remember consonants or digits, but in real life we form memories related to useful things. This means that the different characteristics of the memory stores may not be so clear when we use our memories in everyday life.
