cognitive psychology Flashcards

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1
Q

define the term cognitive psychology

A

how behaviour is affected by cognitive processes

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2
Q

define the term memory

A

our ability to encode, store, retain and recall information and past experiences

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3
Q

The Multi-Store Model

who created this theory

A

Atkinson and Shiffrin

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4
Q

Multi- Store Model

define information processing

A

the idea that information is processed in a linear way meaning it flows through the brain in a way that is logical

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5
Q

Multi- Store Model

define encoding

A

the way in which information is registered as a memory e.g. sound or smell

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6
Q

Multi- Store Model

define storage

A

how the information remains as a memory once it is registered

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7
Q

Multi- Store Model

define retrieval

A

how we find and access stored memories

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8
Q

Multi- Store Model

define capacity

A

the size of the memory store - how much information can be held

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9
Q

Multi- Store Model

define duration

A

how long information remains in the memory store

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10
Q

Multi- Store Model

how do memories disappear from the STM

A

displacement or decay

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11
Q

Multi-Store Model

how do memories disappear from the LTM

A

inteference

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12
Q

Multi- Store Model

what is the duration, capacity, and encoding of the sensory store

A
  • duration - o.5 to 2 seconds
  • capacity - very large
  • encoding - modality specific - the 5 senses
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13
Q

Multi- Store Model

what is the duration, capacity, and encoding of the STM

A
  • duration - 18 to 30 seconds
  • capacity - 5 +/- 2
  • encoding - acoustically (sound)
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14
Q

Multi- Store Model

what is the duration, capacity, and encoding of the LTM

A
  • duration - lifetime
  • capacity - unlimited
  • encoding - semantic
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15
Q

Multi- Store Model

positive evaluation points

A
  • credible - most evidence used to support the MSM is obtained from highly controlled lab experiments - memory ability was measured objectively
  • useful application - can help people with dementia to rehearse information via memory aids e.g. diaries or repetition
  • supporting evidence - HM had a STM functioning normally but couldn’t rehearse information to LTM (no hippocampus) - shows the two seperate stores
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16
Q

Multi- Store Model

negative evaluation points

A
  • alternative expanation - Working Memory Model better expanation for STM - explores both visual and verbal memories
  • reductionist - isolates just three specific memory stores even though memory = very complex - ignores other ways memories could be created e.g. flashback memories
  • refuting evidence - KF had a LTM functioning normallty despite his STM being damaged - shows that STM doesn’t transfer to the LTM
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17
Q

the working memory model

who created the theory and when

A

Baddeley and Hitch (1974)

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18
Q

working memory model

explain the model

A
  • argued the model of STM in the MSM was too simplistic
  • replaced ‘Short Term’ to ‘Working Memory’
  • meant to temporarily store and manipulate information
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19
Q

working memory model

explain the central executive

A
  • responsible for monitering and coordinating the slave systems
  • decides which information should be attended by the working memoryand where it goes (phonological loop or visuo-spatial sketchpad)
  • directs attention to particular activities
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20
Q

working memory model

explain the phonological loop

A

deals with verbal information (spoken and written) and is split into two parts - phonological store and articulatory loop

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21
Q

working memory model

explain the phonological store

part of the phonological loop

A
  • linked to speech perception (inner ear) and holds for 1 - 2 seconds
  • written words are converted into articulatory (spoken) code before entering the phonological store
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22
Q

working memory model

explain the articulatory loop

part of the phonological loop

A
  • linked to speech production (inner voice)
  • rehearses information from the phonological store by circulating information around e.g. remembering a telephone number
  • also converts written material into articulatory code and moves to the phonological store
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23
Q

working memory model

explain the visuo- spatial sketchad

A

deals with the visual and spatial information (inner eye) to help keep track of where we are in relation to other objects

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24
Q

working memory model

explain the episodic buffer

A

acts as a ‘back-up’ store that communicates with both the LTM and the WM

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25
Q

working memory model

when and why was the episodic buffer added

A

updated by Baddeley in 2000 after the firat model failed to explain experiments

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26
Q

working memory model

positive evaluation points

A
  • supporting evidence - KF - brain damage after motorbike accident - STM impared (mainly verbal, visual left unaffected) - shows seperate memory stores
  • credibility - numerous experiments by Baddeley (1960s) - carried on and found episodic buffer (2000) - improvements using hypotheticodeductive approach
  • useful application - supporting dementia patients with daily routines - no distractions while giving instructions - can’t do two verbal tasks at the same time
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27
Q

working memory model

negative evaluation points

A
  • refuting evidence - Lieberman (1980) - blind people have excellent spatial awarness - but never have visual information - visual and spatial may be two seperate stores
  • alternative explanation - multi-store model - claims that LTM first enter sensory store - must be paid attention and rehearsed - goes beyond the WMM
  • reductionist - isolates two sub-systems - ignores how information is passed from the to components to the LTM
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28
Q

Baddeley classic study on the working memory model

when did the study take place

A

1966b (second experiment that same year)

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29
Q

baddeley classic study on the working memory model

descirbe the aim

A

to see if the LTM is impared by semantic similarities and to show that the LTM is not impaied by acoustic similarities

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30
Q

baddeley classic study on the working memory model

descirbe the sample

A
  • 72 mainly houswives that were paid a small amount
  • volunteer sample from the Applied Psychological Research Unit at Cambridge University
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31
Q

baddeley classic study on the working memory model

what was the experimental design and what were the IV

A

independent group design - 4 groups
* control groups - acoustically dissimilar words - semantically dissimilar words
* experimental groups - acoustically similar words - semantically similar words

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32
Q

Baddeley classic study on the working memory model

describe the procedure

A
  • participants got split into one of 4 groups
  • list of 10 words presented on a projector- 1 every 3 seconds
  • interference task was used - listen to 6 sequences of numbers and write it down
  • had 40 seconds to write words in the correct order
    REPEATED 4 TIMES FOR EACH GROUP
  • interference task used again - copying digits
  • surprise recall used - words placed randomly around the room (all participants ended with 5 scores each)
33
Q

baddeley classic study on the working memory

describe the results

A
  • no significant figure between group A and group B
  • significantly fewer words recalled in semantically similar condition (group C and D)
34
Q

baddeley classic study on the working memory model

describe the conclusion

A
  • the STM and LTM have different coding systems
  • STM used acoustic encoding
  • LTM uses semantic encoding (impaired by semantic similarities)
35
Q

baddeley classic study on the working memory

positive evaluation points

A
  • volunteer sample - quick and easy
  • highyl controlled - all words has same frequency in everyday life - increases internal validity
  • standardised procedure - words show up every 3 seconds on a projector - increases reliability
36
Q

baddeley classic study on the working memory

negative evaluation points

A
  • all sample from cambridge - ethnocentric - not representative to TP - lacks population validity
  • lab experiment - artificial memory exp. - lacks ecological validity
  • independent groups design - individual differences (attention levels/ mood) - effects results of the IV
37
Q

reconstructive memory theory

who proposed this theory

A

Bartlett

38
Q

reconstructive memory theory

how do we make new memories

A

search through previously stored information by using schemas

39
Q

recontructive memory theory

define ‘schemas’

A

menatl frameworks that help us to organise information and the relationships between them

40
Q

reconstructive memory theory

how do we dvelop schemas

A

through previous experinces we have had (e.g seeing a dog for the first time and thinking it’s a cat)

41
Q

reconstructive memory theory

what happens when we recall a memory

A

we reconstruct it

42
Q

reconstructive memory theory

define the term ‘effort after meaning’

A

we can store information once we make sense of it and it gains meaning

43
Q

reconstructive memory theory

define rationalisation

A

we may change the memory for it to make sense uncontiously

44
Q

reconstructive memory theory

define confabulation

A

make things up to fill in the gaps unconsiously - this may come from a steryotype we hold

45
Q

reconstructive memory theory

positive evaluation points

A
  • supporting evidence - Loftus et al - car accidents speeds were changed when differenct verbs used - memory changed by schemas
  • psychology in society - Devlin Report (1976) - we should not convict someone with only single eyewitness account
  • supporting evidence - Bartlett’s ‘war of the ghosts’ - each production of the stroy was reconstructed differently
46
Q

reconstructive memory theory

negative evaluation points

A
  • lacks credibility - no scientific detail from the brain - other theories provide evidence e.g. brain scans for episodic and semantic memory
  • lacks credibility - Bartlett evolved the theory off the study - all smaple from Cambridge - cannot be generalised
  • reductionist - isolates schemas as the factor - ignores other concepts such as rehearsal
47
Q

sebastian and hernandez–gil contemporary study

when did the study take place

A

2012

48
Q

sebastian and hernandez-gil contemporary study

describe the aim

A

investgate the development of the phonological loop in children by testing verbal digital span and to compare results with previously obtained results from adults, elderly people ad dementia patients

49
Q

sebastian and hernandez-gil contemporary study

describe the sample

A
  • 570 participants (males and females)
  • volunteer sample from the community of Madrid
  • from public/ private schools - aged 5-17
  • no hearing or writing impairements
50
Q

sebastian and hernandez-gil contemporary study

describe the prcodeure

A
  • divided into 5 different age categorises (cross-section study)
  • allowed researchers to study differences between ages
  • digital span task used to measure capacity of phonological loop (random sequence of digits read aloud one word per second)
  • digit span was taken as the max length where participants could recall 2 out of 3 series
51
Q

sebastian and hernandez-gil contemporary study

what were the mean digit spans for each group

A
  • 5 yrs old - 3.76
  • 6 yrs old - 4.16
  • 17 yrs old - 5.91
    Found that digit span increased with age
52
Q

sebastian and hernandez-gil contempoary study

what were the comparisons between the Anglo-Saxon children

A
  • (2012) increased until 17 but Anglo-Saxon peaked at 15
  • (2012) figures were aroun d one digit below Anglo-Saxon
  • (2012) highlighted the difference in word length (the longer it takes to say the word- more the trace would decay)
53
Q

sebastian and hernandez-gil contemporary study

what were the comparisons of the study on elderly people in 2010

A
  • 25 people without impairments - 25 with Alzheimers - 9 people with frontal temporal dementia
  • elderly had higher mean (4.44) than 5 and 6 year olds
  • no difference with other groups
  • Alzheimer patients mean (4.2) was higher that 5 year olds but o difference with other groups
54
Q

sebastian and hernandez-gil contemporary study

describe the conclusion

A

the phonological loop is affected by age but not so much by dementia

55
Q

sebastian and hernandez-gil contemporary study

positive evaluation points

A
  • population validity - 570 children from range of different schools - increases generalisability
  • standardised procedure - all tested using digit scan task - easily replicated with other psychologist - increases internal validity
  • application in society - findings of the development of the phonological loop - teachers can find ways to assist children with difficulties
56
Q

sebastian and hernandez-gil contemporary study

negatives evaluation points

A
  • ethnocentric - all from Madrid and born in Spain - not representative
  • ecological valdity - remembering sequences of random digits - not used in every day life - artificial test of memory
  • ethics (responsibility) - may not fully understand the purpose of the test - may feel they are not doing well on recalling digits - may feel distress
57
Q

epsiodic and semantic memory

who created the theory

A

Tulving

58
Q

epsiodic and semantic memory

define episodic memory

A
  • recieves and stores information about past experiences and events at specific times - autobiographical in nature
59
Q

episodic and semantic memory

what parts of the brain are linked to episodic memory

A

frontal lobe and hippocampus

60
Q

episodic and semantic memory

what is episodic memory dependent on

A
  • time-referencing memories about events
  • context when the memory was learnt/ experienced (aids retrieval)
  • semantic memory - need to draw up on knowledge to understand it
61
Q

episodic and semantic memory

what did Tulving state about epsiodic memory

about the memory trace

A

memory can transform during retrieval - so the memory trace may change

62
Q

episodic and semantic memory

examples of epsiodic memory

A

first day of school or remembering your 16th birthday

63
Q

episodic and semantic memory

define semantic memory

A

memory of meanings and words - knowledge

64
Q

episodic and emantic memory

what part of the brain is linked to semantic memory

A

temporal lobe

65
Q

episodic and semantic memory

is the semantic memory dependent on anything

A

no

66
Q

episodic and semantic memory

examples of the semantic memory

A

grass is green - how to use a phone

67
Q

episodic and semantic memory

positive evaluation points

A
  • credibility - brain scans how increased activity in the temporal lobe when semantic memories are recalled - obejective evidence of different stores
  • supporting evidence - Irish et al (2011) - Alzheimer patients - remembered episodic but not semantic e.g. taking medication
  • supporting evidence - patient HM - hippocampus removed and damaged temporal lobe - can’t make new LTM (epsiodic and semantic) - links between specific areas of the brain
68
Q

epsiodic and semantic memory

negative evaluation points

A
  • reductionist - isolates two main parts - no metion of procedural - ignores presence of STM to LTM
  • credibility - semantic and epsiodic difficut to seperate - words can have semantic meaning and epsiodic meaning - impossible to determine whether a person is using only one type of these memories
  • refuting evidence - Squire and Zola (1998) children and adults with amnesia - both semantic and episodic impaired - suggests two types of memory are linked
69
Q

Patient HM

What happened to Patient HM

A

had surgery and got amnesia

70
Q

patient HM

what parts of the brain were damaged

A

Hippocampus (removed) and temporal lobe

71
Q

patient HM

what was patient HM unable to do

A

form new LTM - hippocampus believed to moving STM to LTM but could remember epsiodic memories from before

72
Q

patient HM

what could patient HM still do

A

procedural skills (but forgot them within a day) and working memory

73
Q

patient HM

how old was he and when did he have surgery

A

26 (1953)

74
Q

case studies and patient HM

positive evaluation points

A
  • avoids ethical issues of invasive investigation
  • credibile - ultilises neuroimaging techniques (objective data)
  • concurrent validity - collects large amount of data with several techniques
75
Q

case studies and patient HM

negative evaluation points

A
  • cause and effect - only study patient after damage - don’t know what he was like before
  • low validity - neuroimaging may not pick up smaller sites of damage - e.g. mild traumatic brain injury
  • population validity - unique cases - might not be generaisable to other brain damaged patients
76
Q

case studies

what is a case study

A

research carried out on an individual/ small group over a long period of time

77
Q

case studies

what data do case studies collect

A

quantitative and qualitative

78
Q

case studies

examples of how to get quantitative data for brain damaged patients

A

IQ tests , memory tests, closed questions, brain scans