Cognitive Theories Flashcards
What is the MSM? (5 AO1)
- environmental stimuli stored in sensory register
- info is given attention which is encoded to short term memory
- info is kept in STM through maintenance rehearsal
- info is encoded to LTM through elaborate rehearsal
- retrieval is from LTM to STM
Extra Info: *a structural model of memory *Sensory Register encoding is modality specific (i.e., ionic register) capacity is 3-4 items duration is limited to milliseconds-seconds *STM encoding is largely acoustic capacity is 5-9 items (can be increased if info is 'chunked' duration 15-30s *LTM encoding is mainly semantic capacity is potentially limitless duration is potentially a lifetime
EAST for MSM?
(Add AO1 points where necessary)
(With strengths and weaknesses, I will be using the SPRINTS method. Scientific, Practical Issues, Reductionist, Individual Differences, Nature vs. Nurture, Over Time, Social Control and/or Social Sensitivity)
E
*Baddeley showed that encoding is different in STM and LTM
CA: artificial setting (mundane realism)
*HM showed that the hippocampus is involved in transferring memories from STM to LTM and that they are separate stores
CA: case study is unique to the individual (generalisability)
A
+helps understand how memory works between different stores (holistic view) (psychological knowledge)
+effective revision strategies for students (elaborate rehearsal)
S
S:
+empirical evidence from controlled experiments
P:
+/-use of lab experiments and case studies for evidence
R:
+considers different types of memory so it is a complex model therefore not reductionist
-memory is too complex so this is an overly simplistic model therefore reductionist
I:
-individual differences in capacity and duration, for example
N:
—
T:
—
S:
—
T
Consider other models of memory for greater depth of understanding and therefore a holistic view of memory (like WMM for STM)
What is WMM? (5 AO1)
- central executive has a supervisory role and allocates tasks to two slave systems. Info can be then stored to LTM and retrieved
- central executive is modality free
- one slave system: visuospatial sketchpad (position and location)
- other slave system: phonological loop which is divided into the phonological store (capacity of 1-2 secs) and articulatory rehearsal system (affected by world length effect and articulatory suppression (unable to rehearse))
- explains how STM can perform two tasks at the same time
Extra info:
- a structural model of STM
- addition of the episodic buffer in 2000 to explain the integration of information between the two stores
EAST for WMM?
E
*S&HG proved that word length effect affected digit span recall and that digits stored in STM are encoded acoustically
CA: not an everyday task to test digit spans (mundane realism)
*Patient Kent Cochrane hade severe anterograde memory so he could not create new memories
CA: use of case studes
A
+further understanding of STM and psychology as a whole
+helps people taking care of Alzheimer’s patients so their central executive will not be overloaded
S
S:
+supported by empirical evidence from well-controlled experiments
-use of case studies
P:
+/-use of lab experiments and case studies as evidence
R:
+takes into account the complexity of STM so it is not reductionist
-doesn’t take into account other memory stores so it is reductionist
I:
-differences in duration of info
-irregularities in word length effect, for example, if the individual grew up learning two or more languages
N:
—
T:
+episodic buffer added (2000)
S:
—
T:
Consider other models of memory for greater depth of understanding and therefore a holistic view of memory (like MSM for all of memory)
What is Explanations of LTM? (5 AO1)
(1972)
*LTM is made up of two types of declarative memory: semantic and episodic
*semantic is our mental encyclopaedia (so it includes facts such as the earth goes around the sun) and is not linked to a time or place so it is context independent
*episodic is our mental diary (so it includes our personal memories like your friend’s birthday party, for example) and retrieval is helped by context cues (encoding specificity principle)
*recalling an episodic memory can change the original memory and replace it
(1985)
*added procedural memory which is about practiced skills and abilities
Extra Info:
- a structural model of LTM
- procedural memory was demonstrated by HM (Milner)
EAST for EofLTM?
E
*HM and Clive Wearing with Milner’s mirror experiment, and Clive Wearing still being able to play the piano and conduct despite having anterograde amnesia
CA: use of case studies
A
+further understanding of LTM and psychology as a whole
+helps develop questioning techniques for cognitive interview
S S: -use of case studies P: \+/-use of case studies R: \+takes into account the complexity of LTM so it's not reductionist -doesn't take into account other stores so it's reductionistic I: -skill level differences for procedural memory N: --- T: \+adding procedural memory (1985) S: --- Extra Info: -You need semantic knowledge to make sense of episodic memories (e.g., learning that candles on a birthday are meant to be blown out linked with the memory of blowing candles on your sixth birthday) so it does not provide a complex interrelationship between each system. As these two types are not completely separate, it will be difficult studying them separately making it difficult to draw valid conclusions.
T
Consider other models of memory for greater depth of understanding and therefore a holistic view of memory (like WMM for STM)
What is Reconstructive Memory (5 AO1)
- says that memory is unrealistic due to the active state of it
- memory is influenced by other mental processes such as perception and language
- Shorten, Omit, Familiarise, Transform
- schemas being one way to fill in the gaps
- schemas are packets of information or mental representations based on preconceived expectations
Extra Info:
*the ONLY functional model of memory on the specification
EAST for RM?
E
*Bartlett’s ‘War of Ghosts’ story which led to omitting supernatural elements, transforming elements to something familiar (hunting for seals to hunting for fish), etc.
CA: lack of control (e.g. bumped into a student by chance six and a half years later and asked to reproduce the story)
*Loftus and Palmer showed that people transformed their memories from the films shown depending on the word used due to schemas
CA: artificial task so lacks mundane realism
A
+shows the importance of not using leading questions
+knowledge can help increase the accuracy of eyewitness testimonies when used in a cognitive interview
S
S:
+use of empirical evidence from well-controlled experiments (Loftus and Palmer
-lack of standardisation and control for some of the supporting evidence (Bartlett)
-use of qualitative data (Bartlett) so it may be subjectively interpreted and influenced by researcher bias
P:
+/-use of lab experiments
-lack of standardisation and control
R:
+functional model of memory so sees memory in relation to other cognitive processes such as perception so it is not reductionist
-does not explain the structure of memory so it is reductionist
I:
—
N:
—
T:
-study was conducted during 1932. Results and conclusions may be different now as we are a more multicultural society
S:
—
T
Consider other models of memory for greater depth of understanding and therefore a holistic view of memory (like WMM for STM)
