Developmental Differences in Memory

Question 1

Define ‘developmental differences’.

Answer 1

Differences in development experienced between different people.

Question 2

Give an example of a developmental difference in cognitive psychology.

Answer 2

The STM being impaired due to problems with development.

Question 3

Define ‘processing speed’.

Answer 3

The rate at which information is processed.

Question 4

Using the Working Memory Model, explain how people may experience developmental differences in their memory.

Answer 4

Dyslexia is caused by impairment in the phonological loop which causes developmental differences in the capacity of their STM will be smaller as their subvocal rehearsal is impaired causing slower processing speeds.

Question 5

Evaluate a strength of using the WMM as an explanation for developmental differences in memory for dyslexics.

Answer 5

P - Smith-Spark’s (2010) research supports
E - They found that dyslexics had unimpaired spatial memory but verbal memory was impaired
E - Therefore showing a deficit in the phonological loop.

Question 6

Evaluate a weakness of using the WMM as an explanation for developmental differences in memory for dyslexics.

Answer 6

P - Low task validity
E - Experiments involve artificial tasks such as recalling a sequence of digits in the right order
E - Therefore this lacks mundane realism of what memory would be like and so reduces credibility of explaining memory in everyday life

Question 7

How do the results of McDougall’s (1994) study explain developmental differences in memory?

Answer 7

• Divided 90 children into 3 reading groups: poor, moderate, good)
• Good readers can articulate words quickly leading to a greater number of words being held in their phonological loop
• Poor readers read out words more slowly leading to fewer words being held in their phonological loop
• Showing poor readers have developmental differences to good readers in their STM

Question 8

Evaluate a strength of McDougall’s (1994) study as an explanation for developmental differences in memory.

Answer 8

P - High task validity
E - He tasked ppts with reading aloud which is an everyday activity that occurs for younger people in school and older people in working life
E - Therefore has mundane realism making findings more credible to explaining developmental differences in memory in real life

Question 9

How do the results of Alloway’s (2008) study explain developmental differences in memory?

Answer 9

• Studied 46 children (aged 6-11yrs) and found that learning disabilities may be due to deficits in the STM
• Children with dyslexia have trouble processing speech sounds in their phonological loop
• They can’t hold speech sounds long enough to bind them together to form a word due to impaired subvocal rehearsal
• Showing people with dyslexia have developmental differences in their memory of speech sounds to form words

Question 10

Evaluate a weakness of Alloway’s (2008) study as an explanation for developmental differences in memory.

Answer 10

P - Low ecological validity
E - Research was carried out in an artificial environment that was unfamiliar to the 46 children (aged 6-11yrs)
E - Therefore their memory performance under these conditions may not reflect their performance in real life when they feel more comfortable in their surroundings

Question 11

Define ‘digit span’.

Answer 11

The capacity of how many items you can hold in your STM at any one time.

Question 12

How do the results of Sebastian and Hernandez-Gil’s (2012) study explain developmental differences in memory?

Answer 12

• Digit span increased from 3.7 (5) to 5.9 (17) showing a developmental difference between those ages
• Average digit span of a 8 year old (4.6) is significantly higher than that of a 5 year old (3.7) showing subvocal rehearsal develops aged 7

Question 13

Evaluate a strength of using Sebastian and Hernandez-Gil’s (2012) study as an explanation for developmental differences in memory.

Answer 13

P - High reliability
E - Standardised procedure of saying one digit on the sequence per second
E - Therefore the controls in research allows for easy replication to compare for consistency of developmental differences in memory

Question 14

Evaluate a weakness of using Sebastian and Hernandez-Gil’s (2012) study as an explanation for developmental differences in memory.

Answer 14

P - Low task validity
E - The task of recalling digits in order with another being added each time the order is recalled correctly is not an everyday activity to do with memory
E - Findings therefore lack mundane realism and so won’t reflect developmental differences in memory in real life

Question 15

What is Alzheimer’s?

Answer 15

A disease that causes progressive mental deterioration.

Question 16

How does the development of Alzheimer’s affect memory in terms of the Multi Store Model?

Answer 16

Development of Alzheimer’s can cause impairment in the STM which may lead to information decaying before there is a chance to encode and so new LTM wouldn’t be formed. Similarly, LTM may experience decay if there is retrieval failure.

Question 17

Evaluate a strength of using the MSM as an explanation for developmental differences in memory.

Answer 17

P - MSM can be scientifically tested
E - By operationalising memory in the form of 3 separate stores that can be individually tested
E - Therefore reductionism is scientific as it allows for things to be measurable leading to easy replication

Question 18

Evaluate a weakness of using the MSM as an explanation for developmental differences in memory.

Answer 18

P - MSM is too simplistic
E - It provides little detail on the complex processes of each store and doesn’t account for when rehearsal is not needed to form a new LTM
E - Therefore the explanation of memory as a whole is not sufficient enough which reduces credibility

Question 19

Define a ‘dual task’.

Answer 19

Doing 2 tasks that take place in the same slave system.

Question 20

Give an example of a dual task.

Answer 20

Trying to listen to music and the TV at the same time.

Question 21

How does the development of Alzheimer’s affect memory in terms of the Working Memory Model?

Answer 21

Baddeley’s research suggests that…
The development of Alzheimer’s impairs the central executive as when trying to perform dual tasks there was deficits compared to normal functioning when activities involved 2 separate stores. This shows developmental differences in performance of the STM.

Question 22

Evaluate a strength of using the WMM as an explanation for developmental differences in memory.

Answer 22

P - WMM expands on the lack of detail about the STM in the MSM
E - It describes processes of the STM in detail with their separate functions and how they are coordinated
E - Therefore providing a holistic explanation of developmental differences in memory for the STM

Question 23

Evaluate a weakness of using the WMM as an explanation for developmental differences in memory.

Answer 23

P - Low validity
E - The edition of the episodic buffer in 2000 shoos that the model requires more explanation
E - Therefore decreasing credibility of the model as it was insufficient as an explanation for developmental memory as a whole

Question 24

Define an ‘episodic’ memory.

Answer 24

A memory of a life experience/event.

Question 25

Give an example of an episodic memory.

Answer 25

A memory of the first day at school.

Question 26

Define a ‘semantic’ memory.

Answer 26

A memory of facts and knowledge.

Question 27

Give an example of a semantic memory.

Answer 27

The capital of France is Paris.

Question 28

How does the development of Alzheimer’s affect memory in terms of Tulving’s theory?

Answer 28

Development of Alzheimer’s affects episodic memories more than semantic as they are more durable and so are less likely to change. More recent episodic memories are also more susceptible to cue retrieval failure than ones from years ago as they have been reinforced many more times.

Question 29

Evaluate a strength of using Tulving’s theory as an explanation for developmental differences in memory.

Answer 29

P - Research has high reliability
E - Memory is often associated with the hippocampus, a part of the brain that can cause memory impairment through damage and so is studied using brain imaging
E - Therefore evidence is scientific and objective as scans can be checked by multiple researchers

Question 30

Evaluate a weakness of using Tulving’s theory as an explanation for developmental differences in memory.

Answer 30

P - Research from HM rejects
E - Suffered epileptic fits and when asked to draw a star he improved everyday but had no recall of drawing one before
E - Supports the existence of a third type of memory (procedural) that involves skills you don’t have to think about to carry out

Question 31

Define a ‘schema’.

Answer 31

A framework of information compiled to form an idea of what a situation will be like based on information from past life experiences.

Question 32

Give an example of a schema.

Answer 32

Having an idea of restaurant etiquette based on previous experiences.

Question 33

How does the development of Alzheimer’s affect memory in terms of Reconstructive Memory?

Answer 33

Development of Alzheimer’s can affect schemas with forgetting experiences that once formed a schema and so the reconstruction of a past memory may cause inaccuracies leading to them not making sense.

Question 34

Evaluate a strength of using Reconstructive Theory as an explanation for developmental differences in memory.

Answer 34

P - Reconstructive memory can be scientifically tested
E - Operationalising memory in the form of a story having features that can be counted each time they are recalled will measure accuracy
E - Therefore reductionism of testing developmental differences in memory is scientific as it allows for things to be measurable leading to easy replication

Question 35

Evaluate a weakness of using Reconstructive Theory as an explanation for developmental differences in memory.

Answer 35

P - Low validity
E - The theory doesn’t explain how memory is reconstructive due to only describing that this occurs when we revisit a memory that becomes influenced by our schemas
E - And so cannot explain how reconstruction may be affected by the development of Alzheimer’s

Question 36

Evaluate a general weakness of using Alzheimer’s as an explanation for developmental differences in memory.

Answer 36

P - We can refute the idea of Alzheimer’s being cognitive defection that develops over time
E - As drugs can be used to treat symptoms and slow the process
E - This suggests that maybe Alzheimer’s is more biological