Encoding capacity duration Flashcards
What are the two different types of memory?
short term
long term
What does encoding mean?
the way information is changed so it can be stored in memory
What does capacity mean?
how much can be held in memory
What does duration mean?
how long a memory lasts before becoming unavailable
Who conducted research into encoding?
Baddeley
What was the AMRC of this study?
A- determine how info is encoded in STM compared to LTM
M- 4 groups of p’s list of words
1) acoustically similar words
2) acoustically dissimilar words
3) semantically similar words
4) semantically dissimilar words
asked to recall immediately STM then 20 minutes later LTM
R- difficulty remembering acoustically similar words in STM not LTM and semantically similar words in LTM not STM
C- STM mainly acoustic LTM mainly semantic
Evaluation point
(where does visual encoding fit)
P- p’s used visual encoding in STM if given a visual task and prevent verbal rehearsal when they had to say la la la in the retention interval before a visual recall task
E- normally images - verbal codes as prevented p’s used visual codes
E- LTM long term recall related to visual and semantic categories
L- encoding in STM isn’t just acoustic LTM isn’t just semantic vary on circumstances explain deaf people process information into their memory stores
LIMITATION
Who conducted research into the capacity of STM?
Jacobs 1887
What were Jacob’s conclusions?
.digit span technique
.average digit span 9.3
.average letter span 7.3
.suggested less numbers to remember compared to 26 numbers
Who else conducted research into the capacity of STM?
Miller 1956
What were Miller’s conclusions?
.organising input into chunks
.seven chunks of info +-2
.Miller’s magic number
Evaluations
(does chunk size matter)
(is everyone’s STM capacity the same size)
(could STM capacity be even more limited)
P-size of chunks affects how many you can remember
EE-research shows shorter memory span larger chunks
L-supports view STM limited capacity refines understanding of memory process
STRENGTH
P-capacity of STM isn’t the same for everyone
E-digit span call increased with age 8 year old=6.6 digits 19 year old=8.6 digits
E-changes in brain capacity/ development of strategies like chunking
L-capacity isn’t fixed individual differences play a role
WEAKNESS
P-Miller’s original findings haven’t been replicated
E-Cowan (2001) concluded STM limited to 4 chunks
E-STM visual capacity research also found it was 4 items lower ranger of MMN may be more appropriate
L-STM not be as extensive as originally thought
LIMITATION
Who conducted research into the duration of STM?
Peterson and Peterson 1959
What was the AMRC of this study?
A-find out duration of STM
M-trigram and 3 digit number asked to count back from number in 3’s or 4’s to prevent rehearsal (various time periods)
R-p’s 90% correct after 3 seconds became worse overtime 2% correct after 18 seconds
C-STM short duration 18 seconds if rehearsal is prevented
Evaluations
(study lacks ecological validity)
(auditory tones instead of numbers change the result)
P-research is artificial
E-memorising trigrams isn’t an ordinary task
E-sometimes try to group together meaningless things such as postcodes
L-task was artificial but has some relevance to every day life
LIMITATION
P-lacks internal validity
E-counting in STM may displace the consonants to remember
E-further research auditory tones replaced numbers to avoid displacement as sounds and verbal don’t interfere found duration of STM was longer
L-suggests displacement not decay in Peterson study
LIMITATION
