Intro to Memory Flashcards
Three Processes of Memory
- Encoding
- Storage
- Retrieval
Encoding
1st step:
Initial process of receiving and interpreting info
Storage
2nd step: process of maintaining memory
Retrieval
3rd step: recalling the stored info
Info-processing model
based on the three processes of memory
Parallel distributed processing (PDP)
people can retrieve many aspects of memory at once.
less about steps and more simultaneous.
Levels-of-processing model
The deeper the level of processing, the more likely the info is to be stored in long-term memory and retrieved later.
Sensory memory
the first stage if memory. when info enters the nervous system through the sensory systems.
SM: Iconic sensory memory
-capacity
-duration
Visual sensory memory
C - everything that can be seen at one time
D - info that has just entered iconic
memory will be pushed out very quickly by new
information, a process called masking
Iconic sensory memory: Eidetic memory/photogenic memory
the ability to have long lasting visual memory
30 sec or more
SM: Echoic memory
-capacity
-duration
Auditory sensory memory
C - limited to what can be heard at any one
moment
smaller than the capacity of iconic
memory
D – Allows people to understand a phrase.
lasts longer than iconic 2 to 4 seconds.
Working/Short Term Memory (STM)
The memory system in which info is
held for brief periods of time while being used.
Also called Working Memory
lasts from about 12 to 30 seconds
without rehearsal.
STM: Digit-span test
-capacity
– memory test in which a series of numbers
is read to subjects in the experiment who are then asked to
recall the numbers in order.
——————————–
C - about seven items or
pieces of info, plus or minus two items, or from five to nine
bits of info. “magical number” = 7
STM: Maintenance rehearsal
practice of saying some
info to be remembered over and over
in order to maintain it in short-term memory (STMs tend to be encoded in auditory form).
- STM is susceptible to interference (e.g., if counting is
interrupted, have to start over).
STM: Selective Attention
the ability to focus on
only one stimulus from among all sensory
input
STM: Chunking
grouping info together to make it easier to remember
- Phone numbers are broken up into chunks of
digits
STM: Loci
Mind palace. memorizing info method: mnemonic image for
each item to be remembered at a point along an imaginary journey.
LTM: The serial position effect
info at the
beginning and end of a list is more likely to be remembered than the
info in the middle
Long term memory
Third stage of memory. storing and retrieving memory over a long period of time.
LTM: The primacy effect
Proposes info at the beginning of the list
is remembered due to rehearsal
LTM: The recency effect
Proposes info at the end of the list is remembered due to the fact that it is still in short-term memory
LTM: Distributed practice
(spaced out his study sessions) improves memory – as
opposed to “cramming”
LTM: Mass practice
encoding everything at once - not so good
Elaborative rehearsal
transferring info from STM
into LTM by making that information meaningful in some way.
