Introduction

Question 1

Define encoding

Answer 1

The process by which information is translated into a form so that it can be held in the brain

Question 2

Describe the three types of encoding

Answer 2

visual - memories stored visually
acoustic - memories stored in terms of what they sound like
semantic - memories stored in term of their meaning and how to use them (e.g. body language)

Question 3

Describe the three types of long term memory

Answer 3

Episodic memory - memories of personal events in your life; includes details of when, where and who
Procedural memory - our knowledge of how to do things; skill and action based, unconscious
Semantic memory - memories of our knowledge of the world, including facts and knowledge of words/concepts

Question 4

What research supports the three types of LTM?

Answer 4

Clive Wearing - lost episodic memory but retained semantic and procedural memory
- shows that these are separate stores
- however this is a unique case study, not applicable to whole population

Question 5

How do LTM and STM encode?

Answer 5

LTM = semantically
STM = acoustically

Question 6

Name and describe the study which discovered how LTM & STM encode

Answer 6

Baddeley
~ gave one group of ppts acoustically similar words to recall immediately and the other acoustically DISsimilar
~ found acoustically similar made more mistakes; concluded STM encodes acoustically

~ another two groups given semantically similar and dissimilar words that they had to recall 20 minutes later —> semantically similar made more mistakes; concluded LTM encodes semantically

Question 7

Give strengths for the Study of Encoding

Answer 7

+ highly controlled setting = less extraneous variables (all ppts given a hearing test), increases IV

Question 8

Give limitations of the Study of Encoding

Answer 8

— artificial lab setting - not reflective of how we use memory day to day e.g. in school; low ecological validity
— artificial task using word lists isn’t reflective of reality ; lacks mundane realism

Question 9

Define capacity

Answer 9

The amount of information that can be held in a persons memory

Question 10

What is the capacity of LTM and STM?

Answer 10

LTM = unlimited
STM = 7 +/– 2

Question 11

Which study discovered the capacity for STM?

Answer 11

Jacobs (1887) used digit span technique to assess memory capacity and found average digit span to be 9.3 numbers and 7.3 letters, also found we group sets of data together via «chunking»

Question 12

Define duration

Answer 12

How long we can hold a piece of information in a memory store

Question 13

What is the duration for STM and LTM?

Answer 13

STM - 18-30 seconds
LTM - lifelong

Question 14

Describe the study used to research duration for STM

Answer 14

Peterson & Peterson
~ ppts were given three letters + digits
~ asked to recall the letters after 3,6,9,12 & 18 seconds
~ during wait time counted down from digits to avoid rehearsal
~ found only 2% were corrected after 18 seconds —> showed STM has short duration especially without rehearsal

Question 15

Describe the study used to research duration for LTM

Answer 15

Bahrick (1928-75)
~ tested 400 people on their memory of classmates over 47 years
~ completed photo recognition test as well as free recall test
~ found after 15 years 90% accurate, after 47 years 70%
~ concluded LTM is lifelong