Key Terms Memory Flashcards
Coding
The format in which information is stored in the various memory stores.
Process of converting information from one form to another.
Capacity
The amount of information that can be held in a memory store.
Short term memory
Limited capacity store.
Acoustic coding
Capacity of approx.5-9 items
Duration of 18-30 secs
Long term memory.
Permanent memory store.
Mainly semantic coding
Unlimited capacity.
Up to a lifetime.
Multi store model
Describes how memory works in terms of 3 stores
- sensory register
- STM
- LTM
Linked by processing
And how information transfers from one to another and how memory is forgotten
Sensory register
Iconic/echoic etc.
Registered briefly- less than half a second
Key process is attention
Maintenance rehearsal
In the STM of the multi store model maintenance rehearsal occurs when we repay material to ourselves
If we rehearse it enough it will pass onto the LTM.
Retrieval
Material stored in the LTM must be transferred back to the STM in a retrieval process. Cannot be recalled directly from LTM
Working memory model
An explanation of how the STM is organised and functions.
It suggests that the STM processes different types of information using different sub units coordinated by a central executive and linked together and to LTM by the episodic buffer.
Phonological loop
- phonological store
- articulatory process
Phonological loop deals with auditory information and has acoustic coding. It preserves the order data arrives in.
Phonological store, stores words you hear
Articulatory process allows maintenance rehearsal to keep the in the wmm while needed.
Capacity of the loop is around 2s worth of what you say.
VSS
- visual cache
- inner scribe
VSS stores visual and spatial data and has a limited capability of 3-4 objects.
- visual cache stores the visual data
- inner scribe records the arrangement of the objects in the visual field.
Episodic memory
A Long term memory store for personal events and memories.
Includes memories of people/places/objects and actions of the Event and must be retrieved consciously.
Semantic memory
LTM store for general knowledge such as facts and our knowledge of what words and concepts mean.
Tend to be recalled deliberately.
Procedural memory
Is an LTM store for our knowledge of how to physically do things we have learned previously. E.g. Riding a bike or amnesiacs still signing their name. It does not take effort or consciousness.
