Lecture 5 - Memory 2: The stage theory of memory Flashcards
The stage theory of memory
This model of memory proposes that there are multiple components to memory
Initially information gets into the nervous system and neurons are active (sensory memory)
Very rapidly sensory memory gets turned into short term memory
Short term memory
Limited capacity (7 +/- 2 items)
Rapid forgetting
Long term memory
Massive capacity
Very slow (or no) forgetting
Unrehearsed information leading to forgetting includes forcing attention to other tasks for example
Sensory memory
Initially information gets into the nervous system and neurons are active (sensory memory)
Very rapidly sensory memory gets turned into
short term memory
Short term memory
Short term memory
Limited capacity (7 +/- 2 items)
Rapid forgetting
Long term memory
Long term memory
Massive capacity
Very slow (or no) forgetting
Unrehearsed information leading to …
Unrehearsed information leading to forgetting includes forcing attention to other tasks for example
Serial position effect experiment by…
Ebbinghaus
Serial position effect study
Simple task, present with a list of words and each word is presented about one second a part and after the 15th word you are asked to recall as many words as possible
Predicted recall performance
Very good recall for the last item cause it is presented and then you immediately have to recall it
Actual recall performance
Primacy = good recall for information that has been presented to you are the beginning, long term memory is where this comes from, lots of capacity available to rehearse the first word
Recency = good recall of information that has been presented to you at the end, comes from the short term memory store, shows the serial position effect
Primacy effect
Primacy = good recall for information that has been presented to you are the beginning, long term memory is where this comes from, lots of capacity available to rehearse the first word
Recency effect
Recency = good recall of information that has been presented to you at the end, comes from the short term memory store, shows the serial position effect
Baddeley (1966), Conrad (1960)
Bias in encoding
STM = phonetic/verbal
LTM = semantic
Differential manipulation of primacy and recency effects e.g. effect of delay before recall (wait and distract which prevents the rehearsing and then recalling)
Phoentic encoded very much on its surface capacity and structure i.e. sounds, images of words, shapes of the letters
Semantic information is encoded in terms of its meaning and what it means to you
H.M profile
Short term memory intact and memory intact of how the world works like the meaning of words/semantics of the world etc and his IQ was still intact
After the medial temporal lobectomy - he could not form any new memories and had retention of about 15-20 seconds (anterograde amnesia)
Could have a conversation because could remember things from 5 seconds before
Over the course of the experiments he gradually developed the understanding that he could be giving important answers to scientists
His surgeon removed the medial temporal lobe including a structure called the hippocampus. Thereafter HM was unable to form new memories
HM supports the model and shows the importance of rehearsal
Craik and Watkins (1973)
A more formal experiment to test the importance of rehearsal
Instructions = hold ‘g’ words in memory until the next one occurs in the sequence and then hold on to that one
Manipulates the amount of time you get to remember the words therefore less time to rehearse
Craik and Watkins (1973) - Maintenance rehearsal, not very good at getting information into long term memory
Describing the features of a coin.
Hold “G words” in memory until next one comes in a list of words. Maintance rehearsal is not effective in transferring info from STM to LTM
Semantics is also important in STM
Baddeley and Hitch (1974)
Primary task: 16 word list for immediate recall (auditory presentation)
Supplementary task: recall either 3 or 6 digits (visual presentation). suggests stage theory of memory does not account for rehearsal, chunking or supplementary tasks
If short-term memory is unitary then information processing should always be limited at 7 +/- 2 items
Digits is the secondary task
We would predict that a high load in the secondary task will impair performance on the secondary task
Found that it did not seem to be much different on the recency effect
Baddeley and Hitch argued that the picture of STM provided by the multi-store model is far too simple. According to the multi-store model, STM holds limited amounts go information for short periods of time with relatively little processing. It is a unitary system. This means it is a single system (or store) without any subsystems
They proposed three components in working memory (STM)
Central executive (in command ) - auditory component
Visuospatial sketchpad (inner eye) - visual component
Phonological loop (inner ear and inner voice) - controls processing in the other components
The idea is that the different components can be processes seperately
Studies have suggested that there are processing rather than capacity limitations on short term memory
STM as a “mental workbench” rather than a storage platform
Focuses on the active manipulation of information rather than passive maintenance (store of info)
Level of processing =
the more deeply we process information, the better we will remember it
