LECTURE 5- STM AND FORGETTING

Question 1

What is working memory?

Answer 1

A mental workspace allowing temporary retention and manipulation of information for reasoning, learning, and comprehension.

Question 2

What is short-term memory (STM)?

Answer 2

Retention and basic processing of information in simple tasks, part of working memory.

Question 3

How did Miller (1956) describe STM capacity?

Answer 3

As the “magical number” 7 ± 2, meaning most people can remember 5-9 items.

Question 4

What is chunking in STM?

Answer 4

Grouping information into meaningful units to increase STM capacity.

Question 5

How does chunking demonstrate STM and LTM interaction?

Answer 5

Chunking relies on prior knowledge from long-term memory to organize information.

Question 6

How does articulatory suppression affect STM?

Answer 6

It prevents covert rehearsal, reducing STM capacity to around 3-5 chunks (Cowan, 2001).

Question 7

What is visuospatial short-term memory?

Answer 7

The ability to temporarily store and manipulate visual and spatial information.

Question 8

What is the visuospatial capacity limit?

Answer 8

Around 4 integrated objects, regardless of their features (Luck & Vogel, 1997).

Question 9

Why does STM have a capacity limit?

Answer 9

Biological restrictions like neuronal firing speed and the need to avoid interference.

Question 10

What is the multi-store model of memory?

Answer 10

Atkinson & Shiffrin’s (1968) model with sensory memory, STM, and LTM as separate stores.

Question 11

What supports the multi-store model?

Answer 11

Evidence from amnesics showing dissociations between STM and LTM.

Question 12

What is a limitation of the multi-store model?

Answer 12

It oversimplifies STM as a single store and doesn’t account for working memory functions.

Question 13

What is the multicomponent model of working memory?

Answer 13

Baddeley & Hitch’s (1974) model with the central executive, phonological loop, visuospatial sketchpad, and episodic buffer.

Question 14

What is the phonological loop?

Answer 14

A verbal STM component storing spoken and written language for a brief time.

Question 15

What are the two components of the phonological loop?

Answer 15

The phonological store (inner ear) and the articulatory control process (inner voice).

Question 16

What evidence supports the phonological loop?

Answer 16

Baddeley et al. (1975) showed that phonological similarity and word length affect memory.

Question 17

How does the phonological loop aid language acquisition?

Answer 17

It allows retention and rehearsal of words, which correlates with vocabulary development.

Question 18

What are the components of the visuospatial sketchpad?

Answer 18

The visual cache (stores shapes and colors) and the inner scribe (stores spatial information and movement).

Question 19

What is the episodic buffer?

Answer 19

A limited-capacity store integrating verbal, visual, and episodic information (Baddeley, 2000).

Question 20

How does the episodic buffer interact with LTM?

Answer 20

It organizes information into chunks using semantic and episodic memory from LTM.

Question 21

What is the central executive?

Answer 21

An attentional control system managing resources, task switching, and response inhibition.

Question 22

How is the central executive tested?

Answer 22

Through dual-task performance, random generation tests, and task-switching tests.

Question 23

What is the embedded-processes model of working memory?

Answer 23

Cowan’s (1999) model, where STM is part of activated LTM with a focus of attention on a subset.

Question 24

How does attention function in the embedded-processes model?

Answer 24

It can be voluntary (central executive) or involuntary, determining memory activation and focus.

Question 25

What is the levels-of-processing theory?

Answer 25

Craik & Lockhart’s (1972) theory that deeper semantic processing improves memorability.

Question 26

What is the testing effect?

Answer 26

The phenomenon where retrieval practice (testing) improves long-term retention more than restudying.

Question 27

How does retrieval benefit learning?

Answer 27

By creating additional memory traces and activating associative information.

Question 28

What did Roediger & Karpicke (2006) find about testing?

Answer 28

Testing enhances memory after longer delays but not immediately after learning.

Question 29

What is trace decay in forgetting?

Answer 29

The fading of memory traces over time without reinforcement.

Question 30

What is interference in memory?

Answer 30

When other information disrupts memory encoding, storage, or retrieval.

Question 31

What are the types of interference?

Answer 31

Proactive (old memories interfere with new) and retroactive (new memories interfere with old).

Question 32

What is retroactive facilitation?

Answer 32

Improved memory for original information when participants focus on distinguishing new changes.

Question 33

What is the distinctiveness effect?

Answer 33

Memory is better for unique or different information processed distinctively.

Question 34

What is the role of semantic processing in memory?

Answer 34

It strengthens memory encoding and retrieval, making information more accessible.

Question 35

What are the benefits of forgetting?

Answer 35

Reducing mental clutter, avoiding interference, and prioritizing relevant information.

Question 36

How do amnesics perform on STM tasks?

Answer 36

They perform well unless tasks require forming new relational memories.

Question 37

What did Ebbinghaus (1885) demonstrate about forgetting?

Answer 37

Forgetting follows a logarithmic pattern, with rapid loss initially, then slower decline.

Question 38

What is the dual-memory theory of retrieval?

Answer 38

Testing strengthens original traces and creates secondary memory traces.

Question 39

How does working memory affect education?

Answer 39

It underpins cognitive development, learning, and task performance (Cowan, 2014).

Question 40

What are the limitations of unitary-store models?

Answer 40

They don’t explain dissociations in patients or how STM supports learning new vocabulary.