long term memory lect 3 Flashcards
what are the 3 key determinant for LTM
levels of processing
elaboration of processing
distinctiveness
what are the 2 assumptions of levels of processing
craik and lockhart 1972
-levels of processing effect: level or depth of stimulus processing has a large effect on its memorability
-deeper levels of analysis produce more elaborate longer lasting and stronger memory traces than shallow levels
research for levels of processing
-compared deep vs shallow processing
-in deep processing pp asked does the word fit into the sentence “he was a ____ on the street”, requires process of meaning
-in shallow process cond pp asked is the word printed in capital letters, only requires identity of physical characteristics, not meaning
-recognition memory was higher in deep processing cond
what is the elaboration of processing
studied by using complex sentences which require greater elaboration than simple sentences which require less
study for elaboration processing
challis 1996
-studied levels of processing effect comparison between explicit memory and implicit memory
-explicit memory: memory that involves conscious recollection of info
-implicit memory: memory that does not depend on conscious recollection
-the levels of processing effect was greater in the case of explicit memory
what is distinctiveness
memory trace differs from another memory trace bc it was processed differently during learning
study for distinctiveness
eysenk and eysenk 1980
-distinctiveness processing cond pronounce ‘b’ in ‘comb’
-non distinctiveness processing cond pronounce comb normally with silent ‘b’
-pp asked to say noun either in distinctive or non distinctive way
-recognition memory higher in distinctive cond as it was shallow processing involved (no meaning)
what is forgetting
process by which memories are lost
how is some info lost from memory
ebbinghaus
-studied forgetting from LTM using method of savings
-measured amount of time/ no of trials to learn certain amount of info
-looked into how long it takes to re learn info after period of forgetting
-learning lists of nonsense syllables, then re learned each list between 21mins and 31 days after
-took less time to remember the second time compared to first
-savings method example: 50% savings = took half amount of time to learn info the 2nd time
can forgetting be beneficial
yes:
-can enhance psych wellbeing by reducing access to painful memories
-may be useful to forget outdated info so it doesnt interfere with current info
-when trying to remember info may be helpful to forget specific details and focus on overall gist of the message
what are the theories of forgetting
decay
interference
motivated forgetting
what is decay
-forgetting from LTM bc of decay normally happens in sleep
-decay process especially active in hippocampus
-impact of decay may depend on nature of memory trace
-forgetting of weak memories normally due to interference not decay
what are the 2 types of interference
proactive: previously learnt information interferes with learning of new information e.g you already know how to play piano and this interferes with you learning how to play the guitar (coleman 2015)
retroactive: learning a new task/information interferes with memory of old information e.g you get a new phone number meaning you now cannot remember your old number (coleman 2015)
study for proactive interference
Bauml and Kliegl 2013
-pp given word pair lists to recall
-in testing phase only first word of pair provided e.g cat-
-in remember cond only given 2 lists of word pairs and had to recall words only from 2nd test
-if pp recall from 1st list this demonstrates proactive interference
-in forget cond, pp told to learn two lists as before but forget the first list
-in control cond, the pp only learn 1 list so no possibility of interference
-in forget and control cond, pp recalled 68% compared to 41% in remember cond
study for retroactive interference
bauml and kliegl 2013
-pp presented with 2 lists of word pairs
-in test phase, only tested on 1st list
-if pp answer from 2nd list this demonstrates retroactive interference as more recent info interfered in remembering initial word list
what is motivated forgetting and what are the 3 types
by freud
-we block traumatic memories to reduce anxiety
types: repression, directed forgetting, cue dependent forgetting
what is repression
-a defence mechanism according to freud
-we block threatening memories from gaining access to conscious mind to reduce anxiety
-recovered memories: childhood traumatic memories forgotten for several yrs then remembered in adult life
-loftus and davies 2006: most recovered memories are false memories
what is directed forgetting
reduced LTM caused by instructions to forget info that had been presented for learning
-potential mechanisms: direct or rehearsal process, inhibitory processes
what is cue dependent forgetting
forgetting may happen bc we lack appropriate retrieval cue e.g if you have forgotten name of someone you know but if given choice of 4 names you can probably perform better than chance
-Tulving 1979: notion that retrieval depends on the overlap between the info available at retrieval and the info in the memory trace
what are the 4 LTM systems
schacter and tulving 1994
-episodic memory
-semantic memory
-procedural memory
-perceptual representation system
what evidence is there for multiple memory systems
amnesia: cond caused by brain damage where there is severe impairment of LTM
korsakoff’s syndrome: amnesia caused by chronic alcoholism
what does amnesic syndrome involve
-anterograde amnesia: impaired ability to learn and remember info encountered after onset of amnesia, generally effects declarative not procedural
-retrograde amnesia: problems remembering events prior to amnesia onset
-slight impaired STM: measured by digit span
-some remaining learning ability e.g motor skills
what is declarative (explicit memory)
form of LTM involving knowing something is the case
-involves conscious recollection and includes memory for facts (semantic) and events (episodic)
how was declarative memory discovered
by studying amnesia
what is episodic memory
-part of declarative memory
–personal experiences of events that occurred in given place at given time
what is semantic memory
-part of declarative memory
-general knowledge about world, concepts, languages etc, LTM for factual info
what is non declarative (implicit memory)
-does not involve conscious recollection
-involves memory systems that do not draw on factual info
what are the 4 forms of non declarative memory
procedural: memory for skills e.g piano, riding bike
priming: facilitating process of and response to stim by presenting stim related to it shortly beforehand
simple classic cond
habituation sensitisation
what part of LTM do amnesic patients find it harder to remember
declarative
henry molaison
-had epilepsy, treated by surgery removing medial temporal lobes, including hippocampus
-cog ability, STM, and memory of events long time before surgery were good
-severe impairment of LTM e.g could not recognise pic of himself
-found it much harder to store declarative memories but still had reasonable ability for non declarative memories
-supports idea of multiple LTM systems
breakdown of LTM
LTM
declarative non declarative
episodic semantic procedural priming etc
tulving 2002, what does episodic memory make it possible to do?
mentally time travel through subjective time from present to past allowing one to re experience previous experiences
what are the 3 Ws to episodic memory
Nairne 2015
-what when where
what is semantic dementia
patients who exhibit very poor semantic memory by reasonably intact episodic memory
-involves damage to anterior temporal lobes
what are the 2 main types of memory tests
recognition and recall
what is a recognition memory test
presenting various items and pp decide whether each was shown previously
what are the types of recall memory tests
serial recall: test of episodic mem where previously presented items must be recalled in order of presentation
free recall: previously presented items recalled in any order
cued recall: previously presented items recalled in response to relevant cues
what is eye witness testimony
coleman 2015 (EWT)
-evidence of events that occurred, actions that were performed or words spoken, given in court by a person who observed the events/actions first hand or heard the words being spoken
why can an EWT be inaccurate?
confirmation bias
misinformation effect
weapon focus phenomenon
own age bias
unconscious transference
other race effect
what is confirmation bias
eyewitness memory distorted by previous experience
-Lindholm and Christianson 1998: swedish and immigrant students watched simulated robbery, expectations of pp in this study may have been influenced by fact that immigrants are over represented in swedish crime stats
what is the misinformation effect
-distorting effect on eyewitness memory of misleading info presented after crime or event
-loftus and palmer 1974: about how fast were the cars going when they smashed (41mph) or hit (34mph) each other
what is the weapon focus effect
eyewitness pay so much attention to weapon they ignore other details and cannot remember them subsequently
what is own age bias
tendency for eyewitness to identify culprit more often when they are of similar age to them
what is unconscious transference
tendency of eyewitness to misidentify a familiar but innocent face as being the person responsible of crime
what is the other race effect
recognition memory for same race faces is generally more accurate than for other race faces
