memory Flashcards
what is the multistore memory model
the theory of
the sensory register -> the short term register -> the long term register
how do you get from the sensory register to the short term register
attention
how do you get from the short term register to the long term register
rehearsal
what is encoding
how information is stored in our brains
what is capacity
how much information can be stored in each component
what is duration
the length of time a memory lasts in each component
what is the capacity of the sensory register
very limited
what is the encoding of the sensory register
iconic / echoic
what is the duration of the sensory register
seconds
what is the capacity of the short term register
7 +/- 2 ‘chunks’
what is the encoding of the short term register
acoustic
what is the duration of the short term register
30 seconds
what is the capacity of the long term register
unlimited
what is the encoding of the long term register
semantic
what is the duration of the long term register
forever
what was the aim of bartletts reconstructive memory study ‘war of the ghosts’
to test the nature of reconstructive memory using an unfamiliar story
what is reconstructive memory
the theory that memories are not an exact copy, but an interpretation of events based on our past experiences (schemas)
what are schemas
a cognitive framework or concept that helps organise and interpret information in our brains. our schemas influence our memory encoding and retrieval
what is familiarisation
changing unfamiliar details to align with our own schemas
what is transformation
changing details to make them more familiar and rational
what is rationalisation
adding details to give a reason for something that didn’t originally fit with a schema
what is omission
leaving out irrelevant, unfamiliar or unpleasant details
what method did bartlett use
participants were asked to read war of the ghosts. they were then randomly allocated into two conditions
what was the first condition of bartlett’s study
serial reproduction - participants would read the story, wait 15 minutes and tell another participant about it
what was the second condition of bartletts study
repeated reproduction - participants would read the story, then recall after intervals of 15 minutes, 24 hours, 1 week and 1 month later
what were the results of bartlett’s study
in both conditions participants struggled to accurately recall the story, filling in the blanks in their memories with their own schemas
