memory Flashcards
capacity
max amount of info memory can hold
central executive
WMM - directs attention to necessary slave system
coding
the way info is transferred into a suitable format for our brain
duration
length of time info stays stored in memory
episodic buffer
WMM - combines info from different slave systems and also link to LTM to support STM
episodic memory
type of LTM, events eg, 10th birthday
leading questions
a question that encourages a certain answer, biased
long-term memory
unlimited capacity and duration, semantic coding
phonological loop
WMM - auditory coding, holds info like words, number
Repeating info over and over in a loop to keep in STM or transfer to LTM (sub-vocal repetition)
Proactive interference
Explanation for forgetting - previously learned info interferes with new info trying to store
Procedural memory
type of unconscious LTM - skills eg. walking, playing piano
retroactive interference
explanation for forgetting - new info learned interferes with information we’ve already learned
semantic memory
LTM - facts, figures
sensory register
MSM - auditory and visual coding, 0.5 secs, unlimited capacity
If attention paid to it then transfers into STM
short term memory
30 sec duration, 5-9 capacity, acoustic coding can be converted to LTM by rehearsal
visuo-spatial sketchpad
WMM - where visual and spatial info is stored
STM and LTM coding research
Baddeley - 75 pps, 4 conditions, 5 words in each list that are: acoustically similar, acoustically dissimilar, semantically similar and semantically dissimilar
When immediately recalling (STM): pps did worst with acoustically similar (55% accuracy)
When recalling after 20 mins (LTM): pps did worst with semantically dissimilar
STM capacity research
Jacobs digit span test - pps immediately recall either sequence of letters or numbers which increases in length by one each time and they continue until they can’t correctly recall the sequence. Letters roughly 7 on average and numbers roughly 9, suggesting STM capacity is around 5-9 or 7+/-2
Miller recognised the idea of ‘chunking’ info to make what would have been multiple pieces of info into just 1 in order to increase capacity
MSM weaknesses
- rehearsal not necessarily required for LTM
- ‘deep processing’ states learning info well with more meaning more likely to be lasting so criticises rehearsal as too simple
MSM comparison to WMM
MSM more complete as includes all STM and LTM but WMM more complex as more detailed, in depth STM
Outline MSM
- Atkinson and Shiffrin
- how info moves from one store to another of 3 unitary stores (sensory register, STM, LTM)
- features of each
- attention: info from sr to STM, if not then decays
- maintenance rehearsal: acoustic repetition to keep in STM or move to LTM otherwise decays
- retrieval: LTM info brought into STM to use
LTM capacity research
- Linton
- diary recording 7 years recalling 11000 events with a cue word for each
- when tested with cue words she recalled with about 70% accuracy
- huge LTM capacity
LTM capacity evaluation
Linton
- good ecological validity as test of everyday memory so not artificial
- bad population validity as case study so unique to her and her memory will differ from others so can’t be generalized to all
STM capacity evaluation
- good internal validity as controlled lab experiment
- reliable can be replicated as standardised procedure
- bad ecological validity as not a fair test of everyday memory
Coding evaluation
Baddeley
- good internal validity as lab experiment, controlled environment
- lack of ecological validity as not valid test of everyday memory
STM duration research
Peterson + Peterson
- 24 psychology students
- nonsense trigrams, count backwards from 30 in threes to prevent rehearsal
- recall trigrams after 3 seconds
- Interval increase by 3 seconds each time
- 80% recalled after 3 seconds, 10% after 18 seconds
STM duration evaluation
Trigrams
- good internal validity as lab experiment
- limited sample as opportunity sampling not representable of whole target population so not fully generalisable
