Memory Flashcards
Sensory Register
Duration: Up to 1.5 secs.
Capacity: Unmeasurable, info/stimuli doesn’t stay in this store for long enough to be measured
Coding: Occurs through our 5 senses
Movement: Moves to STM through paying attention to stimuli
Short Term Memory
Duration: Up to 30 secs
Capacity: 5-9 items
Coding: Acoustically (through sounds)
Movement: Moves to LTM through sub-vocal repetition and rehearsal
Long Term Memory
Duration: Potentially a lifetime if frequently rehearsed
Capacity: Potentially unlimited
Coding: Semantically (processed through meaning)
Baddeley Aims
Research of encoding in LTM and STM
Baddeley Findings + Conclusions
- LTM relies on Semantic Coding (processed through meaning)
- STM relies on Acoustic Coding (processed through sounds)
- Words that are similar = more tricky to process, STM struggles to process it
Baddeley Evaluation and RM
- Independent Groups study (participants take part in only one of the groups)
- Lack ecological validity
- Demand Characteristics
Baddeley Procedure
- Word Lists
- Group 1 Semantic (meaning), Group 2 Acoustic (sound)
Miller Aims
- Capacity of STM
Miller Procedure
- Arrangements of flashing dots on the screen
Miller Findings
- Capacity: 5-9 items
- Participants were able to count up to 7 dots
- Chunking: Information processed easier through chunking, categorising and adding meaning
Miller Evaluation and RM
- Lack ecological validity
- Demand Characteristics
Peterson and Peterson Aims
- Duration of STM
- Emphasises the importance of rehearsal
Peterson and Peterson Procedure
- 24 psychology students
- Random, meaningless Trigram
- Counting back by 3 from a given number
- Intervals of trigram increased by 3 seconds each time
Peterson and Peterson Evaluation and RM
- Lack ecological validity
- Demand Characteristics
Peterson and Peterson Findings
- Empirical Evidence for multi-store model of memory
- After 3 secs: 80% recall
- After 6 secs: 50% recall
- After 18 secs: Less than 10% recall
Bahrick Aims
- Establish existence of VLTM (very LTM)
- Investigate the difference between recognition and recall
Bahrick Procedure
- 392 graduates shown photographs from high school yearbook
- Group 1 (recognition): List of names, matching exercise
- Group 2 (recall): No names, entirely from memory
Bahrick Findings and Conclusion
- Group 1 accuracy:
- 80% = after 25 years
- 75% = after 34 years
- 60% = after 47 years
- Group 2 accuracy:
- 60% = after 7 years
- > 20% = after 47 years
- People can remember certain types of info. for almost a lifetime
- Accuracy of VLTM better when measured by recognition tests than by recall tests
- Prompts/Cues are required to access and stimulate a memory
Bahrick Evaluation and RM
- Experimental Design: Independent Groups
- RM: Field Experiment
- Longitudinal Study (over long period of time)
- Good sample size WWW
- Extraneous Variables (e.g graduates frequently look at yearbook = frequent rehearsal of info.) EBI
Baddley + Dual Task
- People can perform two tasks at same time as long as tasks use different components i.e can’t talk + listen to teacher
- Can’t multitask with same sub-component bc each task is competing for the same limited capacity
- Baddely found that people could not recall what they read if they said ‘La La La’ at same time
Multi Store Model
- 1968 Atkinson and Shiffrin
- First theoretical model
- Linear model SR -> STM -> LTM
- Each store is unitary (stand alone, nothing else happens within)
Acoustic Coding
We process info through hearing sounds.
How our STM processes info.
We don’t have to understand the info at this point.
Acoustic Coding
- We process info through hearing sounds.
- How our STM processes info.
- We don’t have to understand the info at this point.
- Words that are similar are more difficult to remember as our STM struggles to process it.
Semantic Coding
- We process by understanding the meaning of information.
- LTM. Baddeley 1966
- We have to understand the information for it to be processed and stored.
Overall AO3 MSM
- All studies support the MSM.
- But should be treated with caution.
- Demand Characteristics
- Extraneous Variables, Bahrick
- Ecological Validity: not entirely applicable to everyday life, you may prepare for a memory test.
Clive Wearing
- Procedural Memory, he could remember piano which is part of LTM
- Concluded that his STM had been effected
- Semantic Memory (LTM) - he can understand language and the meaning of words.
- Refutes MSM which suggested that it is unitary. This explanation is too basic.
HM Case Study
- The hippocampus is responsible for the establishment of the LTM.
- He couldn’t make any new memories.
- He had surgery for epilepsy. Led to findings about the different types of STM and LTM.
- Could learn new procedures using motor skills but didn’t remember learning it.
- Couldn’t learn semantically (through meaning.)
Hippocampus + Case Studies
- Major role in forming new memories.
- Evidence for its role comes from CW and HM.
- Both had damaged their hippocampus but their LTM were intact.
- Neither could form new memories (turn STM into LTM.)
- MSM is too basic. Memory much more complex.
- If MSM valid = damage to a single store would mean the whole store is damaged. It wasn’t with HR.
AO2 Brain Scanning Research into MSM
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- MRIs scans show which part of the brain is being used when certain tasks are carried out.
- Hippocampus found to be active when learning new info and making new memories.
- Prefrontal lobes active when STM in use.
- Supports the existence of different stores for different memories i.e Procedural, Episodic, Semantic.
Different types of LTM
- Tulving 1985 realised there were different types of LTM.
- HM + CW = both procedural LTM
- CW = Not episodic.
Episodic LTM
- Relating to episodes, important moments and events. E.g wedding.
- Episodes are time stamped: won’t remember exact date but have a very good idea of when it was.
- Have to make a CONSCIOUS effort to recall the info
- Explicit memory
- May remember emotions attached to memory.
Semantic Memory
- Knowledge about places, people, facts.
- Not time stamped: Usually can’t remember when you learnt it.
- Have to deliberately recall these facts.
- I.e what is the capital of France?
Procedural Memory
- Implicit: Once mastered, it is hard to tell someone else how to do it.
- Automatic Response.
- Recall the skill without conscious thought once it is mastered.
- E.g how to ride a bike.
AO3 Types of LTM
- Empirical Evidence HM + CW
- MRI Scans and Cognitive Neuroscience
WMM
- Exclusively models the STM.
- Most updated theoretical model to explain memory.
- STM = not unitary = different components
- STM = What we process immediately.
- Baddeley and Hitch 1974 (minus the episodic buffer which was added later.)
- Info is still fragile in the STM. Overload and Overworked.
- We can be distracted.
Central Executive (CE)
- In charge of STM.
- All info goes through the CE.
- Process info and sends to either PL or VSS depending on coding.
- Allocates resources very quickly.
- Limited capacity. Only focus on one thing at one time.
- Most important component.
- CE damaged = new memories not processed.
Visuospatial Sketchpad (VSS)
- Inner Eye.
- Deals with visual information. Images.
- Deals with spatial awareness. Planning a route/navigating.
- Limited Capacity.
Phonological Loop (PL)
- Two parts: Inner ear and Inner Voice.
- Deals with speech based info.
Stimuli –> CE –> PL –> Inner Ear (sub-vocal repetition) –> Inner Voice.
- Reading a book = Inner ear as repeated in sub vocal repetition.
- Inner voice lasts for about 2 secs.
Inner Voice, Inner Ear
- We have to repeat info mentally with our inner voice in order to hear it in our inner ear.
AO2 KF
- Supports WMM.
- WMM sees there are different stores within the STM.
- He suffered brain damage (motorcycle.) No problem with LTM.
- Could remember things from VSS (visual) but not PL (auditory)
- Evidence against MSM.
- His memory for visual info was largely unaffected. Shows the separate components for STM.