memory Flashcards
what is short-term memory?
temporary memory store that holds a limited amount of information for a short period of time
what is long-term memory?
permanent memory store which holds unlimited amounts of information for long periods of time
what is coding?
changing the format of information for use in memory
what is capacity?
the amount of information that can be held in memory
what is duration?
the length of time information remains in memory
what is acoustic coding?
the storing of information in terms of the sound
what is semantic coding?
the storing of information in terms of the meaning of what is said
what is encoding?
the initial learning of information
what is retrieval?
the process of getting something back from long-term memory
coding of STM
- codes acoustically
evidence: Baddeley’s recall of similar/dissimilar words
capacity of STM
5-9 items
evidence: Jacobs’ digit span (9.3 digits / 7.3 letters)
Miller’s chunking items together extends STM capacity (7+/-2)
duration of STM
18 - 30 seconds
evidence: Peterson & Peterson’s trigrams (18 seconds without rehearsal)
coding of LTM
semantic
evidence: Baddeley’s recall of similar/dissimilar words
capacity of LTM
unlimited
evidence: N/A
duration of LTM
a lifetime
evidence: Bahrick’s yearbook study - face recognition 90%; free recall 60% (15 yrs)
face recognition 70%; free recall 30% (48 yrs)
capacity of sensory memory
all sensory experiences
duration of sensory memory
1/4 second - visual
4 seconds - auditory
coding of sensory memory
in the form in which it is received (sense specific)
evaluation of Baddeley’s research on coding
+ established a clear difference between two memory stores
- artificial stimuli was used as opposed to meaningful material
evaluation of Jacobs’ study on capacity
+ has been replicated
evaluation of Miller’s study on capacity
- capacity of short-term memory may have been overestimated
evaluation of Peterson & Peterson’s study on duration
stimulus material was artificial
evaluation of Bahrick’s study on duration
+ high external validity
who is KF?
had amnesia
STM recall for digits was poor when read to him but good when he read them aloud
what is sensory memory?
compromises several memory stores (one for all five senses)
coding in each store is modality specific (ie store coding for visual information is iconic)
what is the multi store model of memory?
describes how information flows through the memory system
suggests memory is made up of three stores linked by processing
what is iconic memory?
the storage of visual memory that allows people to visualise an image after the physical stimulus is no longer present
what is echoic memory?
registers specific to auditory information
what is maintenance rehearsal?
straight repeating of information to memorise it
also called rote rehearsal
can be done mentally
what is prolonged rehearsal?
a way to memorise information more effectively and maintain it in your LTM
what is elaborative rehearsal?
encoding strategy
facilitates the formation of memory by linking new information to what you already know
what is amnesia?
memory loss
the case of HM
underwent brain surgery to relieve epilepsy
hippocampus was removed from both sides of his brain
when his memory was assessed in 1955 he thought it was 1953 and thought he was 27 (he was 31)
could not form new LTM memories
performed well on immediate STM memory span tests
the case of HM (in relation to MSM)
supports MSM as it shows there are two separate memory stores (LTM and STM)
shows that it is possible to sustain damage to to one store and not the other - LTM was badly damaged, STM was less badly impacted
evaluation of MSM
S - Baddeley found that we mix up similarly sounding words when using STM, but mix up words with similar meanings when using our LTM
L - many studies on MSM do not use materials that are meaningful (ie words - Baddeley, digits, letters - Jacobs)
L - KF’s STM was very poor when things were read aloud to him but was much better when he read aloud himself
L - elaborative rehearsal is needed for LTM storage - means that information can be transferred to LTM without prolonged rehearsal
what is episodic memory?
LTM store for personal events
timestamped
deliberate recall
ie first day of school
what is semantic memory?
factual and meaningful
general information about the world
deliberate recall
ie knowing london is the capital city of england
what is procedural memory?
memory for actions or skills
does not require deliberate recall
more difficult to explain compared to episodic and semantic
ie how to drive a car
case of clive wearing
severe form of amnesia (from severe infection that attacked his brain)
was a world-class musician and can still play to the same level
can remember some aspects of his life but not others
procedural memory is still intact and semantic memory was relatively unaffected
supports Tulving’s view that there are different LTM stores
evaluation of types of LTM
S - evidence from case studied HM and Clive Wearing
C - clinical studies lack control of variables
L - conflicting neuroimaging evidence
S - allows psychologists to help people with specific memory problems
what is the working memory model?
an explanation of STM and how it functions
what is central executive?
has overall control
monitors incoming data, makes decisions, allocates systems to different tasks
capacity: limited
coding: depends on specific sense ie visual
what is phonological loop?
contains phonological store: stores the words you hear
contains articulatory process: maintenance rehearsal (repeating sounds/words in a loop)
capacity: limited - 2 seconds
coding: visual
what is visuospatial sketchpad?
holds static images to manipulate them
visual cache = visual data
inner scribe = records the arrangement of objects in the visual field
capacity: limited - 3-4 objects
coding: visual
what is episodic buffer?
temporary store
integrates visual, spatial, verbal info processed by other stores
maintains time sequencing
storage component of central executive
links WM to LTM & other cognitive processes (ie perception)
capacity: limited to about 4 chunks
coding: depends on specific sense (ie visual)
case of KF
amnesic patient
STM for digits was poor when read out to him, but much better when he read them himself
shows there could be another STM store for non verbal info
evaluation of WMM
L - lack of clarity over nature of central executive
S - studies of dual-task performance support separate existence of visuo-spatial sketchpad
S - clinical evidence (KF)
C - unclear is KF had other cognitive impairments (apart from damage to his phonological loop)
