Memory

Question 1

What are the 4 main components of the WMM?

Answer 1

• central executive
• phonological loop
• episodic buffer
  -visuo-spatial sketchpad

Question 2

Describe the roles of the 4 components of WMM?

Answer 2

• central executive = controls and coordinates the operation of other subsystems
• phonological loop = split into phonological store (speech perception, inner ear) and articulatory control process (speech production)
• episodic buffer = provides a general storage facility and receives information from LTM to combine with other subsystems
• visuo-spatial sketchpad (inner eye) = manipulates visual images, specialised for spatial and/or visual encoding

Question 3

Define interference

Answer 3

When our memory traces are disrupted or obscured by other information/other memories. It is more likely to occur when memories are similar e.g., someone learning Spanish then learns Italian

Question 4

What are the 2 types of interference?

Answer 4

• proactive = when previous learning disrupts later learning
• retroactive = when later learning disrupts previous learning

Question 5

Define retrieval failure?

Answer 5

When information stored in the memory cannot be accessed because the retrieval cues are inadequate.

Question 6

What are the 3 types of retrieval failure?

Answer 6

• cue-dependent forgetting = a cue is a stimulus which triggers recall e.g., a photo from holiday
• state-dependent forgetting = remembering something because of an internal cue e.g., depressed
• context-dependent forgetting = if someone is in the same context as learning, they’re more likely to remember what they learned originally