Memory

Question 1

Define coding, capacity and duration.

Answer 1

Coding: Format which info is stored in memory stores
Capacity: How much info can be held in memory store
Duration: How long info can be held in the memory

Question 2

What are the 3 types of memory?

Answer 2

“SENSORY: Unprocessed info/DURATION=fraction of a second
SHORT TERM: Acoustic coding/5–9 item capacity (Miller’s no.)/18–30 sec duration
LONG TERM: Semantic coding/unlimited capacity/lifetime duration”

Question 3

What was Baddeley’s research on coding and what did he find?

Answer 3

“STUDY: Gave 4 groups words to remember (sound similar/different or similar/different meaning)
FINDING: Immediate recall=sound similar, worse recall (STM coded acoustically)
20 minute recall=mean similar, worse recall (LTM coded semantically)”

Question 4

What were Jacobs and Miller’s research on capacity?

Answer 4

Joseph Jacobs: Given digits and asked to recall them. Digit mean=9.3/letter mean=7.3 (Digit span)
George Miller: Miller’s No=7+or–2. Chunking=easily recall 5 words/letters

Question 5

What did Peterson and Peterson’s research on the duration of the STM show?

Answer 5

“STUDY: 24 undergraduates: 3 letters to remember. Distraction : count backwards from 3 digit number for allotted retention time.
FINDING: Retention up, accuracy down=STM duration short”

Question 6

What is Bahrick’s research on the duration of LTM?

Answer 6

“STUDY: 392 participants (17–74)=tested recall (Recognition/recall). 48 years= recognition accuracy 90% to 70%, Recall=60% to 30%
FINDING: LTM can last a lifetime”

Question 7

What is the evaluation point of the research on coding?

Answer 7

W: The stimuli (words) were artificial and had no meaning. Meaningful information may be encoded semantically in the STM (Baddeley). Findings=limited application.

Question 8

What are the evaluation points of the research on capacity?

Answer 8

“W: Jacob’s study lacked control (confounding variables)=less validity. However other studies confirm results.
W: Miller overestimated STM capacity (7 items). Cowan (2001)=STM capacity=4 chunks of info.”

Question 9

What are the evaluation points of the research on duration?

Answer 9

“W: Peterson and Peterson study stimuli artificial=didn’t reflect everyday life=no external validity
S: Bahrick studied real memories=external validity (confounding variables)
W: Explanation for forgetting=spontaneous decay. Unclear whether Peterson and Peterson were truly measuring capacity.”

Question 10

What is Atkinson and Shiffrin’s Multi–Store Model (MSM)?

Answer 10

Representation of how memory works with three stores (SM, STM, LTM) which describes how info is transferred/remembered/forgotten

Question 11

What is the sensory register (SM)?

Answer 11

“The memory stores for each of our 5 sense. High capacity. Short duration (1/2 second).
Info from SM to STM = Attention”

Question 12

What is the short–term memory (STM)?

Answer 12

“Short term memory store/acoustic coding/5 item capacity/18–30 sec duration.
Maintenance rehearsal: Repeat info=STM to LTM”

Question 13

What is the long–term memory (LTM)?

Answer 13

“Potentially permanent memory store. Semantic coding/infinite capacity/lifetime duration.
Recall info from LTM=transfer back to STM”

Question 14

What are the evaluation points of the MSM?

Answer 14

“S: Baddeley’s findings support model (STM/LTM)
W: Craik/Watkins: Elaborative rehearsal (link info to existing knowledge) STM to LTM (not maintenance
W: studies that support MSM use artificial stimuli=no external validity
W: LTM not unitary, separate stores (semantic, episodic, procedural)”

Question 15

What is the episodic memory?

Answer 15

Our ability to recall events. Time–stamped, remembers several elements within the event, conscious recalling

Question 16

What is the semantic memory?

Answer 16

Our memory store for broad knowledge and concepts. Mix of an encyclopedia and dictionary. No time–stamp, less personal, deliberate recall, constantly adding to it

Question 17

What is the procedural memory?

Answer 17

Memory store for actions and skills, unconscious recall (e.g. driving a car)

Question 18

What are the evaluation points of the types of long–term memory?

Answer 18

“S: Clinical evidence (Clive Wearing/HM)=severe amnesia=damaged episodic, unaffected semantic/procedural
S: Brain scan during memory tasks. Procedural=cerebellum/basal ganglia
S: Real life application=Belleville et al: improve episodic memory (mild cognitive impairment)
W: Brain injury patients lack control=not perfect evidence
W: episodic and semantic are one store called the declarative memory (conscious recall)”

Question 19

What is Baddeley and Hitch’s working memory model (WMM)?

Answer 19

STM explanation of how it’s organised and its functions. It’s concerned with the part of the mind that is constantly manipulating information. Has four main components : Central Executive (CE), Phonological Loop (PL), Visuo–Spatial Sketchpad (VSS) and Episodic Buffer.