memory 3.3

Question 1

memory

Answer 1

the capacity of the brain to encode information, store it, retain it and then retrieve it when required

Question 2

encoding

Answer 2

information must be converted into a form that the brain can be processed, stored and retrieved later from the STM or LTM

Question 3

storage

Answer 3

retaining the information over a period of time

Question 4

retention

Answer 4

the ability to recall and recognise what has been learned or experienced

Question 5

retrieval

Answer 5

recovery of the stored material from either short term or long term memory

Question 6

the three levels of memory

Answer 6

sensory, short term and long term

Question 7

how is information passed

Answer 7

information enters the brain first through sensory memory and enters short term memory (STM) the information is then either transferred to long term memory (LTM) or is discarded

Question 8

sensory memory

Answer 8

retains all the visual and auditory input received for a few seconds and only selected images and sounds are encode into short term memory

Question 9

short term memory

Answer 9

has a limited capacity (about 7 items) and can only hold information for a short period of time (approx 30 seconds) and retrieval of items during this time is very accurate and after this the information is either transferred to LTM or lost by displacement or decay, it can also process data to limited extent as well as store it, this “working memory” model explains why the STM can perform simple cognitive tasks

Question 10

how to measure a persons short term memory span

Answer 10

by finding out the number of individual ‘meaningless’ items that they can reproduce correctly and in order immediately after seeing or hearing them once

Question 11

how can memory be kept in STM

Answer 11

by rehearsal

Question 12

serial position effect

Answer 12

when recalling a series of objects most item’s remembered are at the start (primary effect) and the end (recency effect) of the sequence

Question 13

the primary effect

Answer 13

occurs because there has been some time for rehearsal

Question 14

the regency effect

Answer 14

is due to displacement or decay of earlier objects

Question 15

how to improve the capacity of STM

Answer 15

chunking, grouping items together to make a single item

Question 16

long term memory

Answer 16

has unlimited capacity and holds information for a long time

Question 17

how is information successfully transferred from STM to LTM

Answer 17

rehearsal, organisation and elaboration

Question 18

rehearsal

Answer 18

regarded as a shallow form of encoding means revising and repeating the information

Question 19

organisation

Answer 19

when information is organised into logical categories by linking with previous memories

Question 20

elaboration

Answer 20

when the meaning of the item is analysed, this is regarded as a deeper form of encoding which leads to improved information retention

Question 21

how is information retrieved from LTM

Answer 21

is aided by contextual cues which relate to the time and place when the information was initially encoded into LTM