Memory Researchers

Question 1

Jacob’s (MSM)

Answer 1

Capacity for STM:
Digit span task

7.3 mean digit span for letters
9.3 mean digit span for numbers

Question 2

Bahrick (MSM)

Answer 2

Duration of LTM:
Tested ppts on ability to remember students from their high school year group.
15 years - 90% recognition
48 years - 70% recognition

Question 3

Clive wearing (MSM + LTM)

Answer 3

Proves that LTM is not unitary like MSM proposes:
Contracted a viral infection- lost his long term declarative memory (episodic) but still has use of his long term procedural memory

Question 4

Millers (MSM)

Answer 4

7+-2

Question 5

Logie (WMM)

Answer 5

Subdivided the Visual spatial sketchpad into visual cache and inner scribe

Question 6

Baddeley (WMM)

Answer 6

Research support for different stores of STM:
Dual task studies
Found that ppts could do diff tasks that take up capacity in diff stores
- ppts asked to complete verbal task in articulatory loop and separate task in central executive- recall not affected - when ppts asked to complete two similar tasks both in articulatory loop- recall on first task affected

Question 7

Cohen et al (WMM)

Answer 7

Brain scan studies to support different stores of STM:
Verbal task - Broca’s area linked to speech production
Task requiring Visual spatial sketchpad - occipital lobe linked to visual processing

Question 8

Berz (WMM)

Answer 8

WMM does not account for all types of memory

Discovered musical memory

Question 9

Tulving et al: (LTM)

Answer 9

Tulving’s main idea about LTM: That the LTM is a MULTI-PART system made up of two or more components containing DIFFERENT types of information

Neuroimaging supporting evidence of LTM:
Episodic memories - prefrontal cortex
Semantic memories - posterior region of the cortex

Question 10

Belleville et al (LTM)

Answer 10

Real life application of LTM:
B demonstrated that episodic memories could be improved in older people with a mild cognitive impairment

Question 11

Postman study (INTERFERENCE)

Answer 11

Retro active interference:
Two groups had to learn a list of paired words e.g cat-tree
Experimental group had to learn a list of words where second paired word was different e.g cat-glass
Control group not given second list
- recall of first list higher in control than exp group
- more interference leads to more forgetting

Question 12

McGeogh and McDonald (INTERFERENCE)

Answer 12

Evidence for role of similarity:
Had different groups of ppts learn 2 lists of words.
- one group: second list consisted of synonyms of the first
- another group: second list consisted of nonsense syllables (e.g GVX, HRE)
List with Synonyms of the first list -12% accuracy
List with Nonsense syllables - 26% accuracy

Question 13

Danaher et al (INTERFERENCE)

Answer 13

Practical applications of IT:
Both recall and recognition of advertiser’s message were impaired when ppts were expressed to two adverts from competing brands sporadically throughout the week

Question 14

Ceraso (interference theory)

Answer 14

Found that if memory was tested again 24 hours, recognition showed considerable spontaneous recovery - ppts able to recognise words they seemed to have forgotten

Question 15

Godden and Baddeley (RF)

Answer 15

Diver study:
18 divers learn list of 36 unrelated words - either underwater/ onland - then asked to free recall words either underwater / onland

Question 16

Goodwin et al (RF)

Answer 16

Male ppts had to rememebr and recall words after 24 hrs either drunk or sober

Question 17

Carter and Cassiday (RF)

Answer 17

Research support:
Gave ppts antihistamine or placebo to learn and recall list of words

Question 18

Abernathy (RF)

Answer 18

Practical application:
Suggests that when trying to recall info, imagine the context where info was learned (mental reinstatement) so that you can trigger recall - as effective as being in the same context (context reinstatement)

Question 19

Godden and Baddeley (RF EVAL)

Answer 19

Artificial evidence:
Contexts of learning and recall extremely different - everyday life is not that drastically different

Question 20

Godden and Baddeley (RF)

Answer 20

Extent of forgetting depends on the way memory is tested and theory doesn’t account for this:
They replicated their exp using recognition task instead of free recall - no context dependant forgetting

Question 21

Loftus and Palmer (leading questions)

Answer 21

45 American students shown 7 films of diff car accidents - questionnaire with one critical question - “About how fast were the cars going when they ______ each other” - ppts divided into 5 groups and each asked critical question with one of the verbs: hit, smashed, collided, bumped, contacted.
Smashed (more impactful verb): 40.8 mph
contacted (less impactful verb): 31.8 mph

Question 22

Gabbert et al (misleading info on EWT)

Answer 22

Effect of post event discussion in distorting accuracy of EWT
Ppts split into pairs- each ppt watched vid of same crime but from diff viewpoints- both ppt then discussed what saw before individually completing test of recall. Control group- no discussion
- exp group: 71% of ppts mistakenly recalled aspects of the event they did not see in the vid but picked up in discussion
Control group: 0%
- due to lack of self confidence

Question 23

Foster et al (misleading info on EWT) + (anxiety on EWT)

Answer 23

If ppts thought they were watching a real life robbery important to a real life trial - their identification of the robber was more accurate

Question 24

Yuille and Cutshall (misleading info on EWT)

Answer 24

Studied real life situation of a shooting outside a gun shop in Canada. Examined witness recall of a real life crime 5 months after incident and asked them two leading questions - did not alter accuracy of recall from original statements

Question 25

Johnson and Scott (anxiety on EWT)

Answer 25

Weapon focus:
Two exp conditions - one w weapon and one without. Ppts asked to sit outside lab where they thought heard genuine discussion between 2 ppl. Low anxiety (no weapon) condition- peaceful convo abt office equipment and man emerged holding a pen with grease on his hands
High anxiety condition (with weapon)- convo more heated- ppts heard breaking glass, man emerged holding knife covered in blood
- all ppts then asked to identify man from 50 photos
Low anxiety condition- 49% accurate recall
High: 33% due to heightened anxiety and emotional arousal - less accurate recall due to weapon focus effect

Question 26

Loftus and Burns (anxiety on EWT)

Answer 26

Violent video:
Ppts watched film of simulated robbery - some watched non violent some watched violent (boy shot in the face)- less recall due to disruption of memory

Question 27

Christianson and Hubinette (anxiety on EWT)

Answer 27

Conducted a natural exp which found emotional arousal enhances EWT
- questioned 110 real witnesses to 22 real bank robberies- those who had been threatened - much more accurate recall of details than onlookers and less emotionally aroused

Question 28

Milne and Bull (cognitive interview)

Answer 28

Found that each technique used individually produced more info than standard police interview.
Found combination of REPORT EVERYTHING and CONTEXT REINSTATEMENT produced better recall than any other conditions

Question 29

Geiselman et al (cognitive interview)

Answer 29

Showed ppts police training videos of simulated violent crimes. 48 hours later- interviewed abt the films by an experienced Los Angeles police officer using cognitive interview, a standard police interview or hypnosis. Found that Cognitive interview elicited most accurate recall followed by hypnosis and then standard interview

Question 30

Kohnken et al (cognitive interview)

Answer 30

Meta analysis of 55 studies into cognitive interview - 81% increase in correct information but also 61% increase in incorrect information compared to standard police interview