Memory: Studies

Question 1

Who investigated the coding of LTM and STM?

Answer 1

Baddeley

Question 2

Outline Baddeley’s research into memory:

Answer 2

Gave different lists of words to four groups of ppts to remember.
Shown the original words and asked to recall in the correct order.

Question 3

What were the different lists of words in Baddeley’s study?

Answer 3

Acoustically similar eg. cat, cab, can
Acoustically dissimilar eg. pit, sew, cow
Semantically similar eg. great, large, big
Semantically dissimilar eg. good, huge, hot

Question 4

What were the findings of Baddeley’s research?

Answer 4

Immediately (STM)- Worse with acoustically similar words
After 20 minutes (LTM)- Worse with semantically similar words
Therefore, STM is coded acoustically and LTM is coded semantically

Question 5

Who investigated the capacity of STM? (2 researchers)

Answer 5

Jacobs and Miller

Question 6

Outline Jacob’s study into STM:

Answer 6

Read out 4 digits, ppts recalled out loud in the order.

If read out correctly 5 digits will be read out, one digit will be added each time until they cannot recall correctly.

Question 7

What were the findings of Jacobs study into STM?

Answer 7

Mean= 9.3 for digits and 7.3 for letters

Question 8

Outline Miller’s observations about STM?

Answer 8

7 notes on a scale, 7 days in a week, 7 deadly sins
Span of STM= 7 +/- 2
Recall of 5 words was as easy as 5 letters
Chunking can extent recall

Question 9

Who investigated the duration of STM?

Answer 9

Peterson and Peterson

Question 10

Outline Peterson and Peterson’s research into STM?

Answer 10

24 students, 8 trials each
Given a consanant syllable eg. YCG to remember
Given a 3 digit to count back from to prevent rehearsal
Stop after varying times: 3,6,9, 12, 15 or 18

Question 11

What were the findings of Peterson and Peterson’s research into STM?

Answer 11

After 3 seconds average recall: 80%
After 18 seconds: 3%
Unless info was repeated.
STM Duration= 18 seconds

Question 12

Who investigated the duration of LTM?

Answer 12

Bahrick

Question 13

Outline Bahrick’s study into LTM:

Answer 13

392 Americans aged 17-74

High school year books obtained and recall of classmates was tested in 2 ways.

Question 14

What were the 2 ways that Bahrick tested recall?

Answer 14

1. Photo recognition consisting of 50 photos

2. Free recall of names

Question 15

What were the results of Bahrick’s study?

Answer 15

Tests after 15 years=90% accurate in photo recognition
After 48 years= Recall declined to about 70% for photos
Free recall was less accurate
15 years= 60%
48 years= 30%
LTM can last up to a lifetime.

Question 16

What is a strength of Baddeley’s study?

Answer 16

Identified difference between 2 stores.

Important step in understanding memory which led to the MSM.

Question 17

What is a limitation of Baddeley’s study?

Answer 17

Used artificial stimuli rather than meaningful material.
Eg. word list had no personal meaning.
Findings may not tell us much about coding in different kinds of memory tasks.
Semantic coding may be used for more meaningful info.
Findings= limited application

Question 18

What is a strength of Jacobs study?

Answer 18

It has been replicated.
Whilst the study is old and may lack adequate controls (digit spans may have been underestimated as they were distracted), the findings have been confirmed by better controlled studies eg. Bopp and Verhaeghen.
Suggests that this is a valid test of digit span.

Question 19

What is a limitation of Miller’s study?

Answer 19

May have overestimated STM capacity.
Cowan reviewed other research finding that capacity of STM is only about 4 +/- 1 chunks.
Suggests that the lower end of Miller’s estimate is more appropriate (5).

Question 20

What is a limitation of Peterson and Peterson’s study?

Answer 20

The stimulus material was artificial.
Recalling consanant syllables doesn’t reflect most everyday memory activities.
Lacks external validity.
But not completely irrelevant as we often try to remember meaningless materials.

Question 21

What is a strength of Bahrick?

Answer 21

High external validity as researchers investigated meaningful memories.