Midterm 2 Flashcards
memory
processes involved in retaining, retrieving, and using information about stimuli, images, events, ideas, and skills after the original information is no longer present; active system that stores, organizes, alters, and recovers information
Clive Wearing
worst case of amnesia ever known; unable to form new memories; can remember skill sets; remembers his wife; memory lasts about 20 seconds
acquisition
the process of gaining information and placing it into memory
encoding
converting information into a useable form
storage
holding the information in memory until it is needed
retrieval
locating the needed information and bringing it into active use
three different types of memory
sensory memory, working (short-term) memory, and long-term memory
sensory memory
storing an exact copy of incoming information for less than a second; the first stage of memory
types of sensory memory
iconic memory and echoic memory
iconic memory
a fleeting mental image or visual representation
echoic memory
after a sound is heard, a brief continuation of the sound in the auditory system
short-term memory
holds five to seven items for about 15-20 seconds
long-term memory
can hold a large amount of information for years or even decades
modal model by Atkinson and Shiffrin
input –> sensory memory –> short-term memory (rehearsal) –> output OR long-term memory
sensory memory has a large capacity…
but decays fast
working memory
replaced short-term memory; duration is temporary and fragile; capacity and size is limited; relatively easy entry; relatively easy retrieval
primacy effect
better memory for the first few items relative to middle items; based on long-term memory
recency effect
better memory for the last few items; last few items are not displaced by future items; based on working memory
working memory is limited to approximately this many words
5-6 words
claims about recency
manipulation of working memory should affect the recall of recent items but not items presented earlier in the list; engaging in an activity that requires working memory should displace any contents currently in working memory; early items should not be affected because LTM does not depend on the current activity
function of working memory
used whenever multiple elements or ideas are combined or compared in the mind; virtually all mental activities require the coordination of multiple pieces of information; individuals can differ in WM capacity; a status
digit-span task
the number of digits the person can echo back without errors is that person’s digit span
average WM capacity
7 plus-or-minus 2 chunks
chunking
repackaging of the information held in WM; reduces WM load, but does not increase capacity