Module 4 Flashcards
Procedural memory
The mostly implicit learning and remembering of a specific process.
E.g. learning to ride a bike or play an instrument.
Working memory
A hypothetical short-term memory system which acts as a mental workspace that temporarily holds, analyses and manipulates information (both new and old input/memories).
It has two primary functions:
- Store small amounts of information for a short time
- Handle this information for various cognitive tasks e.g. thinking and understanding language
Working memory is thought to have separate stores for visual and auditory information.
E.g. WM is like a busy office environment
Storage
Where information waits before being retrieved.
Retrieval
The process of recalling information.
Sensory memory
A memory store that takes in as much information as possible (from the senses) at every moment of the day.
Only relevant information is passed from sensory memory to short term memory.
Short-term memory
Memory held in conscious awareness and which is currently receiving attention.
STM can also function as WM: as a mental workspace performing processing operations on old and new memories.
Storage is of brief duration (15-30 seconds) and limited capacity (holds around 4-7 of the most relevant chunks of information at any point in time).
Information is forgotten afterwards unless it is continually rehearsed.
It can also be used for retrieval of memories from storage.
Buffer
What keeps information active in our short-term memory before reaching the rehearsal threshold and passing through to long term memory.
Miller’s magic number
We can hold seven plus or minus two chunks of information in short term memory.
Central executive
A hypothetical mechanism believed to have overall control of working memory, cognitive processing, and is the main focus of conscious awareness.
Controls tasks such as information organisation, decision making, problem solving, planning and selective attention.
Controls two short-term slave stores (phonological and visuospatial loops) and uses them to help with processing.
Has three main functions:
- Inhibition (suppression of dominant responses)
- Shifting (attention switching between tasks)
- Updating (monitoring stored and new information input)
Phonological loop
A hypothetical component of working memory that provides temporary storage for verbal/auditory information.
It has two sub-components:
-Phonological store (inner ear, stores heard auditory information)
- Articulatory control process (inner voice, rehearses words to retain information in working memory)
It is important for the acquisition, use and comprehension of language.
Visuo-spatial sketchpad
A hypothetical component of working memory that provides temporary storage for visual and spatial information.
It has two sub-components:
- Visual cache
- Inner scribe
It is thought to be important for visual pattern recognition and in the perception and control of movement.
Episodic buffer
A hypothetical component of working memory that integrates sensory information and provides a link between WM and LTM.
It may also be involved in conscious awareness.
E.g. is like a meeting room where information from different departments is brought together, integrated and then linked with the company’s long-term strategies and archives.
Visual cache
Stores visual data and information such as shape and colour.
Visual scribe
Holds spatial information (arrangements of objects) and transfers it to the central executive.
Also assists with the control of physical actions.
Elaborative encoding
Works by entwining new information with already known information, which creates robust and meaningful connections in our memory.
Principle of encoding specificity
Memories are encoded with specific keys and the retrieval process requires a key similar to the original.
The closer the conditions during retrieval resemble those during encoding, the more effortless the memory access.
Memories are best recalled when the conditions of retrieval mirror those during encoding (context dependent).
Generate and recognise theory (GRT)
Postulates that recall involves a dual-phase process.
Initially individuals generate potential answers or solutions.
Following this, they engage in the act of recognising the correct ones from their mental catalogue.
Recall is viewed as a synthesis of both generation and recognition.
Serial position curve
Showcases the primacy and recency effects.
The tendency to better recall items and the beginning and end of a list.
Primacy effect
The tendency for participants to show particularly good recall for items presented towards the start of a list.
Possibly because these items receive more attention and undergo more extensive processing.
Recency effect
Items at the end of the list are particularly well remembered. Suffers less interference.
Possibly because they are still present in our short-term memory when asked to recall.
The forgetting curve
Illustrates the pattern of memory loss over time.
Memory decays rapidly within the first few hours after learning, but rate of forgetting slows as more time elapses. It follows a pattern of exponential decay.
58%/20mins
44%/60mins
1/3 / end of day
Interference theory
The primary reason we forget is not due to natural decay but because some memories interfere with others.
Newer memories or other competing memories can overshadow or replace previous ones.
There are two main types of interference:
Proactive interference
Retroactive interference
Proactive interference
Older memories make it difficult to remember new information.
Retroactive interference
New memories prevent the retrieval of older memories.
