Module 5 - Short-Term Memory and Working Memory

Question 1

What is memory?

Answer 1

Memory is the process of retaining, retrieving, and using information about stimuli, images, events, ideas, and skills after the original information is no longer active. It is when past experiences affect the way a person thinks or behaves now or in the future.

Question 2

What is the modal model of memory?

Answer 2

The modal model of memory proposed three types of memory: sensory memory, short-term memory (STM), and long-term memory (LTM). Sensory memory holds all incoming information for fractions of a second or seconds. Short-term memory holds five to seven items for 15-20 seconds. Long-term memory can hold large amounts of information for years or decades.

Question 3

What are control processes?

Answer 3

Control processes are dynamic processes associated with the structural features of memory that can be controlled by the person and may differ from task to task. Examples include rehearsal, strategies to make information memorable, or strategies of attention that help focus on important or interesting information.

Question 4

What is sensory memory?

Answer 4

Sensory memory is the retention of the effects of sensory stimulation. Examples include the trail of a sparkler and the projection shutter of a movie.

Question 5

What was Sperling’s experiment?

Answer 5

Sperling’s experiment measured the capacity and duration of sensory memory by flashing an array of letters and asking participants to report as many as possible. The experiment involved a whole report method and a partial report method with a tone. Sperling concluded that all or most information is registered in sensory memory, but the information decays in less than a second.

Question 6

What are iconic memory and echoic memory?

Answer 6

Iconic memory is brief sensory memory for visual stimuli, like the trail of a sparkler. Echoic memory is brief sensory memory for auditory stimuli.

Question 7

What is short-term memory (STM)?

Answer 7

STM is a memory system that allows a small amount of information to be stored for a short amount of time, approximately 15-20 seconds. Most of the information is lost, but some of it moves to LTM.

Question 8

What is digit span?

Answer 8

Digit span is the number of digits a person can remember. The digit span is used as a measure of the capacity of STM.

Question 9

What is chunking?

Answer 9

Chunking is when small units are combined into larger meaningful units. It enhances retention in STM.

Question 10

What is working memory (WM)?

Answer 10

Working memory is a limited-capacity system for temporary storage and manipulation of information for complex tasks such as comprehension, learning, and reasoning. It involves both holding and processing information.

Question 11

What are the components of working memory?

Answer 11

Working memory contains the phonological loop, visuospatial sketch pad, central executive, and episodic buffer.

Question 12

What is the phonological loop?

Answer 12

The phonological loop holds verbal and auditory information. It consists of the phonological store (holds information for a few seconds) and the articulatory rehearsal process (rehearsal that keeps information in the phonological store from decaying).

Question 13

What is the phonological similarity effect?

Answer 13

The phonological similarity effect is the confusion of letters or words that sound similar.

Question 14

What is the word length effect?

Answer 14

The word length effect is when memory for lists of words is better for short words than for long words. It occurs because it takes longer to rehearse long words and to produce them during recall.

Question 15

What is articulatory suppression?

Answer 15

Articulatory suppression is the repetition of an irrelevant sound, which reduces memory because speaking interferes with rehearsal.

Question 16

What is the visuospatial sketch pad?

Answer 16

The visuospatial sketch pad holds visual and spatial information.

Question 17

What is mental rotation?

Answer 17

Mental rotation is the process of imagining an object rotating in three dimensions. It is an operation of the visuospatial sketch pad.

Question 18

What is the central executive?

Answer 18

The central executive is the control centre of working memory. It coordinates how information is used by the phonological loop and visuospatial sketch pad. It is also responsible for attention, planning, and decision-making.

Question 19

What is perseveration?

Answer 19

Perseveration is the repetition of a response even after the task has changed. It is often observed in patients with damage to the frontal lobe.

Question 20

What is the episodic buffer?

Answer 20

The episodic buffer is a component of working memory that can store information and is connected to LTM. It was added to the working memory model to explain how working memory can hold more information than expected based on just the phonological loop and visuospatial sketch pad. It increases storage capacity and communicates with LTM.

Question 21

What is the role of the prefrontal cortex in working memory?

Answer 21

The prefrontal cortex is responsible for many higher-level cognitive functions, including working memory. Studies have shown that damage to the prefrontal cortex can impair working memory, and that neurons in the prefrontal cortex are active when information is being held in working memory.

Question 22

What is the delayed-response task?

Answer 22

The delayed-response task is a task that is often used to study working memory. In this task, a subject is shown a stimulus and then asked to recall it after a delay. Monkeys with damage to their prefrontal cortex perform poorly on this task.

Question 23

What did Funahashi find when he recorded from neurons in the prefrontal cortex of monkeys during a delayed-response task?

Answer 23

Funahashi found that some neurons in the prefrontal cortex continued to fire even after the stimulus was removed. This suggests that these neurons are involved in maintaining the information in working memory during the delay.

Question 24

What are neural networks?

Answer 24

Neural networks are groups of interconnected neurons. According to Stokes, information can be stored in working memory by short-term changes in neural networks. These changes are called activity-silent working memory.

Question 25

What is the reading span test?

Answer 25

The reading span test is a measure of working memory capacity. It requires participants to read a series of sentences and remember the last word in each sentence.

Question 26

How do people with high working memory capacity differ from people with low working memory capacity in their ability to control attention?

Answer 26

People with high working memory capacity are better at controlling their attention than people with low working memory capacity. They are less likely to be distracted by irrelevant information.

Question 27

What are event-related potentials (ERPs)?

Answer 27

ERPs are electrical signals that are recorded from the scalp. They can be used to study cognitive processes, such as working memory.

Question 28

What is cognitive control?

Answer 28

Cognitive control is the ability to regulate one’s thoughts and behaviour. It is related to working memory capacity. People with poor cognitive control are more easily distracted and have difficulty resisting temptation.