MSM Flashcards
encoding definition
the form in which information can be stored ie by vision
capacity definition
the amount of information that can be held in memory before new incoming info displaces it
duration definition
the amount of time info can be held in a memory store before it is lost due to decay
what is the 1st storage system in the MSM?
the sensory register
how is info encoded?
by environmental stimuli
separate sensory stores
iconic - visual
echoic - auditory
gustatory - taste
olfactory - smell
haptic - touch
duration of SR
less than half a second
capacity of SR
very large
how does information go from SR to STM?
attention
duration of stm + study
Peterson and Peterson sued consonant trigrams (YGV) to test STM duration. They were then asked to count backwards in 3s from a 3 digit number for either 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 or 18 secs.
After 3 recall was accurate 80% of the time, but after 18 seconds it was only accurate 10% of the time.
Conclusion - Duration is 18-30 seconds before info decays.
capacity of STM + study
Jacobs usera digit span test. He gave participants a sequence of digits that increased by one every time and asked them to repeat the sequence in the correct order. Average - 9 numbers and 7 letters recalled.
Conclusion - 7 (+/-2) pieces of info
encoding in stm + study
Baddeley (1966) gave participants 4 lists
A - Words that sound similar
B - Words that sound different
C - Words that had similar leanings
D - Words with dissimilar meanings
Immediate recall was worst for acoustically similar words so therefore the STM is encoded acoustically.
capacity of LTM
Unlimited
duration of LTM + study
potentially forever
bahrick et al (1975) tested the recall of 392 participants based on their graduating class / yearbook.
task 1 - recognition test - 50 photos of classmates shown and had to recall names
task 2 - recall test - name as many classmates from graduating class as possible
15 years after graduation they were about 90% accurate
48 years after graduation they were about 70% accurate
encoding in LTM + study
Baddeley tested participants recall of these lists after a 20 minute delay in order to ensure the info has passed into LTM. Participants recall was worse for list C (similar meanings)
Conclusion - LTM is encoded semantically.
semantically definition
To add meaning and depth to info to get it into your LTM.
evaluation - clive wearing - what caused his memory loss?
He developed a brain infection called encephalitis which attacked his nervous system. Since then he has not been able to form new memories or remember memories from the past. He has limited STM but no LTM as he can’t elaboratively rehearse as the duration of his memory is so short.
evaluation - hm
His LTM was affected however when doing the star task it’s evident his procedural LTM is still intact. However his STM was quite normal. Therefore he supports the MSM as he provides evidence for different memory stores due to his LTM & STM being affected differently.
evaluation- KF
KF suffered brain damage due to a motorbike accident. He was unable to repeat back more than 2 digits but his long term learning capacity and everyday memory were well in normal range. His STM was impaired but his LTM was intact. This is a weakness as the MSM is linear however KF provides evidence against this linearity as his STM is impaired but his LTM is intact.
evaluation - MSM overly simplistic
P - MSM is too simple
E - for example the WMM and supporting research shows that working memory is dived into various qualitatively different stores.
E - Different types of memory are present in different stores and this is evident in LTM too.
L - therefore this suggests that the MSM may be overly simplistic
