Paper 1 Memory Flashcards
Discuss the multi-store model of memory (16)
Discuss the working memory model of memory (16)
Describe and evaluate types of long term memory (16)
Describe and evaluate the interference theory for forgetting (16)
Proactive interference: older memory interferes with a newer one
Retroactive interference: newer memory interferes with an older one
retroactive interference by changing the amount of similarity between
two sets of materials:
- participants were asked to recall the original list of words, the most similar material produced the worst recall
- This shows that interference is strongest when memories are similar
Strength = everyday situations
- the number of intervening games varied because some players missed matches due to injury. Players who played the most games (most interference for memory) had the poorest recall
- increasing. validity
BUT = this doesn’t actually happen commonly which leads to question weather other factors come into play
- most forgetting may be better explained by other theories such as retrieval failure due to
lack of cues
Limitation = interference is temporary and can be overcome by using cues
- tested on list of words = learning additional lists reduced memory recall
- participants were given
a cued recall test – they were told the names of categories = recall rose significantly
= interference causes a temporary loss of accessibility to material that is still in LTM
Describe and evaluate how retrieval failure due to the absence of cues leads to forgetting (16)
Due to absence of cues:
- cues available at coding and retrieval are different (or if cues are
entirely absent at retrieval) there will be some forgetting
- Context-dependent forgetting: recall depend on external cue
Research:
= learned a list of words either underwater or on land and
then were asked to recall the words either underwater or on land
- environmental contexts of learning and recall matched
- external cues
available at learning were different from the ones available at recall and this led to retrieval failure
- State-dependent forgetting: recall depends on an internal cue
Research:
= participants had to learn lists of
words and passages of prose and then recall the information (antihistamine as variable)
- significant mismatch between internal state at learning and recall, performance on the memory test was significantly worse
- cues are absent then there is more forgetting
Strength = retrieval cues can help to overcome some forgetting in everyday situations
- trouble remembering
something, it is probably worth making the effort to recall the environment in which you learned it first
Further = practical applications such as revision for exams (exam conditions)
Limitation = context effects may depend substantially on the type of memory being tested
- recognition test instead of
recall = recognition was tested there was no context-dependent effect, performance was the same in all four conditions
Discuss research on the effect of misleading information on eyewitness testimony (16)
leading questions: Loftus and palmer
- manipulated verb in describing car crash
= leading question using the word
smashed, this encourages them to choose a higher speed estimate
- ‘smashed’ were later more
likely to report seeing the broken glass = distorting memory
Post event discussion: gabbert et al
- crime video from different perspectives
- participants then discussed what they had seen before individually completing a test of recall
- participants mistakenly recalled aspects of the event that they did not
see in the video but had picked up in the discussion (with no discussion there was no mistakes) = memory conformity
- memory contamination = distorted memory
Strength = practical use in criminal justice system
- Loftus: police officers need to be very careful about how they phrase
their questions when interviewing eyewitnesses
- psychologists help in court
= prevent unreliable EWT
BUT = research doesn’t account for realism experienced ( strong emotional connection to event)
Limitation = laboratory studies have identified misleading
information as a cause of inaccurate EWT, partly by being able to control variables
- answers given by participants in laboratory studies are due to demand characteristics
= questions internal validity of the supporting lab based research for misleading information
Discuss research on the effect of anxiety on eyewitness testimony (16)
Anxiety has negative effect:
- weapons creates anxiety (weapon focus effect = reducing recall of details of event)
Johnson Scott:
- individual left the
laboratory and walked past the participant holding a pen, with his hands covered in grease
- accompanied by the
sound of breaking glass. A man walked out, holding a knife covered in blood
= anxiety associated with seeing a knife reduces the accuracy of
eyewitness testimony
anxiety has a positive effect:
Yuville: real life shooting
- very accurate in their accounts and there was little change in the
amount of recall or accuracy after 5 months
- participants who reported the highest levels of stress were most
accurate
= anxiety does not have a
detrimental effect on the accuracy of eyewitness testimony in a real-world context and may even enhance it
Strength = support for anxiety having a negative effect on accuracy of recall
- measuring heart rate = high anxious situation/ high stress event = disrupted recall ability
Limitation = anxiety and its effects on EWT
- Johnson Scott lack ecological validity = anticipation that something would happen
Discuss the use of the cognitive interview as a means of improving the accuracy of memory (16)
- report everything
- context reinstatement
- recall from changed perspective
- recall in reverse order
- simulated crime = interviewed using the cognitive interview recalled significantly more correct information than those interviewed using the standard interview
- effective in improving the
quantity of information recalled and does not lead to an increase in incorrect information
Strength = evidence it works
- comparing the CI with the standard
police interview
= increase in accurate information compared the standard
interview
(no difference in type of interview)
BUT = increase in the amount of inaccurate information recalled by participants
Limitation = that not all of its elements are equally effective or useful
- using a combination of report everything and reinstate the
context produced better recall than any of the other elements or combination of then
= doubts credibility of whole cognitive interview
Strength = real world application
- police to improve their questioning and importantly the accuracy of
EWT
= positive difference to the lives of real people by improving the legal and criminal system
BUT = more time and training than the standard police
interview
