Paper 1: Memory Flashcards
Define memory
The process by which we retain and recall information about events that have happened in the past
What are the 3 memory processes?
Coding/Encoding
Storage
Retrieval
What are the two main assumptions of the MSM of memory?
- Memory consists of a number of separate stores
- The memory processes are sequential (memory flows from one to another)
What are the names of the two theoretical models of memory?
- Multistore Model of Memory (Atkinson & Schiffrin)
- Working Memory Model
(Baddeley & Hitch)
Describe the structure of the MSM of memory
Info in sensory store that is paid ATTENTION to enters STM. Info that is REHEARSED stays in the STM/ is TRANSFERRED to the LTM. It can be brought back to the STM by RETRIEVAL.
Information is lost from all stores by FORGETTING.
What are the 3 structures in memory according to the MSM of memory
The Sensory Register
Short Term Memory
Long Term Memory
Describe the sensory register
An automatic response to sensory information. All information passes through the sensory registers. There are separate registers for each sense ( echoic, iconic, haptic, olfactory, gustatory)
Explain what is meant by coding, capacity and duration.
Capacity - how much info is stored
Duration - how long info is stored for
Coding - the form info is stored in
e.g semantically, visually, acoustically
Explain the process or flow of information through the MSM
Info is gathered by senses and enters sensory register.
Info paid attention to is transferred to STM - the rest is forgotten.
Info that is processed (thought about or rehearsed) transfers to the LTM, the rest is forgotten.
Describe the STM according to the MSM
Temporarily stores info from the SR. It contains information currently being thought about
It can only be held in the STM if the info is rehearsed
Describe Baddeley’s (1966) study of coding in STM & LTM
Baddeley showed that acoustically similar word (eg. cat,hat,ect.) were sometimes confused on immediate recall
Whereas, semantically similar words (eg. big,large,ect.) were confused on LTM recall.
He argued this shows the STM codes acoustically whereas the LTM codes semantically.
Describe the coding and duration of the sensory register
Information is encoded differently for each sense (e.g iconic is stored visually)
All sensory stores have a limited duration but it differs for each store E.g iconic seems to be only milliseconds
Describe the LTM according to the MSM
Storing info over lengthy periods of time. It includes any info held for longer than 30 seconds. All info will have passed through SR and STM
Describe a study that showed the capacity of the STM
Miller tested people’s digit span memory. He read out strings of letters/numbers and found that people could immediately recall between 5-9 items. He argued this showed the capacity of the STM was 7 +/- 2
What are the implications for the economy for using the cognitive interview?
If the C.I is more effective then this means police can work more efficiently, so public money is better spent, which in turn is beneficial for the economy
Describe the Peterson (1959) study of duration for STM
Read trigrams (words of 3 letters which don’t form a word) out to p’s. They found around 90% of trigrams were remembered after 3 seconds, 5% after 18 seconds. This shows the duration of the STM is about 18-30 seconds.
Describe the Sperling study
Flashed a grid of letters on the screen for 1/20th of a second and p’s were asked to recall a row of letters. Recall was good for any row, which suggests they could remember all letters present.
Suggests a large capacity of the visual Sensory Register
Describe the capacity of the Sensory Register
Capacity seems to be large with information being in an unprocessed and detailed form.
Only info paid attention to is remembered
Describe the capacity, coding and duration of the LTM
Capacity - unlimited
Duration - lifetime
Coding - mostly semantic
Describe the capacity, coding and duration of the STM
Capacity: 7+/- 2 items
Duration: 18-30 seconds
Coding: mostly acoustically
Describe a study that shows the duration of the LTM
Bahrick (1975) showed that p’s were able to recognise the names and faces of their school classmates 50 years after graduating. This shows the long duration of the LTM.
Explain what is meant by the primary recency effect and explain how this effect supports the multistore model of memory
The first words and the last words in a list are more likely to be remembered.
This is because the first words have been rehearsed more and are in LTM, the last words are most recent so still in STM
Explain what brain scans have found with STM and LTM. Why does this support the MSM?
Brain scans have shown different areas of activation when doing STM tasks (prefrontal cortex) compared to LTM tasks (hippocampus). This supports they are separate stores because if separate areas of the brain are active it supports they are separate stores.
Describe the HM Case study and what it supports of the MSM
HM had his hippocampus removed in attempt to cure him from epilepsy. HM was unable to store new events in his LTM, but he could remember most things that happened to him up until his brain damage. Supports that the STM and LTM are different stores as only STM appears damaged.
What are the 3 types of LTM that have been identified?
Procedural - an implicit memory for skills acquired through practise
Episodic - an explicit memory for autobiographical experiences
Semantic - an explicit memory for facts and knowledge
Outline a few weaknesses of the MSM
Describe the KF Case study and what it shows for the MSM of memory
What is the issue with using case studies of brain damaged patients to evaluate memory models?
How did HM criticise the MSM?
Explain the Tulving brain scan study examining brain areas involved in different types of LTM
Describe the Phonological Loop
Describe the Central Executive
Describe the structure of the Working Memory Model
Describe the Visuospatial Sketchpad
Describe the episodic buffer
Explain how the KF case study supports the Working Memory Model
