PAPER 1 - MEMORY - memory and multistore model Flashcards
what is memory?
the process of encoding, storing and retrieving information after the original material is no longer present
what are the stages of memory?
- memory encoding
- memory storage
- memory retrieval
what is memory encoding?
- memory encoding creates chemical trace in the brain and occurs when stimulus is present
- transforms sensory input into a form that can be registered and stored by memory
what are the different types of memory encoding?
visual (pictures), acoustic (sound), semantic (meaning)
what is memory storage?
- where info is stored
- what kind of info is stored
- how much info is stored
- how long memory lasts for
what is memory retrieval?
when we get the information out of the storage, if we are unable to remember something, it means we cannot retrieve it.
(showing a clear different in STM and LTM)
what are the memory stores?
- sensory register
- short term memory
- long term memory
what is the sensory register?
very short term memory store of information being processed by the sense organs
what subsystems (called sensory registers), can sensory memory be divided into?
iconic register - visual sensing
echoic register - auditory sensing
haptic register- tactile sensing (touch)
how long can memory in the sensory register be stored for?
less than a second (250 milliseconds)
what is short term memory?
memory that has limited duration, capacity and encoding
what is the duration of short term memory?
15-30 seconds
what is the capacity of short term memory?
7 items +/- 2
what is long term memory?
memory that is theoretically unlimited, the main constraint being accessibility rather than availability
what is explicit long term memory?
knowing that (something happens)
what is explicit short term memory?
knowing how (something happens)
what are the 3 types of long term memory?
episodic - experienced events
semantic - knowledge, concepts and meanings
procedural - skills and actions
how do we take things from our sensory register and convert them into our short term memory?
attention
how do we take things from our short term memory and convert them into our long term memory
rehearsal
what happens if we do not attend to our sensory register?
the memory will decay
what happens if we do not attend to our short term memory?
the memory will decay or will be displaced
what happens if we do not attend to our long term memory?
retrieval failure (due to absence of cues)
or interference (getting confused between 2 similar concepts)
what is the preferred encoding for short term memory?
converts visual encoding into acoustic encoding
what is the preferred encoding for long term memory?
semantic encoding
