PAPER 1 - MEMORY - memory and multistore model

Question 1

what is memory?

Answer 1

the process of encoding, storing and retrieving information after the original material is no longer present

Question 2

what are the stages of memory?

Answer 2

1. memory encoding
2. memory storage
3. memory retrieval

Question 3

what is memory encoding?

Answer 3

• 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

Question 4

what are the different types of memory encoding?

Answer 4

visual (pictures), acoustic (sound), semantic (meaning)

Question 5

what is memory storage?

Answer 5

• where info is stored
• what kind of info is stored
• how much info is stored
• how long memory lasts for

Question 6

what is memory retrieval?

Answer 6

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)

Question 7

what are the memory stores?

Answer 7

1. sensory register
2. short term memory
3. long term memory

Question 8

what is the sensory register?

Answer 8

very short term memory store of information being processed by the sense organs

Question 9

what subsystems (called sensory registers), can sensory memory be divided into?

Answer 9

iconic register - visual sensing
echoic register - auditory sensing
haptic register- tactile sensing (touch)

Question 10

how long can memory in the sensory register be stored for?

Answer 10

less than a second (250 milliseconds)

Question 11

what is short term memory?

Answer 11

memory that has limited duration, capacity and encoding

Question 12

what is the duration of short term memory?

Answer 12

15-30 seconds

Question 13

what is the capacity of short term memory?

Answer 13

7 items +/- 2

Question 14

what is long term memory?

Answer 14

memory that is theoretically unlimited, the main constraint being accessibility rather than availability

Question 15

what is explicit long term memory?

Answer 15

knowing that (something happens)

Question 16

what is explicit short term memory?

Answer 16

knowing how (something happens)

Question 17

what are the 3 types of long term memory?

Answer 17

episodic - experienced events
semantic - knowledge, concepts and meanings
procedural - skills and actions

Question 18

how do we take things from our sensory register and convert them into our short term memory?

Answer 18

attention

Question 19

how do we take things from our short term memory and convert them into our long term memory

Answer 19

rehearsal

Question 20

what happens if we do not attend to our sensory register?

Answer 20

the memory will decay

Question 21

what happens if we do not attend to our short term memory?

Answer 21

the memory will decay or will be displaced

Question 22

what happens if we do not attend to our long term memory?

Answer 22

retrieval failure (due to absence of cues)
or interference (getting confused between 2 similar concepts)

Question 23

what is the preferred encoding for short term memory?

Answer 23

converts visual encoding into acoustic encoding

Question 24

what is the preferred encoding for long term memory?

Answer 24

semantic encoding

Question 25

what is chunking?

Answer 25

organising information into familiar, manageable units
often occurs automatically

Question 26

why do we use chunking?

Answer 26

to enable us to retrieve and retain more information

Question 27

what is shallow processing?

Answer 27

encoding information on a basic, auditory or visual level, based on sound, structure or appearance of the word

Question 28

what is deep processing?

Answer 28

encoding semantically, based on actual meaning associated with the word

Question 29

which stores are unitary?

Answer 29

STM & LTM

Question 30

how is information processed across stores?

Answer 30

in a linear way

Question 31

what evidence is there to support the MSM?

Answer 31

• brain scans - tells us which parts of the brain are active when using different types of memory
• supports idea of different, separate stores

Question 32

which parts of the brain light up when using STM/LTM?

Answer 32

STM - prefrontal cortex
LTM - hippocampus

Question 33

what is the primacy/recency effect?

Answer 33

primacy - superior recall of earlier items
recency - superior recall of end items

Question 34

how does the primacy and recency effect support the MSM?

Answer 34

• demonstrates existence of separate stores - separate STM and LTM
• indicates rehearsal leads to creation of lasting memories
• words at beginning have more rehearsal so transfer to LTM

Question 35

what are the limitations of the MSM?

Answer 35

• overly simplified
• unitary stores - LTM isnt unitary