Paper 1 - Memory - Topic 2

Question 1

2.1 What is coding in memory?

Answer 1

The process of converting information between different forms, depending on the memory store.

Question 2

2.1 -What did Alan Baddeley’s research involve?

Answer 2

He gave different lists of words to four groups of participants to remember

Question 3

2.1 - What are the four groups in Baddeley’s study?

Answer 3

Group 1: Acoustically similar words
Group 2: Acoustically dissimilar words
Group 3: Semantically similar words
Group 4: Semantically dissimilar words

Question 4

2.1 - What did participants do in Baddeley’s study?

Answer 4

They were shown original words to and asked to recall them in the correct order

Question 5

2.1 - What did Baddeley’s findings suggest about STM and LTM?

Answer 5

Information is coded acoustically in STM
Information is coded semantically in LTM

Question 6

2.1 - What is digit span?

Answer 6

The amount of information that short-term memory can hold at one time

Question 7

2.1 - How did Joseph Jacob’s measure digit span?

Answer 7

By reading out digits for participants to recall in the correct order until they could not

Question 8

2.1 - What were Jacob’s findings on digit span?

Answer 8

The mean span for digits was 9.3 items and for letters was 7.3

Question 9

2.1 - What did George Miller propose about STM capacity?

Answer 9

That the span of STM is about 7 items, plus or minus 2

Question 10

2.1 - What is chunking?

Answer 10

Grouping sets of of digits or letters into units or chunks to aid recall

Question 11

2.1 - What did Peterson and Peterson’s study investigate?

Answer 11

The duration of short-term memory can

Question 12

2.1 - What was the method used by Peterson and Peterson?

Answer 12

Participants were given a consonant syllable to remember and counted backwards from a 3- digit number

Question 13

2.1 - What did Peterson and Peterson find about STM duration?

Answer 13

Average recall after 3 seconds was about 80%, dropping to about 3% after 18 seconds

Question 14

2.1 - What did Harry Bahrick et al. Study?

Answer 14

The duration of long-term memory using high school yearbooks

Question 15

2.1 - What were Bahrick et al.’s findings on recall accuracy?

Answer 15

Participants tested within 15 years of graduation we’re about 90% accurate in photo recognition
Participants tested within 48 years of graduation were about 70% accurate in photo recognition
This illustrating how LTM can last for up to a lifetime

Question 16

2.1 - What is a strength of Baddeley’s study?

Answer 16

It identified a clear difference between two memory stores, led to the multi-store model

Question 17

2.1 - What is a limitation of Baddeley’s study?

Answer 17

It used artificial stimuli rather than meaningful material, suggesting that the findings from this study have limited application

Question 18

2.1 - What is a strength of Jacob’s study?

Answer 18

It has been replicated and confirmed by better controlled studies, suggesting that this is a valid study of digit span for STM.

Question 19

2.1 - What is a limitation of Miller’s research?

Answer 19

He may have overestimated STM capacity, suggesting that the lower end of Miller’s estimate is more appropriate than seven items

Question 20

2.1 - What did Nelson Cowan conclude about STM capacity?

Answer 20

That the capacity of STM is only about 4 chunks, plus or minus 1

Question 21

2.1 - What is a limitation of Peterson and Peterson’s study?

Answer 21

The stimulus material was artificial, lacking external validity

Question 22

2.1 - What is a strength of Bahrick et al.’s study?

Answer 22

It has high external validity as it investigated meaningful memories, reflects a more ‘real’ estimate of the duration of LTM

Question 23

2.2 - What does the multi-store model describe?

Answer 23

The MSM describes how information flows through the memory system, consisting of three stores linked by processing

Question 24

2.2 - What is the sensory register?

Answer 24

The SR is where all stimuli from the environment pass into, comprising several registers for each of our five senses

Question 25

2.2 - How is information coded in the sensory register?

Answer 25

Coding in each sensory store is modality-specific, such as iconic memory for visual information and echoic memory for sound

Question 26

2.2 - What is the duration and capacity of the sensory register?

Answer 26

The duration is less than half a second, but the capacity is very high, with over 100 million cells in one eye

Question 27

2.2 - What happens to information in the sensory register?

Answer 27

Information passes further into the memory system only if attention is paid to it

Question 28

2.2 What characterises short-term memory?

Answer 28

STM is mainly coded acoustically, lasts about 18 seconds unless rehearsed, and has limited capacity of 5 - 9 items

Question 29

2.2 - What is maintenance rehearsal?

Answer 29

Maintenance rehearsal is the process of repeating material to keep it in short-term memory

Question 30

2.2 - What is long-term memory?

Answer 30

LTM is a potentially permanent memory store for information that has been rehearsed for a prolonged time

Question 31

2.2 - How is information coded in long-term memory?

Answer 31

LTM is mainly coded semantically, meaning it is based on the meaning of the information

Question 32

2.2 - What is the duration and capacity of long-term memory?

Answer 32

The duration may be up to a lifetime, and the capacity is thought to be practically unlimited

Question 33

2.2 - What is the retrieval process in memory?

Answer 33

To recall information from LTM, it must be transferred back into STM

Question 34

2.2 - What research supports the MSM?

Answer 34

Studies show that STM and LTM are different, such as Baddeley’s findings on mixing up similar-sounding words in STM illustrating that these stores are separate and independent memory stores.

Question 35

2.2 - What is a counterpoint on the MSM’s support?

Answer 35

Many supporting studies used meaningless materials like digits and consonant syllables, which may not reflect everyday memory use.

Question 36

2.2 - What limitation does the MSM have regarding STM stores?

Answer 36

Evidence suggests there is more than one STM store, as shown in studies of patients like KF with memory disorders

Question 37

2.2 - What is elaborative rehearsal?

Answer 37

Elaborative rehearsal links new information to existing knowledge, which is more important than the amount of rehearsal for LTM transfer

Question 38

2.2 - What is a limitation of the MSM regarding rehearsal?

Answer 38

The MSM suggests prolonged rehearsal is necessary for LTM transfer, but Craik and Watkins found that the type of rehearsal matters more, MSM does not fully explain how long-term storage is achieved

Question 39

2.2 - What is a critique of the MSM as a model?

Answer 39

The MSM is considered oversimplified as it does not account for multiple types of STM and LTM stores

Question 40

2.3 - Who proposed the three types of long-term memory?

Answer 40

Endel Tulving proposed the three types of long-term memory. Episodic memory, semantic memory, and procedural memory

Question 41

2.3 - What is episodic memory?

Answer 41

Episodic memory refers to our ability to recall events from our lives, similar to a diary of personal experiences

Examples include memories of recent events like visiting the dentist or attending a gig

Question 42

2.3 - What are the characteristics of episodic memory?

Answer 42

Episodic memories are time-stamped, include multiple elements (people, places, objects), and require conscious effort to recall events from

Question 43

2.3 - What is semantic memory?

Answer 43

Semantic memory contains our shared knowledge of the world, akin to an encyclopaedia and dictionary

Question 44

2.3 - What are the characteristics of semantic memory?

Answer 44

Semantic memories are not time-stamped, less personal, and consist of facts that are constantly being added to

Question 45

2.3 - What is procedural memory?

Answer 45

Procedural memory is our memory for actions or skills, allowing us to perform tasks without conscious awareness

Question 46

2.3 - What is an example of procedural memory?

Answer 46

An example of procedural memory is driving a car, which becomes automatic through practise

Question 47

2.3 - What evidence supports Tulving’s theory of different memory stores?

Answer 47

Clinical evidence from case studies of HM and Clive Wearing showing that while episodic memory was impaired, semantic and procedural memories remained intact.

Question 48

2.3 - What is a limitation of clinical studies on memory?

Answer 48

Clinical studies lack control of variables, making it difficult to assess the extent of memory impairment after brain injuries

Question 49

2.3 - What conflicting evidence exists regarding the brain areas for memory types?

Answer 49

Conflicting research findings suggest different locations for semantic and episodic memory in the brain, challenging neuropsychological evidence

Question 50

2.3 How can understanding types of LTM help in real-world applications?

Answer 50

Understanding types of LTM allows psychologists to develop specific treatments for memory problems, such as interventions for improving episodic memory in older adults

Question 51

2.3 - What recent view has Tulving taken regarding episodic and semantic memory?

Answer 51

Tulving proposed that episodic memory is a specialised subcategory of semantic memory, suggesting that they may be the same store

Question 52

2.3 - What did Hodges and Patterson find regarding Alzheimer’s patients?

Answer 52

They found that some Alzheimer’s patients could form new episodic memories while having impaired semantic memories