Psychology Module 2

Question 1

What does input mean in regards to human memory?

Answer 1

The sensory information received from our environment

Question 2

What does encoding mean?

Answer 2

Turning input into memory that can be used by the brain

Question 3

What are the three most common types of encoding?

Answer 3

• Visual encoding (sight)
• Acoustic encoding (hearing)
• Semantic encoding (meaning)

Question 4

What does output mean in regards to human memory?

Answer 4

The information recalled/retrieved, i.e behavioural response

Question 5

What is the duration and capacity of short term memory?

Answer 5

Duration: 18 seconds
Capacity: 7 items

Question 6

What is the duration and capacity of long term memory?

Answer 6

Duration: Few minutes - entire lifetime
Capacity: Potentially limitless

Question 7

What is rehearsal?

Answer 7

When information is repeated - a method to transfer short term memory to long long term memory

Question 8

How are short term memories forgotten?

Answer 8

• Displacement (when capacity is exceeded old memories are pushed out)
• Decay (memory trace unused)

Question 9

How are long term memories forgotten?

Answer 9

• Decay
• Interference (old info overwritten by new info)
• Retrieval failure (memory still there, unable to be recalled)

Question 10

What is retrograde amnesia?

Answer 10

A memory condition that damages the ability to recall long term memories prior to brain damage

Question 11

What is anterograde amnesia?

Answer 11

A memory condition that damages the ability to form new long term memories (memories before incident undamaged)

Question 12

What is Bartlett’s Theory of Reconstruction?

Answer 12

Memories are interpretations of events based on schemas, which is why details are changed/omitted upon recall

Question 13

What is Atkinson and Shiffrin’s Multi-Store Model of Memory?

Answer 13

Memory is split into long-term, short-term, and the sensory register, and can be retained for longer through rehearsal

Question 14

What was the procedure of Barlett’s War of the Ghosts study?

Answer 14

Participants asked to read War of the Ghosts story, then later retell it. Some through serial reproduction (retell verbally) other through repeated reproduction (recall story and write it).

Question 15

What were the results of Barlett’s War of the Ghosts study?

Answer 15

• Basic outline of story remained
• Rationalisation (added details to make sense of information)
• Omission (unpleasant/unfamiliar details left out)

Question 16

What was the procedure of Peterson and Peterson’s Short-Term Retention of Individual Verbal Items Study?

Answer 16

Participants given trigram, then given 3-digit number and asked to count back in threes (to prevent rehearsal). After time delay, asked to recall trigram.

Question 17

What were the results of Peterson and Peterson’s Short-Term Retention of Individual Verbal Items Study?

Answer 17

• Longer the time delay, less remembered
• 3 seconds - <80% remembered
• 18 seconds - >10% remembered

Question 18

What is reductionism, and what research method is associated with it?

Answer 18

• The theory of explaining something via it’s simplest, basic parts.
• Statistical analysis

Question 19

What is holism, and what research method is associated with it?

Answer 19

• The theory of explaining as a whole (all interacting factors/causes included)
• Qualitative analysis