Sensory and Working Memory

Question 1

Atkinson-Shiffrin Model (modal model)
types of memory
attention
encoding
retrieval

Answer 1

The Atkinson-Schiffrin (1968) three-stage model of memory includes a) sensory memory, b) short-term memory , and c) long-term memory.

Three different types of memory:
1. Sensory Memory – Initial stage that holds all incoming information for
seconds or fractions of a second
2. Short-term Memory – Holds five to seven items for about 15 to 20
seconds.
3. Long-term Memory – Can hold a large amount of information for years
or even decades

we pay attention to and encode important or novel stimuli

Question 2

Visual short-term memory

Answer 2

Visual short-term memory capacity
• Traditionally considered to be a limited capacity
• About four objects
• All features though of each object
• More recent work
• Encoding and/or capacity is subject to object complexity

Question 3

Baddeley’s working memory system

Answer 3

Central Executive
Phonological Loop – Episodic Buffer –Visiospatial sketchpad

Long term Memory

Question 4

Phonological Loop

Answer 4

• Phonological loop
• Encodes auditory information

Phonological similarity effect
– Letters or words that sound similar are confused
• Word-length effect
– Memory for lists of words is better for short words than for long words
– Takes longer to rehearse long words and to produce them during recall

Question 5

Visiospatial Sketchpad

Answer 5

Visuospatial sketchpad

• Encodes visual information

Question 6

Episodic Buffer

Answer 6

Holds temporary information about oneself

Question 7

Mental Rotation

Answer 7

Visual imagery: The creation of visual
images in the mind in the absence of
a physical visual stimulus
• Shepard and Metzler (1971)
• Mental rotation task
• Tasks that called for greater
rotations took longer

Question 8

Concurrent Articulation

Answer 8

• Concurrent articulation
reduces memory span
dramatically.
• This suggests that the
model needs to
incorporate speech
mechanisms.

Question 9

Chunking

Answer 9

Chunking reduces information into meaningful units that are easier to remember.