short and long term memory

Question 1

Distinctions between two types of memory in the late 19th century (theorists)

Answer 1

Sigmund Freud & William James

Question 2

Freud on memory

2 layers

Answer 2

surface (transitory)
vs.
deep (permanent)

Question 3

James on memory

2 things

Answer 3

primary (stream of consciousness)
vs.
secondary memory

Question 4

what are the three basic memory systems?

3 memory systems

Answer 4

• sensory memory
• short term/working memory (RAM)
• long-term memory (hard drive)

Question 5

sensory memory: general charactersitics

3 characteristics

Answer 5

• large capacity
• literal record of perceptual experience
• but lost quickly (transient)

Question 6

sensory memory: visual -> what is iconic memory?

Answer 6

iconic memory or ‘visual sensory register’ holds visual input for 250 msec
- representation is pre-categorical (literal record of precept)

Question 7

sensory memory: auditory -> what is echoic memory?

Answer 7

echoic memory or auditory sensory register holds auditory input for 2-3 seconds

Question 8

what was Sperling’s 1960 iconic memory research?

Answer 8

whole report procedure
- flash a matrix of letters and digits for 50 milliseconds
- identify as many items as possible

Question 9

short term memory general characteristics:

3 characteristics

Answer 9

• duration
• capacity
• how information is coded

Question 10

what is the primary effect?

Answer 10

the tendency to recall earlier words

Question 11

what is the regency effect?

Answer 11

the tendency to recall later words

Question 12

what causes primacy and regency gradients?

2 points

Answer 12

• Primacy gradient – First few items can be rehearsed alot and so more likely to move into long-term memory
• Recency gradient - last few items of the list are still in STM when you start to write the list down

Question 13

What type of code is used to remember over the short term?

2 points

Answer 13

• Short-term memory thought to be based on a
  verbal (“phonological”) code
• STM is like one’s “inner voice”

Question 14

Evidence for phonological coding in short-term memory

Answer 14

• Phonological similarity effect – words that ‘sound’
  alike more poorly recalled than dissimilar
  sounding words

Question 15

what is the word length effect?

Answer 15

recall of words is worse for longer words than for shorter words

Question 16

when is the word-length effect eliminanted?

Answer 16

it is eliminated if phonological coding is prevented through ‘articulatory suppression’ (e.g., counting or
repeating an irrelevant word, “the, the, the…”)

Question 17

Classic (or “modal”) memory model

Answer 17

Atkinson and Shiffrin’s (1968) 3-Stage Model

Question 18

short-term memory summary:

3 points

Answer 18

• limited duration
• limited capacity (4-5 chunks)
• relies on a phonological code

Question 19

duration of long-term memories:

Answer 19

• memories that are present after 3 years are likely to be well-preserved 30 years later

Question 20

what did Paivio’s dual code theory suggest?

Answer 20

Paivio’s dual code theory suggested that imageable words can be encoded in visual as well as non-visual forms (e.g., semantic)

Question 21

what is explicit memory?

Answer 21

when retrieval of a memory is deliberate/requires conscious recollection (declarative memory)
- short-term memory can also be explicit

Question 22

what is implicit memory?

Answer 22

when behaviour/performance indicates that memories are being retrieved in the absence of a deliberate, conscious, attempt to retrieve them e.g.
- procedural memory
- recognising the meaning of common words

Question 23

what are episodic memories?

Answer 23

memories for experiences/events

Question 24

what are semantic memories?

Answer 24

general knowledge about the world

Question 25

episodic vs semantic long-term memory

Answer 25

Question 26

What is the evidence for the hierarchical structure of semantic memory?

Answer 26

Speed of responding to questions about semantic concepts differs according to number of ‘vertical’ steps required through the network

Question 27

What is the evidence for spreading activation
through that hierarchy?

Answer 27

Semantic priming

Question 28

long-term memory summary:

4 points

Answer 28

• (possibly) has limitless capacity
• very long duration
• better when we can rely on multiple different codes
• evidence that semantic memory is organised as a hierarchically structured network