Short term and working memory Flashcards
memory
a collection of processes involved in retaining, retrieving and using information about stimuli, images, event, ideas, and skills after the original information is no longer present
computer as a model for
human cognition
memory is an integrated system that processes
information
memory has a limited capacity
space
resources
time
control processes
active processes that can be controlled by the person
-rehearsal
-strategies used to make a stimulus more memorable
-strategies of attention
short lived sensory memory registers all or most information that
hits our visual receptors
info decays very quickly
persistence of vision
retention of the perception of light
sensory memory
large amount of information for short period of time
whole report
participants asked to report as many letters as could be seen
average 4.5/12 letters 37.5%
partial report
participants heard tone that told them which row of letters to report
when the letter disappears you hear a tone
people could recall 82.5% 3.3/4 letters
could recall any row with accuracy
people actually do recall letter but when trying to recall it fades away
delayed partial report
presentation of tone delayed for a fraction of a second after the letters were extinguished
performance decreases rapidly
short term memory
small amount of information for a brief duration
new info received from sensory stores and info recalled from long-term memory
short term memory is limited in time
when rehearsal is prevented is about 15-20 seconds
proactive interference
occurs when information learned previously interferes with learning new information
proactive interference appears to be responsible for the quick decay of
short term memory
cannot distinguish between the lists
chunking
small units can be combines into larger meaningful units
Ericcson
trained college student using chunking
initial digit 7
grew to 79
coding
the way information is presented
physiological
how stimulus is represented by the firing of neurons
mental
how stimulus or experience is represented in the mind
auditory coding - Conrad
participants saw target letters and were asked to write them down
visual coding
presented visual information that is difficult to verbalize
semantic coding
participants listened to three words, counted backwards for 15 seconds, and attempted to recall the three words
working memory
limited capacity system for temporary storage and manipulation of information for complex tasks such as comprehension, learning, and reasoning