Short Term & Working Memory Flashcards
Shffrins Modal Memory Model
Consists of three memories: sensory memory, short-term memory, long-term memory
What is sensory memory and an example of it
storage of information we receive from our senses. seeing a dog or smelling food.
Shiffrins model steps:
input from the world- sensory memory- attention- recognition- attention- short term memory- output in the form of behavior- long term memory.
Duration processing
how long info can be held
Capacity processing
how much info can be held
Control processes
system specific processes affecting duration and capacity
Visual persistance
retention of sensory info for a very brief time
What is visual sensory memory called?
visual icon; visual sensory store
what is the whole report procedure?
An array of 12 letters is briefly flashed for 50 ms, after its removal the observer tries to report what they saw.
What is the outcome of the whole report procedure?
People can typically report only 3-4 of the 12 letters.
Who invented the Partial report procedure?
George Sperling
What is the partial report procedure?
subject fixates on a cross, then 3 rows of letters flash onto the screen. high, medium and low tones signal which row of letters to report.
Outcome of partial report procedure
if the tone occurs immediately after the display disappears, people can report all or almost all letters in the cued row. As delay increases, they report fewer.
Peterson & Peterson (1959)
subject had to remember and report 3 letters. They had to count back from 834 by 3’s. then test light goes on and they had to report the letters. counting backwards prevents rehearsal.
What is rehearsal and what happens if it is prevented?
mental repetition of incoming information. if prevented, info subject learns is gone after 20 seconds.
Decay Theory(explains Peterson and Peterson data)
an item in short term memory just fades away over time
Interference Theory(explains Peterson and Peterson theory)
additional incoming information interferes with an item in short term memory, causing it to be lost.
Decay hypothesis
memory is worse with longer intervals (decay)
Interference hypotheses
memory is worse with more interfering items
purpose of Waugh & Norman’s experiment and what did they use
purpose was to distinguish between decay and interference hypothesis. used an intervening objects task (n-back test)
What was the N-back test
subject hears a list of 16 digits, the last one being the probe digit.
