W3: Working Memory

Question 1

The operations through which we gain new knowledge, retain that knowledge, and later use that knowledge are often divided into three processes.

Answer 1

Retrieval

Storage

Acquisition

Question 2

working memory

Answer 2

A newer understanding of short-term memory that focuses on conscious, active processing of incoming auditory and visual-spatial information, and of knowledge retrieved from long-term memory

Question 3

In list-learning experiments, participants’ performance in the pre-recency portion of the curve will be improved by

Answer 3

Presenting the list of words more slowly.

Question 4

Early estimates of working-memory capacity relied on the digit-span task. The data indicate working-memory capacity to be ________ items.

Answer 4

Around 7: 5 +/- 2

Question 5

Operation-span tasks measure the

Answer 5

efficiency with which working memory operates when it is working

Question 6

The helper within the working-memory system that stores visual materials is called the

Answer 6

visuospatial buffer

Question 7

For most recall tests, the transfer of items into long-term storage is best facilitated by

Answer 7

Elaborative rehearsal

Question 8

How does the intention to learn influence how well we recall information?

Answer 8

The intention to memorise on its own adds nothing to our ability to learn

Question 9

Deep processing

Answer 9

may lead to improved memory performance because it facilitates retrieval; this happens through the formation of many connections between the current item and previous knowledge

Question 10

Although mnemonics can be helpful for remembering a small number of specific items (like a grocery list), it does have some drawbacks. One such problem is that

Answer 10

using a mnemonic involves a trade-off with less attention spent looking for memory connections that can help you understand the material

Question 11

When you are trying to access information in long-term memory, you use a

Answer 11

retrieval path

Question 12

Because of the effects of context-dependent learning, students might find it most beneficial to

Answer 12

prepare for their examinations under conditions similar to the test conditions

Question 13

Participants in an experiment read target words in sentences. Participants in Group 1 received the following sentence: “the man watched the television”. Participants in Group 2 received the following sentence: “the man lifted the television”. When they are given hints to help them recall the target words, the results should show that

Answer 13

Group 1 should perform better when given the hint “something entertaining” than Group 2

Question 14

Theories of spreading activation assume that the activation of one node will lead to the activation of

Answer 14

all connected nodes

Question 15

In Meyer and Schvaneveldt’s (1971) experiment, participants were fastest to respond “yes” when they were presented with which of the following pairs?

Answer 15

Nurse-Doctor

Question 16

A police officer asks, “Can you remember what happened last Tuesday at noon while you were sitting in the back room of Jane’s Restaurant?” This is an example of a question relying on

Answer 16

Recall

Question 17

When participants make a “remember” judgement, they are indicating that they

Answer 17

have a source memory

Question 18

Which tasks are appropriate to test implicit memory?

Answer 18

word-stem completion (given the first few letters of a word)

repetition priming (repetition of stimulus)

lexical decision (groups of letters are provided that are either a word or not a valid word)

Question 19

Four fundamental differences between WM and LTM

Answer 19

1. Size - WM: limited, 7 items; LTM: massive/unlimited
2. Ease (of entry) - WM easy; LTM, not as easy
3. Ease (of retrieval) - WM easy, LTM not easy
4. Fragilty: WM fragile, LTM strong

Question 20

Sensory Memory

Answer 20

The shortest term element of memory; like retaining an impression. Smell, Touch, Sight, Sound, Taste.

Holds info very briefly; ability to retain impressions of sensory info after the originl stimuli has ended

Question 21

The primacy effect

Answer 21

Showing good recall for the first few words on a word recall tes list. Evidence of LTM.

Question 22

The recency effect

Answer 22

Showing good recall for the last few words on a word recall test list. Evidence of WM.

Question 23

What happens if you add an unfilled delay in a word recall test?

Answer 23

We see essentially the same pattern as a regular serial position effect/ u-curve. The primacy and recency effect still occur.

Question 24

What happens if you add a filled delay at the end of a word recall test?

Answer 24

If the delay involves another task, it does not affect the primacy effect, but dramatically impacts the recency effect. This is because the task interferes with the WM.

Question 25

What happens if you change the speed of the words presented in a word recall test?

Answer 25

When presentation is slowed, we end up remembering more words from the start and middle of the word list, because we have more time to attend to the words & transfer those words from WM to LTM. The recency effect is not impacted.

Question 26

Chunking

Answer 26

Grouping bits of info to make memorisation easier. FBICIALOLBRB = FBI-CIA-LOL-BRB

Question 27

Components of WM

Answer 27

Central executive, visuospatial sketchpad, phonological loop, episodic buffer.

Question 28

Central executive

Answer 28

The boss, doesn’t hold/store info. Manipulates and manages data.

Question 29

Components of WM

Answer 29

Central executive, visuospatial sketchpad, phonological loop, episodic buffer.

Question 30

Central executive

Answer 30

The boss, doesn’t hold/store info. Manipulates and manages data.

Question 31

Phonological similarity effect

Answer 31

“sound alike errors”

Conrad (1964) ofund that people didn’t make look-alike errors - people confused letters like “F” and “S” rather than “F” and “E”. The confusion was of letters/words that SOUND similar.

Question 32

Central executive

Answer 32

A component of WM.

The boss, doesn’t hold/store info. Manipulates and manages data.

Question 33

Visuospatial sketchpad

Answer 33

A component of WM; a slave/sub-system.

Handles visual and spatial information (eg. faces and maps). Involved in the process of visual imagery.

We don’t know much about it other than this; we don’t know ow people rehearse that info.

Question 34

Phonological loop

Answer 34

A component of WM; a slave/sub-system.

Auditory info.

Question 35

Episodic buffer

Answer 35

A component of WM; a slave/sub-system.

Combines visuo-spatial info with auditory info. Temporary storage where components of WM can interact, come together, and be combined.

Question 36

Importance of WM

Answer 36

Virtually all mental activities require working memory., eg. reading or goal-directed behaviour

Question 37

Clinical disorders linked with WM

Answer 37

WM Is linked with clinical disorders such as depression, ADHD, and learning difficulties.

Depression: “mood congruent thought”. Negative feelings can tie up the phonological loop.

Question 38

Transferring info from WM to LTM

Answer 38

Repeated exposure doesn’t work; we need more active encoding, such as via rehearsal.

Question 39

Two types of rehearsal

Answer 39

Maintenance and elaborative

Question 40

Maintenance rehearsal

Answer 40

Rote repetition

Question 41

Transferring info from WM to LTM

Answer 41

Repeated exposure doesn’t work; we need more active encoding, such as via rehearsal.

Level of processing is important - deeper processing leads to better recall.

Understanding info is important - remembering info in a useful and meaningful way.

Question 42

Impact of intention on learning

Answer 42

Intention itself is not actually an important factor. Rather, the depth of learning and how you process information is important.

Hyde & Jenkin’s experiment showed this, where incidental learning group performed the same as the intentional learning group.

Question 43

Levels of processing effect

Answer 43

Craik and Tulving found the levels of processing effect, where the deeper the processing, the more attention to the meaning of the word, the better the peoples recall.

More deeply processed info leads to better memory because it enhances the connections between memories, which helps us to retrieve it later on.

Question 44

Elaborate encoding

Answer 44

Promotes more memory connections and thus the retrieval of info from LTM.

Example (word to recall, “watch”):

Simple: the boy dropped his _____.

Elaborate: the old man hobbled across the room, and picked up the valuable _____.

Question 45

Mneumonics

Answer 45

Acronym, mental imagery,

Question 46

Acronym (mneumonics)

Answer 46

A mneumonic strategy.

Never Eat Soggy Weatbix - North East South West

Question 47

Mneumonics

Answer 47

Acronym, mental imagery, peg-words,

Question 48

Acronym (mnemonics)

Answer 48

A mnemonic strategy.

Never Eat Soggy Weatbix - North East South West

Question 49

Peg Word Method (mnemonics)

Answer 49

Learn the pegs first (one to ten connected with specific words), then attach words you want to memorize to the peg-words. Do so by creating bizarre imagery.

Question 50

Why/how are mnemonics helpful?

Answer 50

Mnemonics impose organisation on the to-be remembered words or information.

Question 51

What is digit span?

Answer 51

The number of digits a person can remember, typically around 7 digits.

Question 52

What is 7 plus-or-minus 2 chunks?

Answer 52

proposal that working memory holds 7 plus-or-minus 2 chunks.

Question 53

What is the articulatory rehearsal loop?

Answer 53

It consists of two parts: a short-term phonological store with auditory memory traces that are subject to rapid decay and an articulatory rehearsal component (sometimes called the articulatory loop) that can revive the memory traces.