Week 3

Question 1

What is memory

Answer 1

Memory is a storage system to retain information from the past

Question 2

Types of memory

Answer 2

-Sensory
-Short term/working
-Long term
-> Explicit
-> Implicit

Question 3

Memory processes:
Encoding

Answer 3

Creating mental representation of information

Question 4

Memory processes:
Storage

Answer 4

Creating a record of encoded information

Question 5

Memory processes:
Retrival

Answer 5

Recognising cues for memories and recalling the information

Question 6

Relevant case studies:
Perfect memory

Answer 6

Solomon Shereshevsky
-Perfect recall and high emotional response due to synaesthesia
-Blurs line between long and short term memory

Question 7

Relevant case studies:
Imperfect memory

Answer 7

Clive Wearig
-Viral damage to hippocampus caused anterograde (post amnesia) and partial retrograde (pre-amnesia) amnesia, leaving him with no long term memories and very limited short term memory
-Demonstrates “damage to the bridge between long and short term memory”

Question 8

Multi-store model

Answer 8

Sensory store -(attention)> short term store -(encoding)> long term store

Question 9

Multi-store model:
Chunks

Answer 9

units made of a group of items/information

Question 10

Multi-store model:
Iconic memory

Answer 10

Sensory store for visual information (approx 500 milliseconds)
Typically thought to be preattentive (processed before attention)

Question 11

Multi-store model:
Echoic memory

Answer 11

Sensory store for auditory information (approx 2 seconds right hemisphere or 5 seconds in left)
‘Playback’ (remembering what someone said after asking)

Question 12

Sensory memory

Answer 12

-Iconic & Echonic
-Sensation lasts longer than stimuli but decays rapidly

Question 13

Multi-store model:
Short term memory

Answer 13

Rehearsal of short term memory is necessary to promote encoding, otherwise information will be forgotten

Question 14

Visuospatial sketchpad

Answer 14

Visual information retrieved from long term memory (or sensory stores) to be represented and rehearsed in the short term memory
-‘The minds eye’

Question 15

Phonological loop

Answer 15

The phonological store can only hold verbal information for a short time, so it is rehearsed by our inner speech in the auditory loop to refresh it in the phonological store

Question 16

Phonological similarity

Answer 16

Words or sounds which are phonetically similar are harder to recall, regardless of semantics

Question 17

Phonological loop:
Word length effect

Answer 17

Shorter words are easier to remember

Question 18

Phonological loop:
Selective impairment

Answer 18

Temporal parietal damage in the left hemisphere has been linked to reduced verbal memory, despite word perception and production remaining intact

Question 19

Episodic buffer

Answer 19

Communicates between long term and working memory

Question 20

Fluid systems

Answer 20

The visuospatial sketchpad, episodic buffer, and phonological loop are parts of memory controlled by the central executive which do not change

Question 21

Crystallised systems

Answer 21

Visual semantics, Episodic long term memory, and language are parts of the memory which change based on knowledge aquired

Question 22

Orthographic

Answer 22

Written forms

Question 23

Encoding levels

Answer 23

Orthographic (lowest recall)
Phonological
Semantic (best recall)

Question 24

Memory problems

Answer 24

Memory problems may be a problem with encoding, storage, or retrieval rather than the memories themselves

Question 25

Unitary model of memory

Answer 25

Short term memory is temporary activation of long term memory
Relational information- linking short term information to long term information