Wk 5 - Attention and Memory Pt. 1

Question 1

What are the three basic processes of memory

Answer 1

• Encoding
• Storage
• Retrieval

Question 2

What is the encoding process of memory

Answer 2

Encoding transforms sensory stimuli into a form that can be placed in memory.

Question 3

What is Storage in regards to memory

Answer 3

Storage is effectively retaining information for later use

Question 4

What is the retrieval process of memory

Answer 4

Retrieval is the process of locating the item and using it (recall vs recognition.)

Question 5

What is attentions role in encoding and what determines its quality

Answer 5

Attention acts as a ‘filter’.
Amount/type of attention determines quality of encoding.
(eg. Maintenance rehearsal vs Elaborative Rehearsal)

Question 6

What is maintenance rehearsal

Answer 6

Mechanical repetition of information. Doesn’t transform it into a deeper, more meaningful code.

Question 7

What are Craik and Tulving’s 3 levels of processing? How do they differ and which is creates the deepest level of learning

Answer 7

• Superficial: When encode only the physical qualities of something. i.e Whether or not a word is capitalised or how they look (height, colour etc.)
• Phonological: When encode information by sound. i.e Does X word rhyme with Y word.
• Semantic: When encode the meaning of information and relate it to other things with similar meaning. I.e Does X word fit into a sentence. Or what are some similes for ‘Rug’. It is the best

Question 8

What is elaborative rehearsal

Answer 8

meaningful processing of information. Thinking about the information while simultaneously trying to memorise. ie. What the poem is about.

Question 9

What does Visual imagery encoding store better?

Answer 9

Tangible or concrete objects are recalled better than abstract items.

Question 10

Self referent encoding

Answer 10

Applying the information to oneself

Question 11

What are the stages of the multiple trace hypothesis of memory

Answer 11

Stimuli > Sensory Register > Short Term Memory > Long Term memory > (If rehearsed Short term memory)

Question 12

What is the first stage of memory storage and what are its two components

Answer 12

The Sensory Register: A storage system that intakes, register and briefly holds information from the senses.

It consists of:
- Iconic Memory
- Echoic Memory.

Question 13

How long is information stored in Iconic memory and how many items. What system is it related to

Answer 13

Iconic memory is related to the visual system holds information for up to 0.5 seconds.

It can hold 9 to 10 items.

Question 14

How long is information stored in Echoic memory and how many items. What system is connected to.

Answer 14

Echoic memory is connected to the auditory system.
- It holds information for around 2 seconds.
- It can hold 5 items of information.

Question 15

Who conducted the whole and partial report tasks, as well as the partial category report and what were they on

Answer 15

The whole and partial report tasks were conducted by Sterling (1960). They deduced the information we know about echoic and iconic memory.

Question 16

What is the intermediate storage system that briefly holds information prior to consolidation

Answer 16

Short term memory (STM)

Question 17

What is Short term memory (STM)

Answer 17

STM is an intermediary system that holds information for a brief period, prior to consolidation.

Question 18

What are the characteristics of STM

Answer 18

Short term memory’s characteristics are:
It has a 20 second duration.
Recall for lists of digits is around 7 (+ or - 2)

Question 19

How can you extend STM 20 second duration? What happens to information in STM when this is not done? How else can information be lost?

Answer 19

You can extend the 20 second duration of STM using rehearsal. When rehearsal is not done the information can be lost or “Decay”. Information can also be lost through interference.

Question 20

What are the 4 components of Working memory

Answer 20

• The central executive
• The visuospatial sketchpad
• The Phonological buffer
• The episodic buffer

Question 21

What is the phonological (articulatory) loop/buffer

Answer 21

It is a component of Working memory.

• It is responsible for information to do with speech and writing.
• It holds information in a speech based form.

Question 22

What is the visuospatial sketchpad?

Answer 22

• It is the aspect of working memory that deals with visual and spatial information.
• It keeps track of where one is in relation to world and objects around.

Question 23

What is the episodic buffer?

Answer 23

It is the intermediary between the two ‘slave’ systems (The phonological loop and visuospatial sketch pad) and LTM.

• It stores information in a multi-faceted/dimensional code.
• Controlled by the central executive.
• Important for long term episodic learning

Question 24

What is the Central Executive?

Answer 24

• The central executive is the attentional system within working memory that supervises and controls the slave systems. (What are these?)

-In charge of controlled processing. This includes, directing attention, maintaining task goals, decision making and memory retrieval. “head boss”c

Question 25

What is LTM

Answer 25

Long term memory is the system that stores and retains information for a long period of time.

• It has large capacity.
• long duration.

there are different types.

Question 26

What are the primacy and recency effects

Answer 26

• The primacy effect is seen when we remember best the first things
• the recency effect is when remember the las information best (mainly due to STM though)

Question 27

What are two factors that improve LTM

Answer 27

• Context: Memory is better when in the context that learned material in.
• Internal state: memory is best when in same internal state that learned info in.