Working Memory (1) Flashcards
What are the four components of memory?
- Attention
- Working memory
- Short-term memory
- Long-term memory
What was William James’ (1842 - 1910) early perspective about memory?
That we have two types of memory: primary and secondary memory.
What did William James believe about so-called “primary memory”?
That this consisted of information that was available to consciousness and that was effortlessly retrievable.
What did William James believe about so-called “secondary memory”?
That this was a type of long-term storage of information that was not available to consciousness unless cognitively activated, causing retrieval to be effortful.
What does the Atkinson-Shiffrin model hold in its simplest form?
That if you attend to information registered in a sensory store (e.g., the auditory information associated with several just-spoken words), some of that information will be transferred to short-term store (STS), where it can be rehearsed and ultimately transferred to long-term store (LTS).
When does maintenance rehearsal occur?
When we repeat material to ourselves over and over again.
What is the function of maintenance rehearsal?
To keep repeated information in the short-term memory and if it occurs for long enough, to pass this information onto the long-term memory.
What is retrieval?
The process by which stored memories are recovered in response to memory cues that are either externally or internally generated.
What is the product of a successful retrieval process?
An awareness of the target memory or information.
What are three characteristics of short-term memory?
- It is brief (lasting a few seconds) and limited in capacity.
- Involves stored information that is easy to recall.
- The recall of information held in short-term memory requires active mental effort.
What are three characteristics of long-term memory?
- It has a virtually limitless capacity.
- It is long-lasting and relatively permanent.
- It involves cerebral changes.
