Memory

Memory

1. Processes of memory

   • Encoding- taking in information into memory and changing it into a form the can be stored.
   • Storage- holding information in the memory system.
   • Retrieval- recovering information from storage.

2. Ways we can encode written information

   • Visually- what the words look like.
   • Acoustically- what the words sound like.
   • Semantically- what the words mean.

3. The 3 types of memory

   • Episodic- unique memories which are concerned with personal experiences or events.
   • Procedural- our memory for carrying out complex skills.
   • Semantic- memories which are concerned with general knowledge.

4. Multi-Store Model of Memory

   • The theory of memory that suggests information passes through a series of memory stores
     • Sensory Store- memory store that holds information received from the senses for a very short period of time.
     • Short-term store- memory store that holds approximately 7 bits of information for a limited amount of time.
     • Long-term store- memory store that holds a vast amount of information for a very long time.

5. Murdock's serial position curve study

   • Aim- to provide evidence for the existence of separate short-term and long-term stores of the multi-store model of memory.
   • Study design & participants- lab study, standardized procedures, ppts were male and female psychology students.
   • Method- 16 ppts given a 20 word list, 1 word per second. After all words read out, they were asked to recall the words. Test was repeated with the same ppts over a few days 80 times. A different list was used.
   • Results- words at end of list recalled first (recency effect). Words at the beginning also recalled well (primary effect). Words at middle not remembered well.
   • Evaluation strengths- Murdock's study provided evidence for the existence of separate short-term and long-term stores in the multi-store model of memory. Evaluation weaknesses- all similar ages&psychology students which may produce different results to non-psychology students. Remembering word lists isn't a common task so the study lacks ecological validity. Not representative of whole population. Some psychologists disagree