Short Term Memory

Short Term Memory

1. Encoding

   • When information arrives at our senses it is in its original form (modality)
   • Factors affecting encoding
     • Sound of words - both Baddeley and Conrad found that STM relies heavily on acoustic encoding, it is difficult to recall acoustically similar words in the correct order even when presented visually
   • We either smell, taste, feel, see or hear something (stimulus)
   • Commonly focused research on acoustic or visual encoding

2. Capacity

   • Miller's magic number is 7 (+ or - 2)
   • For holding chunks, words or numbers
   • Factors affecting capacity
     • Influence of the LTM - the same digits repeated often become easier to recall. Shows LTM can increase STM capacity
     • Reading aloud - improves performance, more senses
     • Rhythmic grouping - improves performance compared to monotonic recitation
     • Pronunciation time - how you say something and the time it takes

3. Duration

   • As well as having a limited capacity for an amount of information, STM also holds the information for a limited time
   • Factors affecting duration
     • Affected by rehearsal - items disappear from STM if rehearsal is prevented. Repetition continually reinserts information into STM.
     • Affected by deliberate intention - items can disappear item from STM in a matter of seconds if people make no conscious effort to retain them
     • Affected by the amount needed to be retained - the importance is the number of chunks to be remembered not the individual letters