Flashcards
Memory
Cards in this deck (15)
- 1CodingFormat in which information is stored in the various memory stores
- 2CapacityAmount of info that can be held in a memory store
- 3DurationLength of time info can be held in memory
- 4STMShort Term Memory
Limited capacity store
Coding: mainly acoustic
Capacity: 5-9 items
Duration: 18-30 seconds - 5LTMLong Term Memory
Permanent memory store
Coding: mainly semantic
Capacity: unlimited
Duration: up to a lifetime - 6Research on codingBaddeley
Gave lists of words to 4 groups of ps to remember:
- Group 1: acoustically similar
- Group 2: acoustically dissimilar
- Group 3: semantically similar
- Group 4: semantically dissimilar
When recalling immediately after hearing it (STM recall), they did worse on acoustically similar words.
When recalling after a time interval of 20 minutes (LTM recall), they did words with semantically similar words
= info is coded semantically in LTM - 7AO3 on research on codingArtificial stimuli
The words had no personal meaning to ps so might not be accurate when generalising the findings to different kinds of memory tasks.
= Limited application - 8Research on capacity Digit spanJacobs
Researcher gives ps a set of numbers and they must recall them in the correct order. If they do, the amount of numbers increase
Found that the mean span for digits across all ps was 9.3. The mean span for letters across all ps was 7.3. - 9AO3 on Digit spanLacking validity
It was done a long time ago and early psychology lacked adequate control.
Might have been confounding variables that weren't controlled
However, results from the study has been confirmed in other research, which supports its validity - 10Research on capacity Span of memory and chunkingMiller
Observed everyday practice (EG noticed that things come n sevens: 7 musical notes, 7 days of the week etc). This suggests that the capacity for STM is about 7 items (plus or minus 2)
He noted people can recall 5 words as well as 5 letters. They do this by chunking - 11AO3 on span and codingMay have overestimated capacity of STM
Cowan reviewed other research and concluded that the capacity of STM was only about 4 chunks
This suggests that the lower end of Miller's estimate is more appropriate. - 12Research on duration of STMMPeterson
Gave ps a consonant syllable and a 3 digit number. Then asked to count backwards from that 3 digit number until told to stop. This prevents mental rehearsal of the consonant syllable.
Showed that STM was very short unless we verbally rehearse it - 13AO3 of research on duration of STMMeaningless/artificial stimuli
Doesn't reflect most real-life memory activity
Lacking external validity
However we do sometimes remember fairly meaningless things like phone numbers, so this study isn't totally irrelevant - 14Research on duration of LTMBahrick et al
Ps were aged between 17-74.
High school yearbooks from the ps was the material.
Tested by photo-recognition test consisting of 50 photos, some from the yearbook. OR free recall test where ps recalled the names of their graduating class.
Ps tested who had graduated within 15 years were about 90% accurate in photo recognition.
After 48 years, recall declined to about 70% for photo-recognition.
Free recall after 15 years graduating it was 60% accurate, and dropping to 30% after 48 years
Shows that LTM can last for a very long time - 15AO3 of duration on LTMHigh external validity
Real life meaningful material was used
Lack of control over confounding variables
Bahrick's ps might have looked at their yearbooks and rehearsed their memory over the years.
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- Flashcards on Memory , created by Jessica Chandler on 21/01/2019.
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- Jessica Chandler · Jan 2019
- Updated
- Jan 22, 2019
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