Encoding (A01)

Encoding (A01)

1. Encoding is the way information is changed so that it can be stored in memory

2. Information in STM is encoded mainly acoustically

   • Conrad (1964)
     • Showed random sequence of 6 constants
       • Projected rapidly
         • Condition 1
           • letters acoustically similar
         • Condition 2
           • acoustically dissimilar
         • Write down correct serial order
     • Found it more difficult to recall acoustically similar than different
     • Concluded we must convert visually presented material into acoustic code
       • BUT we find it difficult to distinguish between words the same, V and D
         • causes acoustic confusion

3. Information in LTM in encoded mainly semantically

   • Baddeley (1966)
     • Pool of short familiar words for 4 categories
       • acoustically similar
         • acoustically dissimilar
       • Semantically similar
         • semantically dissimilar
     • Modified original to test LTM
       • extended the length of word list from 5 to 10 and prevented them from rehearsing by interrupting them after each
         • Each list presented 4 times
           • Recall tested after 20 minute intervals
     • Found acoustic similarity had no effect but words with similar meaning poorly recalled
     • Conclusion: LTM codes mainly semantically