Memory Revision

Memory Revision

1. Sensory Register

   • Duration: 1/4 - 1/2 seconds
   • Capacity: very large
   • Encoding: sense specific

2. Short-term Memory

   • Duration: 0 - 18 seconds
   • Encoding: Mainly acoustic
   • Capacity: 7±2 items

3. Long-term Memory

   • Capacity: Unlimited
   • Duration: Unlimited
   • Encoding: Mainly Semantic (can be acoustic/visual)

4. Multi-store Model A03

   • Strength: gives us good understanding of the structure and process of STM, this is good because it allows researchers to expand on this model.
     • means researchers can conduct experiments to improve the model
       • makes the model more valid
   • MSM oversimplifies STM & LTM: much more complicated
     • e.g// The Working Memory Model (Baddely & Hitch) showed that STM is not a simply unitary store and comprises of different components
       • e.g.// Central Executive, visual-spatial sketchpad etc.
   • Model suggest that rehearsal helps info to transfer to LTM, which is not essential. it raises questions like; how are we able to recall info which we did not rehearse (e.g/ swimming) but unable to recall info which we did rehearse (e.g// revision notes)
     • Therefore, importance of rehearsal is not as significant as Atkinson & Shiffrin

5. Research study for STM & LTM (AO1 & A03)

   • Glanzer & Cuntiz show that when participants were presented with a list of words. They tend to remember the first few and last few.
     • Serial Dispostion Effect
       • Supports existence of separate LTM & STM stores because they observed a primacy and recency effect
   • Case of KF also supports distinction between STM & LTN
     • KF had been in a motorcycle accident where he sustained brain damage
     • His LTM seemed to be unaffected but only able to recall last buts of info in his STM

6. Long-term Memory

   • Earliest distinction between LTM was proposed by Tulving (1972)
     • Procedural Memory
       • responsible for knowing things
       • Does not require conscious thought; its automatic
       • Not declarative
     • Semantic Memory
       • Responsible for storing info about the world
       • Involves conscious thought
       • Is declarative
     • Episodic Memory
       • Responsible for storing info about event (i.e events)
       • Involves conscious thought
       • Is declarative

7. Working Memory Model

   • Baddeley and Hitch, 1974. Replaces the idea that STM is a unitary store
     • Suggests a system involving active processing and short-term storage of information.
   • Central Executive
     • Determines which info is attended to. Can process info in all sensory form. Directs the info to the correct slave systems
     • Limited capacity; 1 piece of info at one time
   • Phonological Loop
     • Temporary store for holding auditory info in speech based form
     • Phonological Store
       • Inner Ear; stores words you hear
     • Articulatory Loop
       • Inner Voice; allows for maintenance rehearsal
     • Key role in development of reading
   • Visuo-spatial sketchpad
     • Temporary store for holding visual and spatial info
     • Visual Cache
       • Stores visual data about form and colour
     • Inner Scribe
       • Records info about the arrangement of objects
       • Rehearses and transfer from the Visual Cache to the Central Executive
   • Episodic Buffer
     • Backup store for info

8. Working Memory Model A03

   • Supported by Dual-task studies, it is easier to do tasks which use two different slave systems than doing tasks which require the same slave system.
     • Because the 2 tasks would be competing for the limited capacity of the slave system
   • KF supports the WMM. After his accident his STM was damaged. KF's impairment was mainly for verbal info, but visual info was largely unaffected
     • This shows differentiation for separate STM stores
       • However its is unreliable as brain-damaged patients are unique cases.
   • Limitation: little is known about the Central Executive. It is an important part of the WMM but its exact role is unclear
   • Limitation: Model does not explain the link between Working memory and LTM

9. Research study for WMM

   • Baddeley & Hitch conducted an experiment. Participants were asked to perform 2 tasks at the same time (Dual-task technique)
     • A digit span task which required them to repeat a list of numbers and a verbal reasoning task which required them to answer to answer true or false to various questions
       • Results: As the number of digits increased participants took longer to answer, not much longer: a fraction of a second. And they didn't make any errors in the verbal reasoning task as the number of digits increased
         • Conclusion: The verbal reasoning task made use of the central executive and the digit span task made use of the phonological loop

10. Explanations for Forgetting

    • Interference
      • A01
        • Proactive interference
          • Old learning prevents recall of more recent information.
        • Retroactive interference:
          • New learning prevents recall of previously learned info. New memories disrupts old memories
    • Retrieval Failure
      • is where info is available in LTM but cannot be recalled because of the absence of appropriate cues
      • Retrieval cues
        • Context Dependant
          • External cues in the environment e.g. smell, place etc. Evidence indicates that retrieval is more likely when the context at encoding matches the context at retrieval
        • State Dependant
          • Bodily cues inside us e.g. emotions etc. Retrieval will be best when a persons physical or psychological state is simliar at encoding and retrieval
        • Organisation
          • Recall is improved if the organisation gives a structure which provides triggers e.g categories

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