Sensory, Short-Term & Working Memory

Sensory, Short-Term & Working Memory

1. THE MODAL MODEL

   • (Old model)
   • Atkinson & Shiffrin
     • Structural features
       • Sensory
         • sec./fraction of a sec.
       • STM
         • 15-30 secs.
       • LTM
         • Years/Decades
   • Control Processes
     • Active processes that can be controlled by the person & may differ from 1 task to another
       • Rehearsal (@ STM)
       • Memory strategies
       • Attention strategies

2. UNITARY VS. SYSTEMS APPROACH

   • Unitary
     • Cognitive capacity of memory
   • Systems
     • Multiple systems/types of memory

3. RECENCY VS. PRIMACY EFFECT

   • RECENCY
     • Short-Term Memory
     • Count backwards for 30 secs.
       • Delay prevented rehearsal
       • Allow time to be lost from STM
       • Eliminates recency effect
   • PRIMACY
     • Words alr transferred to LTM
     • Counting has no effect
     • More time between words = + Primacy effect
   • Serial Position Curve

4. SHORT-TERM MEMORY

   • CODING IN STM
     • Sound-based errors to remember words flashed on a screen
       • Writing "F" as "S"
       • Chinese language symbols supports visual & phonological coding
   • CAPACITY OF STM
     • Digit span is 1 measure
     • George Miller (1956) Paper
       • 7 +/- 2
       • CHUNKING enables STM to deal w larger amount of info.
   • INTERFERENCE
     • PROACTIVE
       • Old info affects new info
     • RETROACTIVE
       • New info affects old info

5. INFANTILE AMNESIA

   • Inability to recall first 2/3 yrs
     • 1. Events stored but irretrievable.
     • 2. Events were never encoded & stored adequately.
       • Attentional & Perceptual system not developed
         • Children acquire "I" & "You" @ 22 mth
       • Children develop the concept of self @ 18mth

6. WORKING MEMORY

   • Modern approach to STM
   • Function: Not just to briefly store info but also to manipulate.
   • MODEL
     • PHONOLOGICAL LOOP
       • Auditory & Verbal info.
       • STORAGE
         • Passive part
       • REHEARSAL
         • Active part
     • VISUOSPATIAL SKETCH PAD
       • Visual & Spatial info.
     • CENTRAL EXECUTIVE
       • Major work of working memory here
       • Coordinates activity from Phonological Loop & Visuospatial Sketch Pad
     • EPISODIC BUFFER
       • Backup store, communicates with LTM & Components of working mem.

7. DEESE, ROEDIGER, & MCDERMOTT PARADIGM

   • Uses a list of words associated to an unpresented "critical lure"
   • To study false memory in humans

8. SENSORY MEMORY

   • Sperling's Experiment
     • Delayed presentation measured the time course of fading
       • Decrease in performance due to rapid decay of iconic memory
   • Persistence of Vision
     • E.g. Sparkler trials
   • Huge capacity, Short duration

9. EBBINGHAUS (LTM)

   • "Savings in re-learning"
     • Info. lost may return when immersed in learning environment again