L2. Sensory and working memory Flashcards
What is memory
- “Memory is the means by which we retain and draw on our past experiences to use that information in the present”
- Three common operations of memory
- Each operation represents a stage in memory processing
3 operations of memory
- Encoding
- Transform data into mental representation, can be called learning but doesn’t have to be that intentional, we can also encode things we are at least paying a little bit of attention to - Storage
- Keep encoded information in memory - Retrieval
- Pulling info from memory to be used unconsciously or consciously
how to we measure memory
implicit and explicit
For explicit memory
- The most common type, recall recognition memory
- We are asked to learn something to repeat it
- Conscious attempt to use memory
For implicit memory
- E.g. Priming: when past experience helps you with new experience without even realising
- Don’t involve conscious recall or execution
Explicit memory
recall
- recall is producing an item from memory
three different types - Serial recall, very strict e.g. phone number. Must be all in the right order
- Free recall, any order e.g. a shopping list. No order needed as long as all items are there
- Cued recall, information in environment used to trigger retrieval. e.g. paired-associates recall where cue could be anything
explicit memory
recognition
- Select an item which you have seen previously
- Can be true or false (old/new) tests or multiple choice
- This is usually better than recall because retrieval is cue dependant, the best cue to remember the item is the item itself
explicit memory
Semantic and episodic memory
- They are different memory systems yet the boundaries are unclean
- Sematic memories used to be episodic but they have been decontextualised or (semantified)
- The evidence of them being separate systems is clear from:
○ Ribot gradient: dementia patients loose recent episodic memories first
○ Reversed Ribot gradient: in semantic dementia semantic knowledge and old episodic memories are forgotten first
Explicit memory
Forgetting
Proactive interference (PI)
- Previous learning interferes with later learning
- Rest periods prevent interference
Retroactive interference (RI)
- Later learning interferes with previous learning
- Rest periods prevent interference
implicit memory
- memory influences behaviour without conscious awareness
- eg riding a bike or driving
- can be further split up into priming or procedural
implicit memory
priming
- Facilitating the processing of (and response) to a target stimulus by presenting a stimulus related to it shortly beforehand.
- Even though you did not intentionally retrieve or consciously retrieve, seeing things more recently makes them more likely they will come to mind
Semantic
- E.g. stem completion
- More likely to choose a certain word because of recent exposure or semantic networks
Perceptual/repetition priming
- E.g. fragment completion, broken lined drawing > what animal is this?
- Repeated exposure speeds up processing
Can be very long-lasting
implicit memory
procedural
- This is memory concerned with knowing how and it includes the knowledge required to perform skilled actions.
The Atkinson and Shiffrin model 1968
- Three stores of memory all mainly one way
- Sensory memory: capable of storying relatively limited amounts of information for limited periods of time (milliseconds)
- Short-term memory: minimal capacity for a somewhat long period (seconds), STM rehearsal leads to LTM storage
- Long term memory: very large capacity for very long times (infinite)
The Atkinson and Shiffrin model 1968
Criticisms
- Rehearsal is ineffective for LTM retention
- Patients with severe short-term memory deficits but intact long-term memory
- Found non-unitary short-term memory deficits
○ Forgetting auditory stimuli greater than visual stimuli
○ Forgetting verbal materials such as letters, words and digits but not other meaningful sounds - Baddeley and hitch argue its oversimplified, STM isnt the only gateway to LTM and that there are more than one uniform types of STM and LTM each
Sensory memory
- Simultaneous entry of sensory information into consciousness
- Relatively limited capacity, very brief duration
- Two main types: iconic and echoic
- Both spontaneously decay and are erased by masks or inference
- Perception can rely on icon/echo even if the physical stimulus is gone
sensory memory
iconic
- Visual
- Discrete visual sensory register that holds information for a short time
- Infor is stored as visual images
- Some argue its purely visual/perceptual and therefore no semantic processing
- Minimum hold or 9 items for 500 m/s
sensory memory echoic
- Auditory equivalent of iconic memory
- Brief, unanalysed memory of an auditory stimulus (an ‘echo’)
- Masking tone task where the noise is correctly reported if the masking tone is delayed
- About minimum 3 items for 250 m/s
