memory pt1

Question 1

define memory

Answer 1

Processes involved in retaining, retrieving, and using information about stimuli, images, events, ideas, and skills after the original information is no longer present.
Memory is a behaviour of neurons, not a passive storage!

Question 2

name the three memory types

Answer 2

sensory
short term
long term

Question 3

explain modal model of memory

Answer 3

Different types of memory work together at all times
- Control processes that can be controlled by the person
– Rehearsal
– Strategies used to make a stimulus more memorable (e.g. connecting to existing knowledge, mnemotechniques)
– Strategies of attention that help you focus on specific stimuli (e.g. memorizing details)
- The primary form of information loss from STM is through decay

Question 4

what is sensory memory

Answer 4

● Retention of the effects of sensory stimulation for brief periods of time
● information decays very quickly

Question 5

explain Sperling’s measure of sensory memory

Answer 5

• Presented an array of letters flashing quickly on a screen
  Participants asked to report as many letters as possible

Question 6

results of whole report method

Answer 6

4.5/12 letters

Question 7

result of partial method

Answer 7

• Participants heard tone that told them which row of letters
  to report.
  Average of 3.3 out of 4 letters

Question 8

delayed partial report method

Answer 8

• Presentation of tone delayed for a fraction of a second after the letters were extinguished
  
  • Average of 1 out of 4 letters
    (25%)
    Performance decreases rapidly.

Question 9

why did performance decrease

Answer 9

due to the rapid decay of iconic memory

Question 10

what is short term memory

Answer 10

• Stores small amounts of information for a brief duration.
  
  • Includes new information received from the sensory stores and information recalled from long-term memory.
    What we experience as ‘the presence’

Question 11

how long is STM

Answer 11

15-20secs

Question 12

how to test STM duration

Answer 12

• Participants read aloud series of letters and/or digits
• recount them backwards
  After a set time (decay interval), they recall a part of the series

Question 13

recall at 3secs

Answer 13

80% accuracy

Question 14

recall at 18secs

Answer 14

10%

Question 15

what is proactive interference

Answer 15

previous knowledge interferes with new information

Question 16

what is retroactive interference

Answer 16

new information interferes with existing knowledge

Question 17

how big is STM

Answer 17

5-9 Items

Question 18

how to measure capacity of STM

Answer 18

digit span task

Question 19

what is chunking

Answer 19

• small units can be combined into larger meaningful units
  very effective learning strategy & STM control process

Question 20

what is the change detection paradigm

Answer 20

• Memory capacity = “Amount of information” rather than number of items
  Used colored squares as well as complex objects to prevent (verbal) rehearsal

Question 21

what is the true STM capacity likely to be for most people

Answer 21

4

Question 22

what is working memory

Answer 22

capacity system for temporary storage and manipulation of information for complex tasks such as comprehension, learning, and reasoning.

Question 23

what is the difference for short term memory

Answer 23

stores processes and manipulates info and is active during cognition
* Dynamic system
* Subdivision
* Facilitates parallel processing
Interference if similar information types are processed simultaneously

Question 24

name two aspects of phonological loop

Answer 24

Phonological store
Articulatory rehearsal process

Question 25

what is the phonological store

Answer 25

Limited capacity for verbal & auditory information; only holds information for few seconds

Question 26

what is Articulatory rehearsal process

Answer 26

Responsible for rehearsal that keeps information from decaying.

Question 27

what is the visuospatial sketchpad

Answer 27

Holds spatial & visual information (visual imagery) in the mind in the absence of a physical visual stimulus

Question 28

what is the central executive

Answer 28

Acts as the attention controller & accesses long term memory
Focuses, divides, switches attention.
Controls suppression of irrelevant information & phonological loop & visuospatial sketchpad.

Question 29

how to measure WM capacity

Answer 29

Tested with reading span task & operation span task
(diagnostic tools to assess individual differences in WM)

Question 30

Phonological similarity effect

Answer 30

letters or words that sound similar are confused;

Question 31

Articulatory suppression:

Answer 31

speaking prevents one from rehearsing items to be remembered

Question 32

Word length effect:

Answer 32

memory for wordlists is better for short words

Question 33

what is the episodic buffer

Answer 33

backup store that can hold information longer and has greater capacity than phonological loop or visuospatial sketch pad
uses techniques like chunking
communicates with long-term and working memory components.