Memory

Question 1

Encoding

Answer 1

Processing info into a form so that it can be held in your brain

Question 2

storing

Answer 2

the info is kept in your brain for a period of time

Question 3

retrieving

Answer 3

info is located and brought back out of your brain

Question 4

episodic memory

Answer 4

memory of events (conscious)

Question 5

semantic memory

Answer 5

memory of meaning (conscious)

Question 6

procedural memory

Answer 6

memory of skills (unconscious)

Question 7

Evaluation for Tulvings theory

Answer 7

A: brain scans show different types of LTM relate to different brain locations, e.g. procedural memory associated with motor area.
A: amnesiacs like Clive Wearing support LTM types as most of his procedural but not episodic memories were intact. (CW remembers he has a wife but forgets she was with him shortly after she leaves)
D: distinctive types of LTM are dififcult to seperate so it may be an oversimplification. (like remembering to tie your shoelaces bcs you tripped last week is a combo of all three)

Question 8

Capacity, duration and encoding type for SM

Answer 8

C: all sensory informaiton
D: 1/4 to 1/2 a second
E: sense specific

Question 9

Capacity, duration and encoding type for STM

Answer 9

C: 7 plus or minus chunks
D: 15 to 30 secs
E: mainly auditory

Question 10

Capacity, duration and encoding type for LTM

Answer 10

C: unlimited
D: unlimited (from minutes to a lifetime)
E: mainly semantic

Question 11

Describe the multi-store model of memory

Answer 11

A theoretical framework of how the brain encodes, stores and retrieves info. It is based on the fact that we have 3 memory stores: sensory memory, short term memory and longterm memory. environmental stimuli enters the SM continuously, however if attention isn’t placed on it, it can decay within 1/4 to 1/2 a sec. Though, when attention is applied, the info goes into the STM store, where it’ll either decay or stay there for 15-30 seconds. Then it’ll either decay or stay there for another 30 secs if you repeat the info continuously - maintenance rehearsal. However, doing elaborative rehearsal on the STM, converts the info to the LTM store. Elaborative rehearsal is when you connect the new info with some old info in a meaningful way.

Question 12

Evaluation for the MSM

Answer 12

A: supporting evidence from baddeley shows qualitative differences between STM and LTM
D: oversimplified, evidence suggests there are multiple STM and LTM stores.
A: usefulness, was a pioneering model of memory that inspired further research and other infleuntial models
D: artificial task, research uses word lists or consonant syllables so the model lacks validity

Question 13

Primacy effect

Answer 13

the tendency to recall 5 or so words from the beginning of a list

Question 14

recency effect

Answer 14

tendency to recall 5 or so words from the end of a list

Question 15

serial position curve

Answer 15

position of word correlates to its likelihood of being remembered

Question 16

Murdocks serial position study AIM

Answer 16

to investigate whether there are seperate short term and long term memory stores
OR
to see if the likelihood of recalling a word depends on its position in a list

Question 17

Murdocks PROCEDURE

Answer 17

Participants heard list of words. the word list had between 10-40 words on them. The ppts were asked to recall as many as possible.

Question 18

Murdocks RESULTS

Answer 18

Ppts recalled more words from the start of the list (primacy effect) and the end of the list (recency effect) than those in the middle of the list.

Question 19

Murdocks CONCLUSION

Answer 19

• recency effect of words because they were still in STM
• primacy effect of words bcs they had been transferred to LTM
• results indicate the likelihood of recalling a word depends on its position in a list

Question 20

Murdocks EVALUATIOn

Answer 20

A: standardised procedures like ‘controlling the familiarity of the words’ so can be concluded position of words determine recall.
D: low mundane realism, ppt asked to recall word list, not daily life, may not be how serial position affects memory recall in everyday memory.
A: supporting research, some amnesiacs can’t store LTM, which shows the primacy effect is related to LTM
D: limited sample of ppt. all psych students of smiliar age. difficult to gen the findings to people of diff ages or who don’t study psych.

Question 21

Bartletts wotg AIM

Answer 21

to investigate how memory was reconstructed when asked to repeat a story over a course of weeks and months

Question 22

Bartletts wotg PROCEDURE

Answer 22

Used a technique called serial reproduction. He showed ppt ‘TWOTG’ and asked ppt to recall it 15 minutes later. Then, he got this new version and showed it to the next ppt for them to recall it shortly after as well. Process repeated with further ppts.
(culture of the story was much different to the ppts)

Question 23

Bartletts wotg RESULTS

Answer 23

• stories became shortened by omissions
• certain words and phrases were adapted to match the culture of the speaker (boats instead of canoes)
• story soon became fixed, only slight variations each time.

Question 24

Bartletts wotf CONCLUSION

Answer 24

He concluded that memories are not exact copies but are influenced by our prior knowledge and our expectations known as schemas.

Question 25

Bartlett EVALUATE

Answer 25

D: lacks control, ppt weren’t told accurate recall was important, other studies found it better when they were told, suggests recall is more accurate
D: biased, bartlett analysed the collections himself, his belief that recall would be affected by cultural expectations may have biased his interpretations of the results, not trustable results (lless valid)
D: story was unusual - the recall of the story may not reflet everyday memory processes as these will be less affected by cultural expectations, lacks validity, tells us little about everyday memory

Question 26

effort after meaning

Answer 26

the persistant effort to put unfamiliar ideas into more familiar terms in attempt to comprehend ambiguous or unfamiliar material

Question 27

reconstructed memory

Answer 27

memories are not exact copies by are influenced by our prior knowledge and our expectations known as schemas

Question 28

schema

Answer 28

a packet of knowledge about an event, person or place that influences how we percieve and remember
1. personal experience
2. stereotypes
3. cultures

Question 29

interference

Answer 29

forgetting may occur if two memories compete with each other

Question 30

proactive interference

Answer 30

unable to recall new information as old memories interfere with the new memories being formed

Question 31

retroactive memory

Answer 31

unable to recall old information as new memories interfere with old memories being formed

Question 32

Factors affecting the accuracy of memory

Answer 32

interference, context and false memories

Question 33

how does context affect memory?

Answer 33

• recall is more accurate when information is encoded and retrieved in the same context
• cues from the context are encoded and can trigger recall

Question 34

how does false memories affect memory?

Answer 34

imagining an event can implant a false memory in a person, reducing accuracy of memory