5 - Process Of Acquiring Memories

Question 1

Describe the steps in the modal memory model

Answer 1

Incoming information>sensory memory>short-term memory

Short-term memory could go to long-term memory/lost/maintenance via rehearsal

Long-term memory can go to short term memory via retrieval

Question 2

What happens if you don’t rehearse info that goes into short term memory?

Answer 2

Can’t access anymore

Question 3

What experiment shows that sensory memory exists?

Answer 3

George spurling
- showed 3 rows of letter for 50ms
1st condition: recall as many letters as you can (most could maximum 4 before representation disappeared from memory)
2nd condition: shown for 50 Ms, immediately after were told to tell the first row of letters/other rows (able to keep entire panel in memory but sensory memory disappeared quickly)

Question 4

What should we call short term memory? Define it

Answer 4

Working memory: a dynamic form of short-term storage (more accurate language for what is happening in this processing stage)
- better understood as a status or activity rather than a place

Question 5

Describe the features of working memory

Answer 5

Duration: temporary, fragile
Capacity + size: limited
Ease of entry: relatively easy
Ease of retrieval: relatively easy

Question 6

Describe the features of long term memory

Answer 6

Duration: long lasting, enduring
Capacity and size: enormous
Ease of entry: effortful
Ease of retrieval: can be difficult, slow, and even unsuccessful

Question 7

What 2 theories support the modal model?

Answer 7

Recency effect, primacy effect
*The serial position/learning curve of these is evidence

Question 8

Describe the recency effect

Answer 8

Last few items are still in working memory at time of recall
- better memory for last set of words

Question 9

Describe the primacy effect

Answer 9

Opportunity for memory rehearsal increased chances of transfer to long term memory
- not in working memory but rehearsed enough to make it to long term memory, don’t have a lot to memorize when you see them so they go long term

Question 10

What happened to the recency effect when a 3 second delay was implemented before recall

Answer 10

Removes advantage for words at the end of the list, no recency effect

Question 11

What happens when you change the interval of word presentation?

Answer 11

See generally more words recalled with slow presentation
- see general improvement in all words they had opportunities to rehearse but no effect on words stored in working memory

Question 12

Where do we get neural activity with working memory?

Answer 12

Perirhinal cortex

Question 13

Where do we get activity for long term memory?

Answer 13

Hippocampus

Question 14

Working memory is used whenever _

Answer 14

Multiple elements/ideas are combined/compared in mind
*Engaging with info “working on your memory”
*Diff people have diff WM capacities

Question 15

When given a series of digits and told to remember the order, most people can remember:

Answer 15

6-9
*7 plusminus 2 chunks (digit span task)

Question 16

Describe the operation span task

Answer 16

Can access working memory capacity while it’s working (diff stages)
- focuses on what you can remember while doing a task
- more reflective and accurate, correlations with interesting metrics (SAT scores, reading comprehension, reasoning)

Question 17

The two types of rehearsal for long-term storage

Answer 17

Maintenance rehearsal, rational/elaborative rehearsal

Question 18

Describe maintenance rehearsal

Answer 18

Repetition, most basic form of rehearsal

Question 19

Describe relational or elaborative rehearsal

Answer 19

Thinking about the meanings of the words
- trying to find connections between long term memories
- take info you just learned and working memory and connect with something that’s already in long-term memory, can quickly get the info stored with it
***Superior to maintenance

Question 20

What 2 depths of processing do we have? Why are these important?

Answer 20

Shallow and deep processing
*The level at which you engage in processing info impacts how you store the info

Question 21

Describe shallow processing

Answer 21

• superficial engagement with the material
• the analysis of a word focused on the physical characteristics (ie. Is a word in lowercase or capital letters?)

Question 22

Describe deep processing

Answer 22

Requires thinking about the meaning of the material
- have to think about if something fits in a sentence based on meaning
** Leads to more words recalled

Question 23

Does intention impact depth of processing?

Answer 23

No, if you tell people you will test them on something, your awareness of knowing you’ll be tested makes no difference (can’t just will yourself to remember something for later)
***This is paying attention + intention compared to paying attention

Question 24

Deep processing leads to more connections which leads to

Answer 24

More pathways to a specific memory
*More connections being formed that exist in the mind! Can find info faster

Question 25

Mnemonics are an example of deep or shallow processing?

Answer 25

Shallow