CLOA - Evaluation of a Cognitive Process Flashcards
1
Q
multi-store model of memory
A
- proposed by Atkinson and Shiffrin (1968)
- early example of information-processing approach
2
Q
types of memory stores in MSM
A
- sensory memory
- short term memory
- long term memory
3
Q
sensory memory store
A
- storage system that holds unprocessed information for a second or less
- has a store for each type of sensory memory
- filters out useless information and enables us to focus on important details
4
Q
some types of sensory memory
A
- iconic (visual)
- echoic (auditory)
- haptic (touch)
5
Q
duration of memories in the sensory memory store
A
decays rapidly (1s for iconic, 2-4s for echoic)
6
Q
capacity of sensory memory store
A
unlimited
7
Q
coding of sensory memory store
A
info is picked up by the senses
8
Q
attention
A
core process responsible for transfer of info from sensory stores to STM store
9
Q
short term memory store
A
- a limited-capacity memory system to store info for brief periods of time
- info is lost unless it is rehearsed (via repetition)
- if rehearsed enough, the item can be transferred to the LTM
10
Q
duration of memories in STM
A
15-30 seconds (Peterson and Peterson, 1959)
11
Q
capacity of STM
A
5-9 units (Miller, 1956)
12
Q
coding of STM
A
acoustic (Baddeley, 1966)
13
Q
long term memory store
A
- holds a vast quantity and variety of info
- can be stored for long periods of time
- includes personal memories, general knowledge, skills and expertise…
- transferred to STS via retrieval
14
Q
duration of memories in the LTM
A
48 years (Bahrick et al, 1975)
15
Q
capacity of LTM
A
unlimited
16
Q
coding of LTM
A
primarily semantic (Baddeley, 1966), but can also be acoustic and visual
17
Q
Define encoding
A
Key study: Baddeley, 1966
- first and crucial process of creating memories
- allows info to be converted into concepts that can be stored within the brain
- to be recalled later, from the STM or LTM
18
Q
Define decay
A
Loss due to passage of time
19
Q
Define displacement
A
Loss due to replacement by other memories
20
Q
Define interference
A
Rehearsal of memory gets interfered during retrieval
21
Q
serial position curve
A
- pattern that emerges when recall is plotted against the position of the words in the list
- occurs due to primary-recency effect
Main studies:
- Baddeley (1966)
22
Q
Baddeley (1966) - Aim
A
- to test the primary-recency effect
- investigating encoding in the short term memory store
23
Q
Baddeley (1966) - Process
A
Participants were given lists of words that were: - acoustically similar (cat, mat...) - acoustically different (pen, cow...) - semantically similar (boat, ship...) - semantically different (book, tree...) Their recall of the words were tested.
24
Q
Baddeley (1966) - Findings
A
- better recall of acoustically different than acoustically similar words
- more errors found in reciting acoustically similar words
- slightly better recall of semantically different words than semantically similar words
- the first and last words were better remembered
- results fell into a pattern known as the “serial position curve”
25
Baddeley (1966) - Conclusion
- the first few words were better remembered because the subject had more time to rehearse them, so they entered the LTS store
- the last few words were better remembered because they were still in the short term memory store
- provides evidence for multi-store model
- info in STS is encoded acoustically because recall is affected by sound of words
- info in LTM is encoded semantically because recall is affected by meaning of words
26
Baddeley (1966) - Evaluation
- controlled environment to allow researchers to analyze cause-effect
- but lacks ecological validity
27
evidence supporting MSM theory
- serial position curve and free-recall experiments
| - anterograde amnesia
28
free-recall experiment
- experiment in which participants are given a list of items to memorize
- items are usually presented one at a time
- participants are asked to recall the words, in any order
Study: Glanzer and Cunitz (1966)
29
serial position curve
- pattern that emerges when recall is plotted against position of word in the list
- occurs due to primary-recency effect
30
Glanzer and Cunitz (1966) - Aim
investigate how the primary-recency effect was affected by time delays
31
Glanzer and Cunitz (1966) - Procedure
- participants were shown a list of 15 words to memorize
- they were asked to recall the words in any order
Condition 1: asked to recall immediately after being shown the list
Condition 2: asked to recall 30 seconds after being shown the list
32
Glanzer and Cunitz (1966) - Findings and Conclusion
- immediate-recall participants showed primary-recency effect
- delayed-recall participants only showed primary effect
- this was due to the first few words being rehearsed more and thus being stored in LTM
- the last few words were stored in the STM, so a time delay would have canceled the recency effect
33
Example of anterograde amnesia sufferer
Clive Wearing
- a musician that contracted a viral infection encephalitis
- this left him with serious brain damage to the hippocampus, causing memory impairment
He suffers from:
- anterograde amnesia: impairment in ability to remember after a particular incident
- retrograde amnesia: impairment in ability to remember before a particular incident
Main study: Sacks (2007)
34
Sacks (2007) - Aim
To demonstrate memory processes between STM and LTM with regard to MSM
35
Sacks (2007) - Findings
- Wearings could talk, read, write, and sight-read music scores
- however, he couldn't transfer the info from STS to LTS
- his memory lasts 7-30 seconds and he cannot form new memories
36
Sacks (2007) - Conclusion
- STM and LTM are separate memory stores
| - memories stored in LTM have a limited duration
37
Sacks (2007) - Evaluation
- realistic case study with in-depth info
| - however, as a case study, it cannot be generalised to the whole population
38
Strengths of MSM model
- influential model that stimulated further research into memory processes
- the model is still widely accepted and used
- there is considerable evidence demonstrating the existence of separate STM and LTM stores
- considers anterograde amnesia (Sacks, 2007)
- supported by free recall experiements and the primary-recency effect (Glanzer and Cunitz, 1966)
- a lot of studies support this model
- demonstrates differences in encoding, duration, and capacity between stores
39
Limitations of MSM model
- over-focused on structure, glossing over mechanism (functioning/processing)
- Craik and Watkins (1973): rehearsal may not be that important for transferral to LTM
- Eysenck and Keane (1995): most people rarely actively rehearse info in daily life yet info is being constantly transferred to LTM
- Eysenck and Keane (2010): primarily semantic processing in STM, while LTM uses a wider variety (e.g. visual, acoustic, semantic)
- reductionist; it oversimplifies memory processes
- doesn't account for emotional aspects of memory
- Baddeley and Hitch (1974): STM is more important than Atkinson and Shiffrin's (1968) MSM gives it credit for
- MSM ignores other factors affecting retention (e.g. effort, memory-retaining strategies
- under-emphasises interaction between memory stores
40
what to write when asked: "Evaluate 1 model/theory of one cognitive process"
- describe MSM (Atkinson and Shiffrin, 1968): encoding, duration, retrieval
- include background info/reasons for every point
- give your own judgment and opinion supported by evidence
- discussing strengths and limitations
- make clear comments about MSM's significance, usefulness (e.g. how applicable it is, its usefulness in explaining sth), accuracy
- discuss the extent to which the theory can be universally applied – are the explanations culturally- or gender-specific?
- evaluate strengths and limitations of methodology
- judge validity and reliability
- discuss sampling method and relate to the issue of generalizability of findings
