L2 - Working Memory Flashcards
(26 cards)
What are the three stages of memory?
- Encoding (input to memory). 2. Storage (maintenance of memory traces). 3. Retrieval (recall or recognition).
What are the two types of retrieval?
Recall (generate info from memory) and recognition (identify previously encountered info).
What are the components of Atkinson & Shiffrin’s multi-store model?
Sensory store, short-term memory (STM), long-term memory (LTM).
What is iconic and echoic memory?
Iconic = visual sensory memory; Echoic = auditory sensory memory.
How is information lost from sensory memory?
By decay – memory traces fade quickly unless attended to.
How is information lost from STM?
Displacement (new info pushes out old) and interference.
What is the capacity of STM according to Miller (1956)?
7 ± 2 items or chunks.
What are the primacy and recency effects?
Primacy = early items remembered (LTM); Recency = last items remembered (STM).
What disrupts recency effect?
Suffix effect – a redundant item added at the end of a list.
How is information transferred to LTM?
Via rehearsal.
What causes forgetting from LTM?
Interference from other memories.
What are strengths of the multi-store model?
Clear evidence for distinct STM and LTM; popular framework.
What are weaknesses of the multi-store model?
Oversimplifies memory; doesn’t explain implicit learning or multiple rehearsal methods.
What is the levels of processing theory (Craik & Lockhart, 1972)?
Deeper (semantic) processing leads to better memory than shallow (physical) processing.
Semantic processing vs Shallow (Craig + Tulvik)
Semantic processing (sentence fit) gave 3x better recognition than shallow processing (case/rhyme).
Morris et al - Learning + Test findings
Rhyme test favored shallow learning, suggesting retrieval success depends on match between learning and test.
What is working memory?
A system replacing STM, supporting storage and processing during complex tasks.
When can two tasks be performed together in working memory?
If they use different components.
What is the role of the central executive?
Controls attention, divides/switches focus, interfaces with LTM; most versatile component.
What are the two components of the phonological store?
Phonological store (speech perception) and articulatory loop (rehearsal/speech production).
What is the phonological similarity effect?
Poor recall for similar-sounding items due to confusion in store.
What is articulatory suppression?
A task preventing rehearsal, which blocks visual items from entering the phonological store.
What are the two components of the visuo-spatial sketchpad?
Visual cache (form/colour) and inner scribe (spatial/movement).
What did Smith & Jonides (1997) show about the visuo-spatial sketchpad?
Spatial and visual tasks activate different brain areas (right vs. left hemisphere), suggesting separate systems.
