memory Flashcards
(47 cards)
What is coding ?
the format in which information is stored.
describe the research into CODING
Baddeley
Gave different lists of words for participants to remember.
Group 1- acoustically similar (cat, cab, can)
Group 2- acoustically dissimilar (pit, cow, grass)
Group 3- semantically similar (great, large, big)
Group 4- semantically dissimilar (good, huge, got)
Participants where then asked to recall the list, immediately, an hour later, a week later ect
when recalling immediately (STM) then they tend to do worse with acoustically similar words.
When recalling after 20 mins (LTM)
They did worse on semantically desimilar words.
This suggests that information is coded acoustically in the STM, but semantically in the LTM.
evaluate research into coding
+Baddleys study shows a clear difference between the two memory stores. Later research was made which supported his theory (multi store model)
-artificial stimuli.
not often would you be asked to repeat words, so produced invalid results, with limited applications
define capacity.
The amount of information that a memory store can can hold.
describe the research into capacity
Digital Span -Jacobs
read out four digits to PPTS who were asked to recall in the correct order. If correct, Jacobs read out 5 digits and asked to recall etc. when recall was inaccurate, then that was a persons digital span.
Miller- noted that the span of the STM is about 7 items +-2
evaluate research into capacity
+a valid study
Jacobs study has been replicated and found similar results despite Jacobs study being outdated.
-millers magic number my be overestimating
a research found that it may be only 4+-2
Define Duration
The length of time an information can be held in memory
describe search into duration
Duration of STM- Peterson and Peterson.
tested 24 students in 8 trials each.
student given a constant syllable in each trial such as (YCG). Also given a three digit number. PPTS told to count backwards until told to stop to prevent rehearsal, then say their Syllable.
recall was 80% after 3 secs, 3% at 18 seconds
concluded that STM duration is around 18 seconds.
Duration of LTM
Bahrick
studied 392 American PPTS aged 17-74
Photobooks from high schools where used and PPTS where asked to recall peoples faces
within 15 yrs of graduation -90%recall
after 48 years of graduation - 70% recall
this shows that LTM may last up to a lifetime
evaluate research into duration
+Bahricks study has high external validity as it was investigating meaningful relevant pieces of information. Shows a more accurate use of LTM recall.
-hard to generalise, only used Americans
-Peterson and Petersons work was artificial, lacking external validity
-ungeneralisable as used a small sample size.
What is the multi-store model of memory?
ATKINSON AND SHIFFRIN (1968)
*information flows through a system.
*stimulus from the environment- sensory register-(attention)- short term memory-(rehearsal) long term memory.
long term to short term- retrieval/ maintaince rehearsal.
*STM- coded acoustically. lasts about 18 secs
*LTM-coded semantically- lasts a lifetime
evaluate the multistore model
+studies have shown differences between the STM and the LTM (Baddeley) we mix up words that sound differently within the STM but mix up words that have similar meanings within the LTM
-research found that there maybe different short term memory stores. studies on KF with amnesia found that he didn’t remember words spoken to him but remembered ones he read to himself.
-prolongued rehearsal is not needed for transfer to the LTM
researchers found that its not the amount of times you rehearse things that it goes into LTM but types of rehearsal.
linking info to existing knowledge- LTM
what are the types of Long term memory?
epidodic- memory of events for example a birthday party
semantic- knowledge of the world for example the capital of France is Paris
procedural-skills and how we do things for example riding a bike
evaluate types of long term memory
+Clinical evidence
case of HM- episodic memory was damaged, but could still remember how to play piano or do things
+real world application
allows understanding of how to help people with memory problems. When you get older, people struggle to remember specifically semantic memories. Interventions can be used to help people maintain this knowledge.
-conflicting neuroimaging evidence
there is not an agreeable place where each memory store lives, with researchers finding semantic memories located on the prefrontal cortex, which may be conflicted
describe the working memory model
BADDELEY AND HITCH(1974)
Explanation of the short term memory.
Central executive- suporvisory role- monitors incoming data allocates subsystems
phonological loop- auditory information.
+the phonological store and artilatpry process
Visual spatial sketch pad-stores visual info
Episodic buffer- temporary store of information.
evaluate the working memory model
+clinical evidence
Shallice and Elizabeth case of KF who had brain damage
had poor stability for for auditory information, but could process visual information normally.
-lack of clarity over the nature of central executive- Bddeley recognised that the central executive was the most important but least understood part of the working memory model, suggesting that the CE is unsatisfactory.
-research into the working memory model are all inferences, using educated guesses which may be wrong
-only using lab studies
what is interference?
Forgetting because one memory blocks another, causing one or more memories to become distorted.
What is proactive interference?
When an older memory interferes with a newer one.
e.g. having difficulty remembering new names as you have remembered so many names in the past.
What is retroactive interference?
A newer memory interferes with an older one
e.g. remembering so many new names you struggle to remember older ones
outline research into interference.
MCGOECH AND MCDONALDS (1931)
*PPTS learnt ten words fully.
Then learnt a new list of words either synonyms, antonyms, unrelated, constant syllables,three digit number, and a control group.
findings- synonyms produced worst recall
when things are similar they interfere with each other.
EVALUATE research into interference
+real world interference
researcher -Baddeley and Fitch- asked rugby players to recall the names of the rugby players who they had played against this season. Players who played the most, had the worse recall. This shows interference happens in real life.
-can be overcome using cues.
Tulvin and Psotka- PPTS given a list of words to remember. Recall was highest for the first list, but defined for each other list. When given a cue, the recall rose again. suggesting that interference causes temporary memory loss.
+Support from drug studies
Coenen and Gilles gave PPTs list of words to remember, and recall. They found that if you recalled, sober then took a drug, recall would be better
suggesting that forgetting can be due to interference as the drug was able to reach into your brain more.
What is retrieval failure?
(explanations for forgetting)
Occurs when we do not have the necessary cues to be able to access a memory. The memory is available, but only accessible if the right cue is given.
what is a cue?
A trigger which allows us to access a memory. They may be meaningful, or simply link to the environment.
What is the Encoding specificity principle?
Tulving-
A cue has to be present at encoding and retrieval for it to be useful
Define context state forgetting.
recall depends on an external cue e.g. weather or place.