Memory Flashcards
(179 cards)
What are the 3 types of memory
Sensory register
Long term memory
Short term memory
What is the sensory register
A memory store that holds impressions of information received by the five senses
What is the duration and capacity of the sensory register
Short duration
Large capacity
What is the short term memory
A temporary memory store for events in the present or immediate past
What is the duration and capacity of short term memory
Short duration
Small capacity
What is the long term memory
More permanent Memory store for events that have happened in the more distant past
What is the duration and capacity of long term memory
Long duration
Large capacity
Who were the key thinkers who investigated the duration of short term memory
Peterson and Peterson (1959)
Describe the procedure and findings of Peterson and Peterson’s investigation (procedure + findings) into the duration of short term memory
- participants were briefly shown trigrams then asked to count backwards in 3s to prevent rehearsal.
- asked to recall trigrams after intervals of 3, 6, 9 -18 seconds
- 80% recalled after 3secs, 10% after 18secs
> DURATION OF STM IS 18 SECONDS
What is the duration of the stm
18 seconds
Which psychologists gave theories on the capacity of short term memory
Jacobs
Miller
Describe the procedure and findings of Jacobs research into the capacity of short term memory
- participants had to recall a string of numbers / letters in order.
- participants recalled 9 digits and 7 letters
> found the stm has a limited storage space of 5 -9
What did Miller find about the capacity of the stm
- Millers magic number > 7(+-2)
- People can recall words equally as well as letters as we chunk information together
Who investigated the coding of short term memory
Baddley
Describe the procedure and findings of Baddleys investigation into the coding of short term memory
- participants presented with 1/4 list of words [ acoustically (sounding) / semantically (meaning) dissimilar/ similar words]
- participants were then given their original list in the wrong order and had to reorder correctly
- participants given acoustically similar words performed worst as they confused similar sounding words
> STM CODED ACOUSTICALLY
How is short term memory coded
Acoustically
Who used natural experiments to research the duration of long term memory
Bahrick et al
Describe the procedure of Bahrick et al’s research into the duration of long term memory
- Tested over 300 ex high school students aged 17 - 74 on the names and faces of their former classmates
-Tested: free recall, photo recognition, name recognition and matching names and photos
Describe the findings of Bahrick et al into the duration of long term memory
- free recall considerably less acurate
- face recognition 80% accurate, name recognition 40% after 48 years
> ltm is better at recognition than recall and has an unlimited duration
What is the duration of long term memory
Unlimited
Who conducted an autobiographical study into the capacity of long term memory
Linton
Describe Linton’s research into the capacity of long term memory
- autobiographical study using a memory diary to record life events for 6 years
- Linton would have to recall the date of randomly selected events (selected by a researcher from the 5,500 items in total from the last 6 years)
Describe Linton’s findings into the capacity of long term memory
- she found that she could recall events with a 70% accuracy after 7 years
> concluded the capacity of ltm is very large, potentially unlimited
What is the capacity of long term memory
Very large potentially unlimited