memory Flashcards
(22 cards)
what is duration
the length of time information can be stored in memory
what is capacity
the amount of information that can be stored in memory
what is encoding
a process by which the sensory information is modified and stored in the brain ( visual, acoustic, semantic )
what are the different types of memory stores
- sensory memory
- STM
- LTM
capacity of sensory memory
very large capacity
capacity of STM
7 +- 2 items ( Miller’s Magic Number )
capacity of LTM
potentially unlimited
how is STM often assesed
digit span technique
what did Jacob’s research find on capacity
found that the average span for numbers to be 9.3 items for letters, the average decreased to 7.3 items
what did miller’s research find on capacity
he found that people could recall around 7+-2 items whether it be dots, letters or musical notes ( miller’s magic number )
what did miller suggest about chunking
miller argued that our capacity for remembering information can be increased if we chunk items together
if we find links between information and group them together then capacity can be increased
strength of millers research
One strength of Miller’s research is that it is supported by empirical studies, such as Jacobs (1887), who also found that STM capacity is limited to around 7 items. Miller’s concept of chunking has been widely applied in cognitive psychology, demonstrating that individuals can increase memory efficiency by grouping information (e.g., remembering a phone number in chunks). This has practical applications in education and memory training, proving that his findings have real-world value. Therefore, Miller’s research has been highly influential in shaping our understanding of STM capacity.
limitation of millers study
However, a limitation is that Miller may have overestimated STM capacity, as Cowan (2001) found that the actual limit is closer to 4 chunks rather than 7. This suggests that STM may have a more restricted capacity than Miller originally proposed, challenging the universality of his findings. Additionally, individual differences in memory capacity were not accounted for, meaning Miller’s conclusions may not apply to everyone equally. Therefore, while his research is foundational, it may require modification in light of more recent findings.
strength of jacobs research
One strength of Jacobs’ digit span study is that it has high reliability, as it follows a standardized procedure that has been replicated multiple times. The study involved presenting participants with digit sequences of increasing length until they could no longer recall them correctly, providing a systematic method to measure STM capacity. This consistency allows researchers to replicate the findings, increasing confidence in the claim that STM has a limited capacity (7 ± 2 items, as supported by Miller 1956). Therefore, Jacobs’ research is scientifically rigorous and contributes to a strong body of evidence on STM capacity.
limitation of jacobs research
However, a limitation of Jacobs’ study is that it lacks temporal validity, as it was conducted in 1887, over a century ago. Memory capacity may have changed over time due to increased cognitive demands in modern life, such as greater exposure to digital technology and multitasking. Additionally, Jacobs’ participants were likely from a specific educational background, meaning the results may not generalize to today’s diverse populations. Therefore, while Jacobs’ study provides foundational insights into STM capacity, its relevance to modern memory research may be limited.
what is the duration of sensory memory
less than one second
what is the duration of STM
approximately 18-30 seconds unless information is rehearsed
what is the duration of LTM
potentially lasts infinitely
what was the procedure of peterson and peterson
aim : to investigate the duration of STM
- 24 university students, on each of the 8 trials, were given a consonant trigam and a 3-digit number. they were asked to recall the consonant syllable after intervals of 3,6,9,12, 15 or 18 seconds. to prevent rehearsal ppts were asked to count backwards from their 3 digit number
what were the findings of peterson and peterson
after 3 seconds –> recall accuracy was 80%
after 9 seconds –> recall accuracy was 20%
after 18 seconds –> recall accuracy was less than 10%
the duration of STM is less than 18 seconds
what was the procedure of bahrick et al
aim: to investigate the duration of LTM
tested memory of high school graduates for their classmates names using yearbook photos
