Memory Flashcards
What did Plato suggest about memory? (wax tablet)
When we perceive, hear, or think of something, it’s like imprinting it on the wax. We remember what stays imprinted, but forget what fades or can’t be imprinted.
What did Aristotle suggest about memory? (Tabula Rasa)
The mind is compared to a blank slate, where thoughts are like potential writings that haven’t been fully formed or expressed yet.
What did Nipher (1878) research?
Memory for numbers and their decay over time.
What did Ebbinghaus (1885) research?
Memory for nonsense syllables and decay over time.
Describe amnesic patients.
Amnesic patients have long-term memory problems but typically have a normal IQ and normal verbal/spatial short-term memory.
What is anterograde amnesia?
Cannot form new memories after brain damage.
- Encoding is impaired.
What is retrograde amnesia?
Cannot recall long-term memories formed during a period before trauma.
- Retrieval is impaired.
What is short-term memory?
A temporary storage system that holds information for a brief period (seconds to minutes).
- Capacity is around 7 items.
- Information is forgotten if not needed.
- Or transferred to long-term memory.
What are examples of models of memory?
- Multi-store model of memory (Atkinson & Shiffrin).
- Working memory model (Baddeley & Hitch).
What is the multi-store model of memory?
Suggests memory consists of and passes through three stages:
1. Sensory memory.
2. Short-term memory.
3. Long-term memory.
What is a criticism of the multi-store model of memory regarding memory-impaired patients?
If short-term memory is unimpaired, then long-term memory should not be impaired.
What is the working model of memory?
Emphasises the active processing and temporary storage of information.
What is the central executive (Working Memory Model)?
- Attentional system that directs attention to tasks.
- Integrates information from subsystems.
- Runs the show.
What is the visuo-spatial sketch-pad (Working Memory Model)?
- Temporary store for visual and spatial information.
- Visual cache is responsible for holding static information.
- Inner scribe processes spatial and movement information.
What is the phonological loop (Working Memory Model)?
- Temporary store for verbal and auditory information.
- Phonological store is responsible for holding sound.
- Articulatory rehersal - inner voice.
What is the episodic buffer (Working Memory Model)?
- Temporary store that integrates and holds multimodal information.
- Assists in problem solving and comprehension.
- Links to LTM and consicous awareness
