Memory

Question 1

Capacity

Answer 1

How much data can be stored in each of the stores

Question 2

Duration

Answer 2

The amount of time the information can be stored

Question 3

Coding

Answer 3

How information is stored

Question 4

STM coding,capacity & duration

Answer 4

Acoustically

Miller magic number 7 (5-9)

Limited

Question 5

LTM coding,capacity & duration

Answer 5

Semantically

Infinite

Lifetime

Question 6

Parts of the multi-store model

Answer 6

Sensory register

STM

LTM

Question 7

How does the multi-store model of memory work?

Answer 7

Atkinson and Shiffrin

Information from our environment enters our sensory register and if given attention is transferred to the STM

From there it is either forgotten or passed on to the LTM through maintenance rehearsal

When recalling info it is retrieved from LTM back to STM

Question 8

Evaluation points to MSM

Answer 8

+ Based on lab studies so can establish cause and effect

• Lacks ecological validity

+ easy to understand

• model is oversimplified as it says STM and LTM are both one store each

Question 9

Types of LTM

Answer 9

Episodic

Semantic

Procedural

Question 10

Episodic and what part of the brain is it linked to?

Answer 10

Personal memories for events

Linked to hippocampus

Question 11

Semantic and what part of the brain is it linked to?

Answer 11

Concrete knowledge shared by everyone

Linked to temporal lobe

Question 12

Procedural and what part of the brain is it linked to?

Answer 12

Knowing how to do something (unconscious)

Linked to cerebellum

Question 13

Explanations for forgetting

Answer 13

Proactive/retroactive interference

Retrieval failure

Question 15

Proactive interference

Answer 15

When past learning interferes with new learning

A person is unable to recall new info as the info learned first is getting in the way

Question 16

Retroactive interference

Answer 16

When new learning interferes with old learning

A person struggles to remember what they learnt in the past as it’s been replaced with new information

Question 17

Retrieval failure

Answer 17

When information still exists in the memory but isn’t accessible due to the absence of cues

Question 18

Describe the working memory model

Answer 18

Developed by Baddeley and Hitch
It is a model of STM which suggests the STM is not just one store

Contains:
Central executive 
Phonological loop
Visuo-spatial
Episodic buffer

Question 19

Evaluation points to interference theory

Answer 19

+ research support from many lab studies

• artificial research
• tells us little about the cognitive processes involved

Question 20

Central executive

Answer 20

Acts as attention and controls slave systems

Question 21

Phonological loop

Answer 21

Holds speech based information

Made up of a phonological store (inner ear) articulatory process (inner voice)

Question 22

Visuo-spatial sketchpad

Answer 22

Temporary storage of visual and spatial information

Question 23

Episodic buffer

Answer 23

Briefly stored information from the other subsystems and integrates it together

Question 24

Evaluation points for WMM

Answer 24

+ support from case study KF

• support from lab studies which lack ecological validity
• central executive is simple and vague
• doesn’t explain how info is transferred to LTM
• evidence from brain damaged patients

Question 25

Examples of retrieval cues

Answer 25

Context such as place, smell etc

State - emotion, mood, drunk etc

Question 26

Evaluation points to retrieval failure

Answer 26

+ context dependant forgetting scuba diver study + state dependent forgetting study

Question 27

Eyewitness testimony

Answer 27

Evidence supplied in court by people who witness a specific event/crime, relying on their memory

Question 28

Cognitive interview

Answer 28

An interviewing technique aimed to improve recall

Question 29

Describe Loftus and Palmer's study of leading Qs - aim, procedure and findings?

Answer 29

Aim: to investigate the affect of leading questions Procedure: ppts shown film of multiple car crash Ppts are then asked a series of questions They are asked 'how fast do you think the cars were going when they HIT?' In different conditions the word HIT was replaced with Smashed Collided Bumped Contacted Findings: leading Qs can affect the accuracy of people's memories of an event Smashed had highest speed=41mph Contacted had lowest speed=32mph

Question 30

What factors affect eyewitness testimony?

Answer 30

Misleading information Leading questions Post event discussion Anxiety

Question 31

What are the aspects of the cognitive interview?

Answer 31

Mental reinstatement Report everything Recall in reverse order Recall from changed perspectives

Question 32

Evaluation points of Loftus and Palmers leading Qs study

Answer 32

- Film is not as emotionally arousing as real life event which may affect recall - The experimental design might lead to demand characteristics as ptts may have guessed the nature of the study [ Reduced validity and reliability of the experiment ]

Question 33

Briefly describe Johnson and scott's weapon focus study

Answer 33

Independent groups design 1 condition: man comes out room with a pen and greasy hands Other condition: man comes out with bloody knife Ppts must identify the man from 50 photographs + high ecological validity - Ethical issues as lacks informed consent and ppts may have been distressed

Question 34

How does post event discussion affect EWT accuracy?

Answer 34

It can either increase or decrease accuracy > Gabbert et al's: ptts watched a video of a staged robbery and were then interviewed along with confederates If... ptts respond 1st = recall is 58% accurate Confed respond 1st w accurate info = recall is 67% accurate Confed respond 1st w inaccurate info = recall is 42% accurate

Question 35

How does anxiety affect focus?

Answer 35

Small increases in anxiety and arousal may increase the accuracy of memory but high levels have a negative effect on accuracy High anxiety may lead to weapon focus which means the witness neglects details such as clothing

Question 36

Interference theory

Answer 36

Two sets of information can become distorted when they are similar