Model of Memory Flashcards
(21 cards)
Memory
is an active information-processing system that receives, stores, organises and recovers information.
This is achieved through three processes:
Encoding, Storage & Retrieval
ENCODING
memory begins take in different types of information from external or internal environments.
- information is its raw sensory form e.g. are receiving visual stimuli- form of light waves or electro-magnetic radiation.
- encoded into a meaningful form.
-attach meaning’ to info make it ready for storage.
STORAGE
- encoded info is held in the memory system for a period of time.
-This is the storage process.
RETRIEVIAL
-taken out of storage.
- locating info stored in memory and bringing into consciousness when need to complete a cognitive task.
- retrieval may be ‘automatic’, when complete a learned action without thinking about it.
Atkinson and Shiffrin’s Multi-Store Model of Memory
propose that memory is a system comprising multiple memory stores that each operate independently but are inter-related.
These stores: sensory memory, short-term memory, long-term memory
sensory memory
-New sensory information or ‘raw data’ enters the sensory memory system.
-Each our senses has a sensory register, so separate storage facilities.
- So we hold a huge amount of information for a very brief period of time.
Iconic memory
Iconic memory is the sensory storage register for visual sensations.
Capacity: Virtually unlimited capacity (or limited only by field of vision and energy/light waves can register.)
Duration: held for a very brief period approx .3 of a second.
-duration important in allowing to see the world in smooth motion.
echonic memory
Echoic memory is the sensory storage register for auditory sensations.
Capacity: has virtually unlimited capacity (or limited only by sound waves we can register.)
Duration: held for 3 – 4 seconds
-Auditory info remains as ‘echo’ long enough sounds to be encoded and selected for attention.
-if paid ‘attention’ to sounds, we would perceive them as independent sounds rather than able to piece them together as a continuity.
Short-Term Memory
- sometimes called working memory,
capacity: stores LIMITED amount of info
duration: for BRIEF period unless rehearsed - STM work bench- holds all thoughts, info and experiences that u are aware of at any given point in time
-STM RECEIVES from two sources: sensory memory and long term memory - e.g while listening to teacher talk- STM receives soun from ur echoic memory and then calls on info already stored in LTM to ‘interpret’ what they say
STM capacity
- limited capacity
- average capacity is 7 +/- 2 ‘bits’ of information (5-9)
- when capacity is reached - new info can only enter STM through ‘displacing’ some old info
- STM is sups sensitive to interference
- very difficult for STM to do more than one task at a time
DISPLACEMENT
- info from sensory memory or LTM, which then a bit of info would need to leave STM before new info and enter
increasing STM capacity
-STM has a capacity of 7 +/- 2 ‘bits’ of information
- actual amount of content being held is determined by the size of those bits.
-increase the capacity through ‘chunking’.
CHUNKING and STM
Chunking involves increasing the size of the ‘bits’ – the number of bits doesn’t change, but the size is increased and therefore the overall capacity of STM has increased.
STM Duration
-limited duration.
- It can hold a small amount of information up to around 30 seconds.
- If you don’t ‘use’ the information you try remember, it will decay.
- Info can be maintained in STM by actively rehearsing it – although will prevent other information from entering.
Long-Term Memory
- is the relatively permanent memory system.
- vast amounts of information - billions of ‘bits’.
-more organised than STM, it has to be because we haven’t got time to scan all stored bits to get what we are looking for.
-Info is retrieved using ‘cues’. e.g. look at a photo and name the people in it
-If info been encoded well -usually retrieved in seconds.
Long term memory pt 2
- believed LTM is permanent, we ‘forget’ not bcs the memory is gone,- bcs we are unable to retrieve it for a reason.
- LTM also differs STM in the way info is general stored in terms of physical qualities; what we saw or heard or touched
- LTM info gen stored ‘semnatically’- in terms of what it means
LTM types
implicit and explicit memories
IMPLICIT MEMORIES 2 types
procedural- our ‘How to’ memories e.g. we know ‘how to’ tie a shoe lace.
emotional conditioning -memory of emotional responses that have been linked to the presentation of specific stimuli. e.g. seeing a friend in the crowd results in feelings of happiness or seeing a spider results in fear.
Explicit memory- semantic memory
- holds the factual information we use for making meaning so we understand the world around us.
- impersonal fact.
-includes knowing the names of objects, months of the year, mathematical concepts, words and language.
episodic memory
-type of autobiographical memory.
-It stores personally significant events or ‘episodes’.
- include memories of the emotions experienced at the time, the context of a situation, other people who were involved, but you are the centre of the memory it is an episode in your life
Episodic and Semantic memory
- Brain damage is more likely to impair episodic memory than semantic memory.
- Sometimes there appears to be an overlap between these different types of declarative memories. That is, learning something semantic can have an emotional, episodic attachment
