Memory

• What is one explanation for forgetting memories?

  Memories disappear from long term memory storage
• What did psychologists originally believe about the lifespan of memories?

  Memories had a limited lifespan and decayed
• What is the decay theory?

  It suggests memories slowly decay over time
• What do psychologists currently believe about the duration of long term memory?

  The duration of long term memory is unlimited
• What does the theory of retrieval failure explain?

  It explains inability to retrieve long term memories
• What is interference theory?

  It explains failure to retrieve memories due to interference
• What does interference theory refer to?

  When similar memories interfere with each other
• What is proactive interference?

  Old memory interferes with new memory retrieval
• What is retroactive interference?

  New memory interferes with old memory retrieval
• What did Underwood's first study investigate?

  The effect of multiple word lists on recall
• What were the results of Underwood's first study regarding recall accuracy?

  80% accurate for one list, 20% for multiple
• What conclusion did Underwood draw from his first study?

  Earlier lists interfered with recall of later lists
• What did Underwood and Postman's experiment involve?

  Learning two lists of word pairs
• What did Underwood and Postman conclude about the experimental group?

  They struggled due to interference from the second list
• What is a limitation of the evidence for interference theory?

  It lacks ecological validity in real-life situations
• What are external cues?

  Cues from the external world experienced with senses
• What does cue dependent forgetting theory suggest?

  Forgetting occurs without retrieval cues
• What are retrieval cues?

  Prompts that help retrieve specific memories
• What is cue overload?

  When a cue is associated with multiple memories
• What are internal cues?

  Cues from thoughts and feelings during encoding
• How does cue dependent forgetting theory explain memory retrieval?

  Memories are forgotten without retrieval cues
• What did Godden and Baddeley's study test?

  The role of external cues in memory retrieval
• What was the context variation in Godden and Baddeley's study?

  Participants learned words underwater or underground
• What did Godden and Baddeley find about recall in the same context?

  Better recall when tested in the same context
• What did Tulving and Psotka's study combine?

  Interference theory and cue dependent forgetting theory
• What did Tulving and Psotka manipulate in their study?

  The number of lists and recall methods used
• What did Tulving and Psotka find regarding free recall?

  Participants recalled fewer words with more lists
• What did Tulving and Psotka conclude about cue dependent forgetting?

  It better explains forgetting than interference theory
• What is a limitation of cue dependent forgetting theory?

  It lacks ecological validity in laboratory studies
• What types of memories does cue dependent forgetting theory explain?

  Declarative, episodic, and semantic memories
• What are procedural memories?

  Memories of how to perform certain actions
• Why can't cue dependent forgetting theory explain procedural memories?


  They do not require active retrieval with cues
• What is the function of the episodic buffer in working memory?

  It combines sensory information to create memories
• How does the episodic buffer contribute to memory formation?

  It creates episodic memories from sensory information
• What unique role does the episodic buffer play compared to other components of working memory?

  It manages emotions and feelings around memories
• In what way does the episodic buffer affect long-term memory storage?

  It helps store episodic memories in long-term memory
• What are the key functions of the episodic buffer in working memory?

  • Combines sensory information from other components
  • Creates a memory of the whole event
  • Manages emotions and feelings around memories
  • Facilitates storage of episodic memories in long-term memory