Memory

• Multi store model of memory

  • sensory register
  • short-term memory
  • long-term memory
• Sensory register

  • sensory specific e.g. different stores for each sense
  • duration: 1/2 second
  • capacity: 7 items at a time
• Short term memory

  • stores acoustic info
  • Duration: 0-18 seconds
  • Capacity: 7 items at a time
• Long-term memory

  • Semantic information - can be visual
  • Duration: indefinite amount of time
  • Capacity: unlimited capacity
• Strength of the multi store model of memory

  • gives a good understanding of short term memory
• Weakness of multi store model of memory

  • fails to account for how different types of material can result in different depths
• Types of long term memory

  • procedural memory
  • semantic memory
  • episodic memory
• Procedural memory

  • responsible for knowing how to do things
  • e.g. how to ride a bike
• Semantic memory

  • storing information about the world
  • e.g. meaning of words
• episodic memory

  • storing information about events in our life
  • e.g. our birthday
• Working memory model

  • central executive
  • episodic buffer
  • phonological loop
  • visuospacial sketchpad
• Central executive

  • monitors incoming data and divides out limited attention
  • does not store information
• Episodic buffer

  • temporary store for information
  • links the working memory model to long term memory
• Phonological loop

  • deals with auditory information
  • Phonological store: stores the words we hear
  • Articulatory process: allows for maintenance rehearsal
• Visuospacial Sketchpad

  • Stores visual information
  • has a limited capacity
  • Visual cache - stores visual data
  • Innerscribe - records arrangement of objects In the visual field
• Strengths of working memory model

  • needs to be completed
• weakness of the working memory model

  • little knowledge about the central executive
  • doesn't explain the link between working memory model and long term memory
• explanations for forgetting

  • interference - proactive and retroactive
  • retrieval failure - context dependent forgetting and state dependent forgetting
• interference - proactive interference

  • where old information disrupts new pieces of information
• interference - retroactive interference

  • where new information disrupts old information
• retrieval failure - context dependent forgetting

  • recall depends on external cues (e.g. place or weather)
• retrieval failure - state dependent forgetting

  • recall depends on internal cues
  • such as being sad or feeling drunk
• interference: strengths

  • occurs in real life situations
  • may explain why its hard to learn a language if one that is similar has already been learnt.
• interference: limitations

  • low ecological validity
  • temporary
• Retrieval failure: strengths

  • good real world application
  • high external validity
• Retrieval failure: limitations

  • may not be applicable to certain situations
• Cognitive interview

  • reinstatement of context
  • report everything
  • changing perspective
  • recall in reverse order
• reinstatement of context

  • tries to get witnesses to remember context e.g. asking them about what they were doing during the day
• Changing perspective

  • remembering information from different points of view
• Report everything

  • encourages participants to report everything they can remember about the event
• Recall in reverse order

  • describe the scene in a different chronological order than the normal one
• Misleading information

  • gives misleading questions to alter answers to suit the researcher.
  • use of demand characteristics
• Cognitive interview: strengths

  • more structured than standard techniques
  • the more people seem to report, the more in detail when being given the interview technique
• Cognitive interview: limitations

  • far more time-consuming than a standard interview
  • can be argued that more detailed interview can lead to more mistakes