Short-term and Long-term Memory Features

• Define Capacity


  How much can be stored (the amount)
• Define duration


  How long it can be stored there for (the length)
• Define coding


  The process of breaking down information so that it can be understood (the format)
• Define storage


  The process of getting information out of storage and into the unconscious mind
• Define memory


  The process of maintaining information over time
• Stages of memory


  Encoding --> Storage --> Retrieval
• The duration of LTM - Bahrick (1975)


  Harry Bahrick and colleagues (1975) studied 392 participants from the American State of Ohio who were aged between 17 and 74. High school yearbooks were obtained from the participants or directly from some schools. Recall was tested in various ways, including: (1) photo-recognition test consisting of 50 photos, some from the participants high school yearbook; (2) free recall test where participants recalled all the names of their graduating class.
• The duration of LTM - Bahrick (1975) : (2)


  Participants who were tested within 15 years of graduation were about 90% correct in photo recognition. After 15 years this was about 60% accurate, dropping to 30% after 48 years. This shows that LTM can last a very long time indeed.
• The Capacity of STM - Research conducted by Miller (1956) Made observations of everyday practice
• The Capacity of STM - Research conducted by Miller (1956) Made observations of everyday practice


  Span of memory and chunking: For example, he noted that things come in seven, there are 7 notes on the musical scale, 7 days of the week, 7 deadly sins, and so on. This suggests that the span (or capacity) of STM is about 7 items (plus or minus 2). However, Miller also noted that people can recall 5 words as well as they can recall 5 letters. They do this by chunking - grouping sets of digits or letters into units or chunks.