Memory

• What does coding refer to in memory?

  Format or type of stored information
• How is coding different in short-term and long-term memory?

  Acoustic in STM, semantic in LTM
• What is the capacity of short-term memory according to Miller?

  7 +/- 2 items
• What does chunking refer to in memory?

  Grouping information to aid recall
• What is the mean letter span demonstrated by Jacobs?

  7.3 letters
• What is the mean digit span demonstrated by Jacobs?

  9.3 digits
• What is the duration of short-term memory?

  18-30 seconds
• What did Petersen et al. (1959) find about recall accuracy?

  Increased retention intervals decreased accuracy
• What is the duration of long-term memory?

  Unlimited duration
• What did Bahrick et al. (1975) find about photo recognition over time?

  Recognition decreased from 90% to 70%
• What are the key issues with Jacobs' study?

  • Lack of standardization
  • Potential confounding variables
  • Unreliable results due to external factors
• What is a strength of Bahrick et al.'s study?

  • Use of meaningful stimuli
  • High ecological validity
  • Reflects real-life learning experiences
• What are the key issues with Petersen et al. and Miller et al. studies?

  • Low mundane realism
  • Use of artificial stimuli
  • Limited generalizability of findings
• What recent research suggests about Miller's capacity estimate for STM?

  Capacity may be closer to 4 chunks
• What does the multi-store memory model (MSM) represent?

  How memory is stored and retrieved
• What are the three stores in the MSM?

  Sensory register, STM, LTM
• What is the capacity and duration of the sensory register?

  Huge capacity, less than half a second
• How does information pass from sensory register to STM?

  By paying attention to it
• What is maintenance rehearsal in STM?

  Repeating information to keep it in STM
• What is the role of retrieval in LTM?

  Transfer information back to STM
• What are the different types of long-term memory?

  • Episodic memory
  • Semantic memory
  • Procedural memory
• What is episodic memory?

  Memories with personal meaning and details
• What is semantic memory?

  Memories of world knowledge and concepts
• What is procedural memory?

  Memories of learned skills
• How do episodic and semantic memories differ from procedural memories?

  Episodic and semantic are consciously recalled
• What did Petersen et al. find about memory recall locations in the brain?

  Semantic from left, episodic from right
• What is the practical application of differentiating types of LTM?

  • Targeted treatments for cognitive impairments
  • Understanding memory function
  • Improving memory recall strategies
• What distinction did Cohen and Squire make regarding memories?

  Declarative vs. non-declarative memories
• What do declarative memories require for recall?

  Conscious recall
• What do non-declarative memories allow for?

  Unconscious recall
• What do the cases of HM and Clive Wearing illustrate?

  Different types of LTM can be affected
• What does the Working Memory Model (WMM) suggest about STM?

  Made up of several components
• What is the role of the central executive in WMM?

  Allocates tasks to slave systems
• What does the phonological loop do?

  Processes auditory information and rehearsal
• What is the capacity of the visuo-spatial sketchpad?

  4-5 chunks
• What is the episodic buffer's role?

  Integrates data from other stores
• What are the criticisms of the central executive in WMM?

  • Vague definition of 'process'
  • Lack of comprehensive explanation
  • Possible sub-components not identified
• What does Shallice and Warrington’s study of KF support?

  Separation of auditory and visual memory processes
• What do dual-task performance studies show?

  Limited processing capacity of the central executive
• What did Braver et al. find regarding cognitive load and the central executive?

  Increased load correlates with brain activation