Memory

• What is the Working Memory Model?

  A representation of STM which suggests the STM is a processor of different types of information using sub units coordinated by a central decision making system
• What is the Central executive (CE)?

  Coordinates the activities of the 3 sub systems in memory. It also allocated processing resources to those activities
• What is the Phonological loop (PL)?

  Processes information in terms of sound. Includes both written and spoken material. Divided into the phonological store and articulatory process
• What is the Visuo-spatial sketchpad (VSS)?

  Processes visual and spatial information in a mental space often called our “inner eye”
• What is the episodic buffer (EB)?

  Brings together material from other sub systems into a single memory rather than separate strands. Provides a bridge between working memory and Long term memory
• What is the Working Memory Model concerned with?

  The part of the mind that is active when we are temporarily storing and manipulating information.
• What kind of capacity does the Central executive have?

  Limited
• What does the PS store?

  Stores the words you hear
• What is the articulatory process?

  Allows maintenance rehearsal. Capacity of this loop is believed to be 2 seconds
• What capacity does the VVS have?

  Limited
• What is a visual cache?

  Sub division of the VSS according to (Logie) which stores visual data
• What is the inner scribe?

  Sub division of the VSS which records the arrangement of objects in the visual field
• What capacity does the episodic buffer have?

  Limited capacity of about 4 chunks
• What does the Episodic buffer link working memory to?

  LTM and wider cognitive processes such as perception
• What research was conducted into the central executive?

  Baddeley (1996) = Participants found it difficult to make a random list of numbers while simultaneously switching between pressing keys on a keyboard. This suggests that 2 tasks were competing for CE resource. Shows that CE had limited capacity and can only cope with one type of information at a time
• Research into phonological loop (word length effect)?

  Phonological loop explains why word length occurs. People can cope better with short words than long words in working memory. Phonological loop holds amount of info you say in 1.5-2 seconds. Inhibits rehearsal of longer words
• Research supporting Visio-spatial sketchpad (VSS)?

  Gathercole & Baddeley (1993) = Found participants had difficulty simultaneously tracking a moving point of light and descrive angles of hollow letter “F”. Both tasks involve VSS. VSS can only focus on one visual task at a time
• Describe the case study of K.F?

  K.P had a motorcycle accident damaging the hippocampus affecting the STM while the LTM is still intact. K.P had poor STM ability for verbal & could process visual info. Suggests phonological loop is damaged. Other areas are still intact
• Evaluation of the methodology to the Working Memory Model?

  1)Lab studies = Most research in memory is conducted in a lab where variables are easy to control. High reliability

  2)Validity = Experiments in memory are something that we are unlikely to do in everyday life which leads to low external validity

  3)Studies lack mundane realism
• What is a weakness of WMM?

  Lack of clarity over the central executive = Cognitive psychologist argue that the CE doesn’t really explain anything. The CE needs more information than just being simply “attention”. Some psychologists believe may consist of separate components
• What kind of model is the multi store memory model?


  Theoretical model
• What kind of way is information processes in the MSM?

  Linear way
• What does encoding mean?

  Format in which information is stored in memory stores
• What does capacity mean?

  Refers to how much information can be stored in each store
• What does duration mean?

  Amount of info held in each store
• What did Lieberman criticise about the Working Memory Model?

  The VSS implies that all spatial information is at first visual however Lieberman argued that blind people have excellent spatial information despite having no visual information. He argues that the VSS should be separated into two different components one for visual and one for spatial
• What is the Multi store memory model?

  The MSM is a theoretical model with 3 unitary stores the SS,STM and the LTM. Info is stored and passed in a linear way. Rehearsal is needed to pass info from the STM to LTM.
• How does the Sensory register collect information?

  The SR collects environmental stimuli through our senses e.g perception
• What main two stores does the sensory register have?

  Iconic memory and echoic memory.
• What does iconic memory store in the sensory register?

  Visual information which is coded visually
• What does echoic memory store in the sensory register?

  Auditory info which is coded acoustically
• What is the duration of the SR?


  Less than half a second
• What is the capacity of the SR?

  High capacity
• How does info from the SR go to the STM?

  Attention
• How does the STM encode information?

  Acoustically
• What is the duration of the STM?

  18-30 seconds
• What is the capacity of the STM?

  5-9 items
• How does information go from the STM to LTM?

  Maintenance rehearsal
• How does the LTM encode information?

  Semantically
• What is the duration of the LTM?

  Lifetime