Duration

• What is the duration of STM and LTM?

  STM has a duration of 18 seconds (unless rehearsed), LTM has potentially infinite duration
• What did Peterson and Peterson find about duration during their studies?

  STM has a duration of 18 seconds and that if we do not rehearse information, it will not pass into our LTM
• What was Bahrick's study into duration?

  Participants aged 17-24 asked to identify people from their yearbook either by naming them or matching photos
• What were the results of Bahrick's study into duration?

  In photo recognition mode:

  • 90% accurate within 15 years
  • 70% accurate after 48 years

  In free recall mode:

  • 60% accurate within 15 years
  • 30% accurate after 48 years
• Give one strength and one limitation of studies into duration

  STRENGTH:

  • Bahrick used meaningful stimuli

  LIMITATION:

  • In Bahrick's study, confounding variables are not controlled (such as participants may have looked at yearbook since graduating)