Memory

• Coding

  The format in which information is stored
• Who did research on coding?

  Alan Baddeley (1966)
• Process of Baddely's Experiment on coding

  Group 1 - Accoustically similar

  Group 2 - Acoustically disimilar

  Group 3 - Semantically similar

  Group 4 - Semantically disimilar

  They were given a list of original words in wrong order. Had to recall in correct order. (LTM 20 Min Interval)
• Results of Result of Baddley's Experiment For coding in STM

  • Confusion between acoustically similar words (acoustic confusion)
  • STM is therefore coded acoustically
• Conclusions for Baddeley's Experiment on codingLTM - Semantic confusion, coded semantically

  STM - Acoustic confusion, coded acoustically
• Positive Evaluation for Baddley's Experiment on coding

  • Replicable
  • Makes cognitive sense - Shopping list = words aloud. Recall of book = recall of plot
  • Cause and effect is shown.
• Negative Evaluation of Baddley's Experiment on coding

  • Small difference in recall between semantic lists = semantic coding is STM.
  • Lacks EV
  • Artificial Stimuli - Cautious about generalising
• What is Capacity?

  Amount of information that can be held.
• Method for Jacob's Study on capacity ()

  Aim - See how much info STM can hold at one time

  Developed a technique - Digit Span

  Research gave a certain number of digits then the PP recalled in correct order. If recalled correctly, amount of digits increased. Determines individuals digit span.
• Results of Jacob's Study on capacity

  7.3 letters9.3 words
• Positive Evaluation(s) of Jacob's Study on capacity

  -More validity Supported by other research
• Negative Evaluation(s) of Jacob's Study on capacity Conducted a long time ago - Lacked adequate controlLacks EV - Lacks Mundane realismMay not have controlled for confounding variables - reduces validity
• Negative Evaluation(s) of Jacob's Study on capacity

  Conducted a long time ago

  Lacked adequate control

  Lacks EV

  Lacks Mundane realism

  May not have controlled for confounding variables

  reduces validity
• What Did Miller's Study Discover?

  The unit of information can be increased by chunking (grouping information together instead of keeping it individually)
• What is Miller's Magic Number?

  7 +/- 2

  = 5 to 9 chunks
• Evaluation Points For Miller's Study

  Lacks EVMiller may have overestimated STM capacityCowan reviwed the research and found it was only 4 chunks.
• Evaluation of Capacity

  Other factors at play (e.g. Age and practice effects)

  Nowadays limitations of STM seen as due to processing limitations associated with STM
• What is Duration?

  Length of time information can be held
• Who Conducted STM Duration Research?

  Peterson and Peterson (1959)
• Method for Peterson and Peterson's study on duration in STM

  Each student was given a nonsense triagrams (3 consenants), as well as a 3 digit number. The student had to count backwards from this number (prevents mental rehearsal) told to stop counting at different intervals.
• Results for Peterson and Peterson's Study on duration

  Amount recalled correctly:3 seconds - 90%

  18 seconds - 5%(Significant difference between them)
• Conclusion for Peterson and Peterson's study on duration

  STM has a very short duration unless it is rehearsed (e.g. mental rehearsal)
• Positive Evaluation of Peterson and Peterson's study on duration

  Operationalised- replicable

  Controlled for confounding variables (e.g. mental rehearsal prevented through counting backwards)

  People do try and remember phone number, relevance to real life application/usage of memory in every day life
• Negative Evaluation of Peterson and Peterson's Study on duration

  Artificial situation - Lacks EVMethodology flawed - Different triagrams used in each trial (interference)Memory trace disappears if not rehearsed - Alternate explanation = information is displaced.
• Who Did a Study on Long Term Duration?

  Bahrick et al.
• Evaluation of Duration in STM

  Brief duration is due to displacement as it has limited capacity.

  Little way in research considering the duration in other forms of stimuli (e.g. visual images)
• Method of Bahrick's Study

  400 American PPs aged 17-74

  Y/O.Recall was tested:

  Photo Recognition - School year book pictures

  Free Recall - Names of people graduating in their class.
• Results of Bahrick's Study

  15 years of leaving - 90% in both correct

  Up to 48 years (correct): 80% names70% faces
• Conclusions from Bahrick's Study

  LTM can last a very long time, potentially a lifetime
• Positive Evaluation(s) of Bahrick's Study

  High EV - Real life memories
• Negative Evaluation(s) of Bahrick's Study

  Confounding Variables are not controlled for - People could have looked at the year book. (rehearsal)
• Evaluations of Duration of LTM

  LTM may be seen as lost but actually is just a problem with memory access

  Type of testing technique used may affect findings
• Who Devised the Multi-Store Model?

  Atkinson and Shiffrin
• What is the Multi-Store Model?

  An explanation of how the memory works in terms of 3 stores:Sensory RegisterSTMLTMThrough flowing Storage systems
• Describe the structure of the Multi-Store Model
• What is the Sensory Register?

  A short duration store that holds information we have gained through the 5 senses.
• How is the Sensory Register Mainly Coded?

  Via all 5 senses.Mainly iconic (visual) and echoic (acoustic)
• What is the Duration of the Sensory Register?

  Very Brief
• What is the Capacity of the Sensory Register

  Very High
• Describe Sperling's research into the sensory register's capacity

  Flashed a 3x4 grid of letters for 1/20th of a second. A different tone indicated for each row.Recall was high.Capacity for SR is very large.