Memory

• Memory


  The ability to store and retrieve information
• Components of memory


  • Duration
  • Capacity
  • Encoding
  • Sensory
  • Short term
  • Long term
• Sensory


  Where information from the senses is stored (only briefly before it is forgotten)
• Fraction of a second


  Duration of sensory memory
• Short term


  Memory store that can hold information for around 30 seconds and has a capacity of 7 +/- 2 items (can be increased through chunking)
• Acoustically


  How information is encoded in short term memory
• Long term


  Memory store with unlimited duration and capacity, information is encoded semantically
• Multi-store Model of Memory

  Model describing the three stores of memory: sensory register, short term and long term
• Multi-store Model of Memory

  • Developed by Atkinson and Shiffrin (1968)
  • Describes the three stores of memory: sensory register, short term and long term
• Sensory Register


  Where information from the senses is stored (only quickly before it is forgotten) - if given attention to, goes to STM
• Short term


  Maintenance rehearsal keeps it in the STM, elaborative rehearsal means it goes to LTM
• Long term


  Seems to have unlimited duration and capacity
• Serial Position Effect


  • Primary effect: the words at the start are easier to recall
  • Recency effect: the words at the end are easier to recall
• Types of Long Term Memory

  • Episodic- an event e.g. a birthday
  • Semantic- knowledge of the world
  • Procedural- a skill e.g. riding a bike
• Episodic and semantic memories


  Recalled consciously, procedural is recalled unconsciously
• Working Memory Model


  Displays the idea that STM is a collection of multiple stores which actively process different types of STM
• Working Memory Model


  • Central Executive- responsible for monitoring the operation of the slave systems and relates them to LTM
  • Phonological Loop- deals with spoken and written material
  • Visuospatial Sketchpad- acts as an inner eye, deals with visual and spatial information
  • Episodic Buffer- acts as a backup store which communicates with long term memory and the slave systems
• Central Executive


  Limited capacity- means multitasking can be difficult
• Phonological Loop


  Around 2 seconds capacity
• Visuospatial Sketchpad


  1. 4 objects capacity
• Episodic Buffer


  Limited capacity
• Interference


  • Proactive- when an old memory interferes with a new
  • Retroactive Interference- when a new memory interferes an old
• Retrieval Failure due to Absence of Cues

  • The memory is still stored in the LTM but can not be accessed because retrieval cues are absent
  • When we store a memory we also store information about the situation (these act as retrieval cues)- can be external/ contextual cues or internal/ state cues
• Misleading Information


  • Information that 'leads' you to provide a specific response
  • Two types: Leading Questions and Post-event Discussion
• Anxiety


  • Watching a crime will most likely cause psychological and physiological arousal
  • Psychological= heightened emotion
  • Physiological= fight or flight response
  • These new states may impact the accuracy of your recall
• Improving the Accuracy of EWT

  Using knowledge of what affects EWT: no misleading questions, questioning techniques- more open ended questions
• Cognitive Interview


  • Method of interviewing eye witnesses and victims about what they recall of a crime scene
  • Involves: Recall everything, Reverse order, Change perspective, Reinstate the context