Levels of processing model of memory (Craik & Lockheart)

• Some psychologists have argued against the concept that human memory has a specific structure that can be divided into different storage systems and subsystems
• Craik & Lockheart


  Canadian scientists who proposed a conceptual framework of memory in 1972
• Craik and Lockheart proposed a conceptual framework of memory


  1972
• Levels of processing framework

  The level or depth at which we process information during learning determines how well it is stored in the LTM
• Best encoding method according to Craik and Lockheart

  By meaning (or semantically)
• If meaning is processed during learning, then LTM will be better than if meaning is not processed
• Processing meaning occurs on a continuum


  Levels of processing range from shallow to deep processing
• Information will be retained only briefly if it is processed at a shallow level
• Information will be retained much longer if processed at a deeper level
• Elaborative rehearsal


  Involves a deep level of processing because there is focus on assigning meaning to the information
• Maintenance rehearsal


  Re-learning
• Attending only to superficial details involves only shallow processing
• The more meaning you give to the information, the deeper the level of processing
• Considerable research evidence indicates that LTM is better when we process new information semantically
• Shallow level processing


  • Structural processing
  • Phonemic processing
• Structural processing


  Involves encoding only the physical qualities of something
• Structural processing includes the typeface of a word or how the letters look
• Phonemic processing


  Involves encoding the sound of a word
• Shallow processing only involves maintenance rehearsal and leads to fairly short-term retention of information
• Deep level processing


  • Semantic processing
  • Elaborative processing
• Semantic processing


  Happens when we encode the meaning of a word and relate it to similar words with similar meanings
• Deep processing


  Involves elaborative rehearsal which involves a more meaningful analysis of information
• Deep processing leads to better recall
• Giving words a meaning or linking them with previous knowledge is an example of deep processing