Cognitive Psych- Exam 2

Memory

Memory

retaining, retrieving, and using info once the original info is no longer present

What are the three parts of the Modal Model of Memory?

• Sensory memory

• Long-term memory (LTM)

• Short-term memory (STM)

What are the properties of control processes in the Modal Model of Memory?

• May differ from one task to another

Encoding

the process of storing something in LTM

Retrieval

the process of remembering info stored in LTM

Rehearsal

repeating a stimulus over and over

What are the duration and capacity of sensory memory?

Duration- brief

Capacity- unlimited

Persistence of vision

still have effect of visual stimulus when its no longer visible

Iconic Sensory Memory

visual memory

Echoic Sensory Memory

hearing memory

• can’t hold as much

• lasts longer

Recall

a memory process in which you must generate your own answers

Recognition

retrieval method in which a person must select previously presented info from a list

Relearning

retrieval method in which you relearn info that has been previously learned

What are the duration and capacity of short-term memory?

Duration- 15-20 seconds

Capacity- 7±2

Miller’s Magic 7 +- 2

·       Digit span

Chunking

a strategy that involves combining small units into larger more meaningful ones

Proactive interference

old info interferes with the memory of new info

Retroactive interference

new info interferes with the memory of old info

How is short-term and working memory different?

Working memory lasts slightly longer and manipulates info

Three Component Model of Working Memory

Phonological loop, visuospatial sketch pad, central executive

Phonological loop

verbal and auditory info

Visuospatial sketch pad

visual and spatial info

Central executive

• coordinates phonological loop and visuospatial sketch pad

• divides attention

• focuses on specific tasks

Word length effect

memory for short words is better than for long words

Articulatory suppression

repetition of irrelevant sounds results in reduced memory because speaking interferes with rehearsal

Perseveration

frontal lobe damage- can’t change task

How does the episodic buffer improve the Three Component Model of Working Memory?

Integrates info to create a unified memory

What are the capacity and duration of long-term memory?

Capacity- unlimited

Duration- months/years

Serial Position Curve- Primacy Effect

remember beginning words (rehearsal)

Serial Position Curve- Recency Effect

remember ending words

What happens to these effects if memory is delayed prior to recall? (Glanzer and Cunitz, 1966)

• primacy still remembered

• echoic memory faded

Visual coding

what it looks like

Auditory coding

what it sounds like

Semantic coding

what does it mean

Distinguish between recall and recognition

Recall- generate and remember

Recognition- pick out what you have previously seen

What brain structure is crucial for LTM? (think H.M. and Clive Wearing)

Hippocampus- short term memory is intact

Double dissociation: What does neuropsychological evidence indicate about the relationship between STM and LTM?

Functions A (i.e. hippocampus) and B (i.e. parietal) have different mechanisms and operate independently of each other

Explicit memory

Memory that you are aware of (also known as declarative memory) Explicit=Exit your mouth

Episodic memory

personal memories- episodes in your life

Semantic memory

memory for facts

Procedural memory

steps and processes of how to do something

• learned skill

• something you do- implicit

Autobiographical Memory

Memory from a specific event in my life

Implicit memory

not consciously aware of- remembered effortlessly -difficult to explain

• Clive Wearing does have implicit memory but not explicit

Priming

When the presentation of one stimulus changes the way I respond to a second stimulus

Propaganda Effect

When I hear about something it primes me, changes my attitude for later- even if told the information is false

Maintenance rehearsal

repeat it over and over

• least effective

Elaborative rehearsal

make it meaningful… Elaborative is best

Distinguish between shallow and deep processing

Shallow processing is related to maintenance and deep processing is related to elaborative

Craik & Lockhart (1975) found different types of questions represented different levels of processing. Give some examples of these different levels.

Physical Features (shallow, visual), rhyming (deeper, auditory), Fill-in-the-blank (deepest, semantics)

Self-reference effect

If I relate something to me personally, I’ll remember it more effectively

According to Bower & Winzenz (1970), why does imagery enhance memory?

Seeing helps us remember so much better! Those who made a mental image remembered more than those who just rehearsed it

paired-associate learning

Rehearsal and imagery group… cat-clock example.. imagery is better

Generating effect

Coming up with the example ourselves it will enhance our learning and retention

Describe a research method to study the generation effect

Slameka and Graf (1978)- generate group and read group; those who came up with their own words remembered better than the read group

How does organizing information help one remember it?

This helps connect other words underneath the overarching category for example we can know where a professor is heading in lecture if we download the PowerPoint prior to lecture

What is the effect of retrieval cues on LTM?

helps remember a list of words

When Nairne (2010) had participants evaluate words in relation to potential survival value, what kind of words were best remembered?

Survival words were best remembered! Life or death situations make people remember better

What is the testing effect?

Make up our own test questions (multiple choice, short answer, true/false)

What is a retrieval cue?

word or other stimulus that helps you remember information stored in a category- do not have to be words… can be a location or a smell

Retrieval and retrieval failure

Retrieval- the process of recovering or locating information stored in memory

Retrieval failure- the information is in long-term memory, but cannot be accessed -It cannot be accessed because the retrieval cues are not present

What did Mantyla’s experiment demonstrate about retrieval cues for best memory performance?

Those who had written about the passage had a much better recall a week after the initial reading

How does matching the context of learning to the context of retrieval influence your ability to remember?

If one studies in the same room that the test is taken in there will be retrieval cues that one normally wouldn’t have

Encoding Specificity

learn along with context (studying in the same room as the exam)

State-dependent Learning

Internal physiological state that one is in; if one embeds a memory when one is angry then when angry again those memories are easily accessible!! Mood needs to match for encoding and retrieving

Transfer-appropriate processing

better performance when the type of processing matches in encoding and retrieval; if one knows it’s going to be multiple choice then study with coming up with mc questions

Consolidation

Process of transforming memories from a fragile state to more permanent state

Synaptic Consolidation

Physiological changes at the synapse

• activated about the same time

• record of experiences (minutes to hours)

Long-term potentiation

Action potential- enhance firing after repeated stimulation

Systems consolidation

gradual reorganization of neural circuits (months to years)

In the standard model of consolidation, what does reactivation mean?

replaying the neural connections related to a memory

What are remote memories?

Hippocampus replays neural activity associated with the memory- over time the Hippocampus network is becoming weaker as additional direct connections are made, creating a remote memory. Memory from distant past

What is the impact of sleep on memory?

Memories seem to become more stable in the brain during the deep stages of sleep. We should sleep after we learn. Really significant memories definitely should be slept on.

How might reconsolidation benefit PTSD?

we can change physiological reactions by changing our brain structure with memories

Two most effective methods for studying

• Generate and test

• Spacing effect