Exam2: Immediate Memory

attention is…

flexible and strategic because of executive attention

executive attention

the process of how we direct/control our attention in response to situational demands

inhibition

the ability to suppress info

failures to inhibit (within executive attention)

cocktail party effect, distractions when studying, and distractions in sports

modal of memory

series of stages through which info passes

sensory stores

sensory memory; an initial storage of just presented stimulus for a brief period of time

duration of sensory memory

250 milliseconds

capacity of sensory memory

is vast

short term stores

immediate memory; set of processes that temporarily hold and release information that occupies awareness

what is immediate memory

active processing of information in consciousness

what keeps immediate memory active

executive attention

duration of immediate memory

12-15 seconds without rehearsal (LTM storage)

brown-peterson task

measured how long immediate memory lasts

brown-peterson task methodology

1. present information to be remembered (JDL)

2. prevent rehearsing (count backwards by 3s starting at 231)

3. request a recall of info after delay,

4. record proportion of info recalled

what did the Brown-Peterson Task find?

that without rehearsal (or by blocking LTM storage) information in STM will disappear within 12-15 seconds

capacity of immediate memory

magic number: 7 ± 2 (George Miller)

memory span task (George Miller)

the longest string of info a person can recall

juggling metaphor for capacity of immediate memory

can only hold so much info in immediate attention for a certain amount of time - limited capacity of attention (characteristic of attention)

chunking

regrouping info in STM to increase the number of items that can be remembered; prior knowledge as an aid (USA, CIA, etc)

word length effect

longer it takes to pronounce words, fewer items able to be retained in STM

coding

“inner voice” repeating things to yourself; rehearsing

capacity for word length effect

has a number limit of 7 ± 2 and a size limit of a manageable size

forgetting in STM can be caused by…

decay & interference (retroactive interference and proactive interference)

what is decay

the loss of info as a function of the passage of time (more counting = more time = more forgetting *Brown-Peterson)

interference

when information currently being processed is negatively influenced by information that has been processed previously and will be processed subsequently

retroactive interference

subsequently encountered info disrupts the retention of previously processed info (ex: what is studied first will be disrupted by the second thing studied)

proactive interference

previously encountered info disrupts the current processing of info (what is studied second will be disrupted by what is studied first)

Keppel & Underwood (1962)

interested in performance on the first trial compared to subsequent trials (what is the impact of proactive interference on STM)

what did Keppel and Underwood determine about interference

proactive is more important cause of ST forgetting than decay and additionally, retroactivity plays a significant role in ST forgetting

displacement view

when a new item enters immediate memory, it “bumps out’ a previously stored item (takes play during encoding)

overwriting view

assumes that when a new item enters immediate memory, it overwrites a previously stored item (takes play during encoding)

blurring and deblurring

items in immediate memory can blur into one another and become difficult to tell apart at retrieval

working memory model

workspace for processing information; allows for connections to develop between STM and LTM

Phonological loop

inner voice; it is brief and the primary rehearsal mechanism involving recoding info into an auditory form (seeing something and naming it)

two subsystems of phonological loop

1. phonological store - holds info temporarily

2. subvocal rehearsal mechanism - responsible for rehearsal

episodic buffer

component that integrates info from the phonological loop and visuospatial sketchpad (thing in the middle that holds it all together)

central executive

capacity allocator for the attentional system (deploys attentional resources - the boss of WM model)

operation span

individual difference in WM; measures divided attention ability

far transfer

people want to try to improve WM, but you cannot get better at WM, you’ll only get better at the tast

mind-wandering

accidental absence of attention; daydreaming

what impacts mind-wandering

thinking of past or future & mood and emotion

ironic process of control theory

the process of involved in guarding against some type of mistaken action actually encourages the mistaken action to occur (white bear effect)

intentional operating process

responsible for activating thoughts related to the relevant goal at hand (responsible for keeping the goal)

ironic monitoring process

responsible for keeping track of thoughts that might foil the goal at hand

how to prevent mind wandering (MW)

doodle (Andrade - 2009), improved memory for doodlers

benefits of MW

future focused, creativity, problem-solving/insight, connect self to larger context, mental beak from bordom

negative effects of MW

educational and comprehension is impacted, effects your ability to note take

what is ADHD

inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, impairment occuring accross settings, symptoms are present before the age of 12

what does ADHD impact

executive functioning, inhibitory control deficits, and WM

what does ADHD not cause

sustained attention - inability to focus

executive control

difficulty regulating attention - what ADHD does interfere with

delay aversion & reward processing involves…

motivational component, dopamine involvement, and cognitive flexibilty