ALEVEL PSYCH Memory

Multi-Store Model

A structural model of memory proposed by Atkinson and Shiffrin that consists of three stores:sensory register, short-term memory (STM), and long-term memory (LTM).

Sensory Memory

The initial stage of memory where information from the senses is briefly held before being transferred to STM.

Short-Term Memory

The second stage of memory where information is temporarily stored and actively processed. It has a limited capacity and duration.

Long-Term Memory

The third stage of memory where information is stored for an extended period of time. It has an unlimited capacity and duration.

Encoding

The process of changing information so that it can be stored in memory. It can be done visually, acoustically, or semantically.

Capacity

The amount of information that can be stored in a memory store.

Duration

The length of time that information can be held in a memory store.

Maintenance Rehearsal

Repetition that keeps information in STM.

Displacement

The process of pushing out old information from STM to make room for new information.

Decay

The fading or weakening of memory traces over time.

Episodic Memory

A type of long-term memory that stores personal experiences and events.

Semantic Memory

A type of long-term memory that stores general knowledge and facts.

Procedural Memory

A type of long-term memory that stores knowledge of how to perform motor skills and tasks.

Central Executive

The supervisory component of the working memory model that controls attention and coordinates information processing.

Phonological Loop

A component of the working memory model that temporarily stores and processes auditory information.

Visuospatial Sketchpad

A component of the working memory model that temporarily stores and processes visual and spatial information.

Episodic Buffer

A component of the working memory model that serves as a temporary storage system and integrates information from LTM and the other components of working memory.

Interference

An explanation for forgetting where two sets of information become confused and interfere with each other in memory.

Proactive interference

Old learning prevents the recall of more recent information.

Retroactive interference

New learning prevents the recall of previously learned information.

Semantic memory

More resistant to interference than other types of memory.

Retrieval failure

Information is available in long-term memory but cannot be recalled due to the absence of appropriate cues.

Context cues

External cues in the environment that trigger memory recall.

State cues

Bodily cues inside of us, such as physical or emotional states, that aid in memory retrieval.

Organization cues

Recall is improved when information is organized in a structured manner.

Cue-dependent forgetting

Forgetting occurs when retrieval cues are absent or different from the encoding context.

Yerkes-Dodson effect

EWT accuracy is lower at low and high levels of anxiety, with optimal recall at a moderate level of anxiety.

Cognitive interview

A police technique that encourages witnesses to recreate the original context to increase the accessibility of stored information.

Context reinstatement

Mentally recreating the situation, including environmental details and emotional state, to provide cues for memory recall.

Recall from a changed perspective

Recreating the situation from different points of view to disrupt the influence of schemas on recall.

Recall in reverse order

Describing the scene in a different chronological order to prevent the bias of pre-existing schemas.

Report everything

Encouraging the witness to report all details, even seemingly unimportant ones, to trigger interconnected memories.

Enhanced cognitive interview

Additional features include relaxation techniques, clarifying comments, and adapting questions to individual understanding.