AQA Psychology A-level: Memory

Flashcards covering key concepts, facts, and definitions related to memory from the given AQA Psychology A-level notes.

Coding

The format or type of information stored in each memory store; acoustic in short-term memory and semantic in long-term memory.

Capacity

The volume of information that can be kept in any memory store at one time; STM is thought to hold 7 +/- 2 items.

Duration

The amount of time that information can be stored in each memory store; STM lasts 18-30 seconds, while LTM can last a lifetime.

Multi-Store Model of Memory (MSM)

A model that explains how memory is stored, transferred, retrieved, and forgotten, comprising sensory register, short-term memory, and long-term memory.

Sensory Register

A memory store that holds large amounts of information from the senses for a very brief duration, less than half a second.

Maintenance Rehearsal

The process of repeating information to oneself to keep it in short-term memory and allow it to transfer to long-term memory.

Types of Long-Term Memory

Three types of LTM: episodic (personal events), semantic (facts and knowledge), and procedural (skills and tasks).

Episodic Memory

Memories that have personal significance, including details about when and how events occurred.

Semantic Memory

Memories that involve knowledge about the world and understanding of concepts and meanings.

Procedural Memory

Memories related to skills and actions that can be performed unconsciously, such as riding a bike.

Interference

Forgetting that occurs when the recall of one memory is blocked by another memory; can be retroactive or proactive.

Retrieval Failure

Forgetting that occurs when cues present at encoding are absent at recall, according to Tulving's encoding specificity principle.

Eyewitness Testimony (EWT)

Accounts of an event from individuals who witnessed it, which can be influenced by misleading information.

Leading Questions

Questions that suggest a specific answer or influence the memory of the event, impacting the accuracy of eyewitness testimony.

Cognitive Interview

A method of interviewing eyewitnesses designed to improve the amount and accuracy of information recalled.

Yerkes-Dodson Law

A principle that describes an inverted-U relationship between arousal and performance, suggesting moderate arousal leads to optimal performance.

Weapon Focus Effect

A phenomenon where the presence of a weapon distracts attention and impairs memory for other details of the event.

Memory Conformity

The tendency for co-witnesses to discuss a crime and influence each other’s memories, leading to inaccuracies in recall.