Psychology: Social-cognitive Approach to Learning, Atkinson-Shiffrin Model of Memory

Social-cognitive Approach

Emphasises the social context in which learning occurs and cognitive processes that influence the individual and the learning process.

Observational Learning

Occurs when an individual watches a model's action and then uses the consequences of those actions to guide their future actions.

Model

Who or what is being observed and may be live or symbolic.

Live Model

Real-life person who may be demonstrating, acting out and/or describing or explaining a behaviour.

Symbolic Model

Real or fictional character display behaviour in books, movies, TV, online and other media.

Elements of Observational Learning

attention, retention, reproduction, motivation, reinforcement

Attention

Involves closely focusing on a model's behaviour and it's consequences.

Attention is influenced by

- perceptual capabilities of observer
- kinds of distracters present
- characteristics of the model
- motivation, interest level of observer
- situation behaviour is observed in
- importance of behaviour
- distinctiveness
- effect it has on us

Retention

Storing a mental representation of the model's behaviour.

Reproduction

Replicating the model's behaviour if an individual has the capability to do so.

Motivation

Observer must have the desire to replicate the model's behaviour, e.g. incentive or rewards

Reinforcement

Influences motivation to reproduce observer behaviour and increases the likelihood of reproduction. This involves external reinforcement, vicarious reinforcement and self-reinforcement.

External Reinforcement

Learning by consequences.

Vicarious Reinforcement

Learning by observing the modelled behaviour being reinforced without personally experiencing the reinforcement.

Self-reinforcement

Reinforced by meeting standards we set for ourselves.

Memory

The processing, storage and retrieval of information acquired through learning.

Sequential Process of Memory

encoding, storage, retrieval

Encoding

The process of converting information into a useable form so that it can be represented and stored in memory.

Storage

The retention of information in memory over time.

Retrieval

The process of locating and recovering stored information from memory so that we are consciously aware of it.

Atkinson-Shiffrin Model

This model represents memory as consisting of three separate stores (components) called sensory memory, short-term memory and long-term memory. Each store processes information in different ways and differ in terms of function, capacity and duration.

Sensory Memory

The entry point of memory where new incoming sensory information is stored for a very brief period in its raw form (not encoded). If the information is attended to, it's transferred to short-term memory. If not, the information is lost.

Iconic Memory

A brief sensory memory for incoming visual information. Visual images are usually retained for a third of a second in their original sensory form however the process lasts long enough for us to recognise and process the sensory information.

Echoic Memory

The brief sensory memory for incoming auditory information. Similar to iconic memory, it stores auditory information in its original sensory form but the amount of time it takes for it to fade is longer.

Capacity, Duration and Encoding of Sensory Memory

Capacity: Unlimited
Duration: 0.2-4secs
Encoding: Based on the physical properties of the stimulus and attention levels

Capacity and Duration of Iconic Memory

Capacity: Unlimited
Duration: 0.2-0.4secs

Capacity and Duration of Echoic Memory

Capacity: Unlimited
Duration: 3-4secs
(Longer duration plays a part in the comprehension of speech)

Short-Term Memory (STM)

A memory system with limited storage capacity in which information is retained for a relatively short time, unless renewed in some way. In STM, the information is no longer a replica of the sensory stimulus, but an encoded version.

Capacity, Duration and Encoding of STM

Capacity: 7 +/- 2 bits of info
Duration: 18-20, up to 30secs
Encoding: Usually verbal/sub-vocal maintenance

Maintenance Rehearsal

The process of maintaining information in STM by preventing it from being lost through decay (not being used) or displaced (being pushed out) by other material. An example is: repeating info over and over in one's head or repeating it aloud.

Chunking

Grouping or packing bits of information into larger bits or units that can be remembered as single units.

Elaborative Rehearsal

Linking new information in a meaningful way with information already stored in memory or with other new information, to aid in storage and retrieval from LTM.

Long-Term Memory

The relatively permanent storage of information. There are two main types of LTM: explicit and implicit memory, each with sub-types.

Capacity, Duration and Encoding of Long Term Memory

Capacity: Unlimited
Duration: Unlimited
Encoding: Elaborative, according to meaning

Explicit Memory

LTM that can be consciously retrieved and stated. It is therefore commonly described as 'memory with awareness'. Explicit memory has two subtypes: episodic and semantic memory.

Episodic Memory

The long-term memory of personally experienced events. Example: My trip to Japan was fun.

Semantic Memory

The long-term memory of facts and knowledge about the world. Examples: Today is Monday.

Implicit Memory

LTM that does not require conscious or intentional retrieval. It is described as 'memory without awareness'. It has two subtypes: procedural and classically conditioned memory.

Procedural Memory

The long-term memory for the skills involved in particular tasks. Example: Doing a cartwheel.

Classically Conditioned Memory

Conditioned responses to conditioned stimuli acquired through classical conditioning are also considered to be a type of implicit memory, particularly those involving fear or anxiety. Example: Fear of moth.

Mneumonic

Any technique used to assist memory.

Acronym

Pronounceable words formed from the first letters of a group of words. Example: FOMO (fear of missing out)

Acrostics

Involve making verbal associations for items to be remembered by constructing sentences (phrases) using the first letters of the information to be remembered. Example: Ever Good Boy Deserves Fruit (EGBDF).

Method of Loci

A mnemonic device for which the items to be remembered are converted into mental images and associated with specific positions or locations.

Songlines

A navigational route comprising a sequence of locations. It assists navigation, and includes significant landscape features with information associated with each location.

Aboriginal Ways of Knowing and Learning

The multimodal approach to learning that involves story sharing, learning maps, non-verbal, symbols & images, land links, non-linear, deconstruct reconstruct and community links.