Ch. 7.1-3 - Memory, STM, LTM

What is long-term memory (LTM)?

A memory store that holds information for extended periods of time.

When can memory deficits occur?

Memory deficits can happen at any stage of memory processing.

What is often overlooked by students in memory practice?

Students often practice encoding but not retrieval.

How is memory organized?

Memories are organized according to similarity, represented by a series of related nodes; thinking about one node activates nearby nodes.

What is the tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon?

The temporary inability to retrieve a word or memory while feeling that it is just out of reach.

What is short-term memory (STM)?

A memory store with limited capacity and duration (<1 minute).

What is the capacity of STM?

STM can hold 7±2 items or chunks, as measured by the digit span task.

What is chunking?

Organizing smaller units of information into larger, more meaningful units to improve memory.

How does the Brown-Peterson task test STM duration?

Participants are presented with trigrams (e.g., BKG) and then perform a distractor task (e.g., counting backward by 3s); rehearsal allows some information to enter long-term storage.

What are the stores and control processes in the Atkinson-Shiffrin model?

Stores retain information without using it; control processes shift information between memory stores.

What is sensory memory?

A memory store that holds perceptual information for a very brief time.

What are iconic and echoic memory?

Iconic memory is visual sensory memory; echoic memory is auditory sensory memory.

What is the Sperling task?

A test of sensory memory using a brief display of letters and measuring recall via whole report or partial report.

What is the whole report in the Sperling task?

Participants recall as many letters as possible from the entire display; limited by rapid decay of sensory memory.

What is the partial report in the Sperling task?

Participants recall a subset of letters indicated by a cue; demonstrates that sensory memory holds more than is reported.

How does attention interact with sensory memory?

Attention acts as a spotlight, allowing some sensory information to be transferred to STM.

What is change blindness?

A perceptual phenomenon where changes in a visual stimulus go unnoticed when outside the focus of attention.