Paper 1: Memory topic (Key Defintions)

Multi-Store Model

Proposed by Atkinson and Shiffrin, this model views memory as being made up of 3 separate, linear stores: Sensory Register, Short-Term Memory, and Long-Term Memory

Unitary Store

The idea that a memory store is a single storage unit without any complexity of specialised components. (The opposite of how the Working Mmeory Model views memory.)

Rehearsal

A central idea for the Multi-Store Model, rehearsal is the cognitive process of repeating information as a way of helping to maintain it in the Short-Term Memory and pass it onto the Long-Term Memory

Sensory Register

The first memory store where all information from our senses first enters, but it’s only what we directly pay attention to that then enters our Short-Term Memory

Duration

How long information can stay in the store before it decays.

Coding / Encoding

The format in which the memory is ‘laid down’ e.g. acoustically, visually, semantically

Capacity

How much data can be held in the store

Capacity of Short-Term Memory

5-9 pieces of information, but could be increased by chunking information

Capacity of Long-Term Memory

It is thought that the capacity is unlimited

Coding of Short-Term Memory

Acoustically coded

Coding of Long-Term Memory

Semantically coded

Working Memory Model

This model focuses on how Short-Term Memory is an active store of information made up of 4 components.

It explains how we are able to hold different types of information, and deal with multiple pieces of information at the same time.

Central Executive

The ‘control system’ for the Working Memory Model which pays attention to information and allocates it to the sub-systems.

Phonological Loop

A rehearsal system and store for auditory info involved in speech, reading, and listening.

Visuo-Spatial Sketchpad

A store for what items look like and where they are located in the space around us. It can create visual info, manipulate visual info as well as accessing stored info from the LTM.

Episodic Buffer

It can be seen as the storage system for the Central Executive. Maintains a sense of time sequencing, recording events that are happening (‘episodes’)

Links the STM with the LTM.

Interference Theory

When two pieces of info in the LTM conflict, causing the forgetting of the one of the two pieces of info.

Retroactive Interference

Occurs when new learning affects the recall of old information

Proactive Interference

Occurs when old information affects the recall of new information

Retrieval Failure Theory

Forgetting in the LTM is due to a lack of cues causing an inability to access info.

Encoding Specificity Principle

If a cue is to help us to recall info, it needs to have been present at the time of encoding and at retrieval. If the cues at encoding and retrieval are different (or absent) then forgetting will occur.

State Dependent Forgetting

Your mood or physiological state during recall is different from when you were learning, causing forgetting.

Context Dependent Forgetting

The environment during recall is different from the environment you were in when you were learning, causing forgetting