Cognitive Approach Theory for Quiz

Briefly describe the multi-store memory model, including the duration and capacity of each memory store.

This model emphasizes that memory has 3 distinct storage areas for memory. Sensory memory has a very large capacity but short duration (1-2 sec). Short term memory has a small capacity (5-9 chunks) and duration (30 sec). Long term memory has a huge capacity (no known limit) and duration (possibly life long).

Describe the processes that move info between stores and/or keep memory within a store.

Attention moves info from sensory to short term. Rehearsal keeps info in the short term memory longer. Encoding moves info from short term to long term.

Identify two ways information may be lost from the short term memory.

Displacement (new info pushes out old info) & decay (info lost due to time)

Explain the name 'working memory' and relate that model to the multistore memory model.

This model expands the short term memory and is called "working memory" because it views it as a mental work place for holding and manipulating info from multiple areas.

Explain the role of the central executive.

The central executive oversees the 3 storage systems in WM and directs resources and attention to each.

Describe the three storage subsystems of the working memory.

The phonological loop holds auditory information . The visuospatial sketchpad holds visual and spatial info. The episodic buffer replays personal memories, combining visual, auditory, and time information.

What are the two parts of the phonological loop?

The phonological loop holds the inner ear (replaying sounds passively) and the inner voice (subvocal thoughts)

What is articulatory suppression?

Articulatory suppression blocks the inner voice usually by having someone repeat numbers or words

What are dual task experiments and how can they be used to support the working memory model?

Dual task experiments involve people doing two tasks at once. The WMm predicts that people can more easily do two tasks in different subsystems than they can do two tasks within one subsystem because each subsystem has a limited capacity.

Define reconstructive memory

The idea that our memory is constantly changed without us realizing it. Our memory has holes that our brain 'fills in' with info from our schemas, from things we've learned later, or just from imagination.

Define flashbulb memory

An unusually vivid memory of a suprising and emotional event

Define emotion

Emotion is a complex reaction pattern consisting of experiential (internal experience/feelings), behavioral, and physiological elements by which a person attempts to deal with a personally significant stimulus.

What are the characteristics of flashbulb memories

Flashbulb memories are unusually vivid, are highly emotional, and people are very confident in the accuracy of the memory.

Describe cognitive schemas.

Cognitive schemas are mental representations that help us organize our thoughts. They are developed over our life time, are influenced by our culture, and fairly stable and difficult to change (in adulthood).

What two questions does schema theory seek to answer?

Schema theory seeks to answer how does our mind organize information and how does that organization affect our cognitive processes (like memory and decision making)

Describe three benefits of schemas

Schema help us simplify a complex world, reduces cognitive demands, and improves comprehension and encoding of info.

What is the difference between bottom up and top down processing?

Top down processing involves viewing information through the 'lens' of a schema - interpreting what you see not for what it is but based on what you expect due to schemas. Bottom up is 'pure' sensory processing.

Describe effort after meaning.

Effort after meaning is when you take an unfamiliar idea and link it to or replace it with something more familiar. (For example, in War of the Ghosts, English college students replaced the unfamiliar idea of seal hunting with the more familiar fishing.

Describe assimilaion and accommodation in terms of schema theory

Assimilation is editing information that we take in and remember so that they better fit our schemas. Accommodation is changing our schemas when we find that they no longer work - it is rare (in adults).

Describe bounded rationality

Bounded rationality says that there are limits to our ability to think rationally. These limits include: limited time, limited cognitive capacity, and limited information.

Describe the dual system model of thinking

The dual system model of thinking states that we have two major ways in which we think: system 1 (thinking fast) and system 2 (thinking slow). System 1 is used for ~90% of our thinking, and is fast, intuitive, minimal effort. It is based on heuristics (mental short cuts) and is prone to both biases and emotions. System 2 is used for ~10% of our thinking and is slow, controlled, applicaiton of logic and reasoning. It is more accurate and is used if we recognized that a problem is difficult or important.

Define heuristic

Heuristics are mental short cuts

Describe cognitive biases

Cognitive biases are systematic (predictable) deviations from logical thinking

Describe confirmation bias, including the ways it can occur.

Confirmation bias is the tendency to favor information that supports our preexisting beliefs and it affects (1) how we look for information, (2) how we remember information, and (3) how we interpret or evaluate information.