Psych 255 Short Term Memory

These flashcards cover key concepts related to short-term memory from the Psych 255 lecture notes.

Short-term memory (STM)

The capacity to store small amounts of information over brief intervals.

Miller's Magic Number

The concept that the capacity of short-term memory is typically 7 +/- 2 items.

Chunking

The process of combining a number of items into a single chunk, typically on the basis of long-term memory.

Trace decay

The theory that memories fade over time if not accessed.

Interference

The phenomenon where other information interferes with the ability to recall target information.

Peterson Task

A study design where a distractor task is introduced after a studied item, diminishing memory for that item.

Proactive interference

The forgetting of information due to interference from items presented or learned before the item to be remembered.

Serial position curve

A graph that shows how the position of an item in a list affects recall ability, including primacy and recency effects.

Primacy effect

The tendency for the first few items in a list to be recalled better, primarily due to long-term memory.

Recency effect

The tendency for the last few items in a list to be well recalled, originally thought to be due to a short-term store.

Phonological loop

A component of Baddeley and Hitch's working memory model that deals with verbal and auditory information.

Word length effect

The phenomenon where the number of words that can be recalled decreases as word length increases.

Irrelevant sound effects

The phenomenon where irrelevant auditory stimuli disrupt the recall of target information.

O-OER model (Object-Oriented Episodic Record)

A theory suggesting that auditory and visual serial recall involve a common representation.

Feature model

A unitary memory system suggesting memory is represented by a set of features that can be modality-dependent or independent.

Visuo-spatial STM

The type of short-term memory that deals with the storage of visual and spatial information.

Deficits in STM

Impairments in short-term memory that can manifest in various ways, such as reduced recall ability or specific task performance.

Short-term Memory (STM) vs. Working Memory (WM)

STM is the capacity to store information briefly, while WM involves holding and manipulating information.

N-back task

A memory task where participants indicate when a repeated item is observed, with varying degrees of 'n' indicating how many items back they need to recall.