the memory system and response time

The memory system

Baddeley and Hitch – 1978

The working memory model

Control centre

An attentional process where we monitor the data, and we make decisions and allocate this information to the slave systems

It can quickly identify which information should be sent to each of the sub memory systems

Sub systems perform different functions

Control centre – central exclusive

Phonological loop

-              Information can be processed here e.g. coaches’ instructions

-              Function is to deal with auditory info

-              Has a phonological store which stores the words you hear

-              Helps to produce a memory trace

-              Memory trace is an initial mental idea of the skill – sent to LTM and trigger a motor programme – to be used to produce movement

The visuospatial sketchpad

-              Takes visual and spatial information

-              Helps to process feel of the movement e.g. flight of gymnast in vault

-              Holds info about what we see and is further divided into 2 sections

n  Visual cache – holds info about form and colour

n  Inner scribe – spatial movement information

Episodic buffer

-              Coordinates the work of the phonological loop and visuospatial sketchpad into time sequences

-              Sequences of sight, sound, and movements for the LTM

-              Sequences are the starting point for initiation of the motor programme to move

-              The link between working memory and LTM

Working memory and LTM

Job of the working memory is to pick up relevant information from the sporting environment

Working memory links to LTM by sending coded info for future use

-              Working memory produces a memory trace (mental snapshot of the skill being used) which is sent to the LTM

Features and functions of the memory system

-              Working memory initiates the action by sending a memory trace

-              Working memory can only dela with around 7 items of info at a time – selective attention helps

-              Working memory has a limited timescale – around 30 seconds until info is lost

-              Important info can be stored in the LTM as a motor programme

-              LTM has a large capacity and can store for a very long time

Storing info

Strategies can be used to make sure that items from the working memory are stored in the LTM

Rewards

-              Extrinsic and Intrinsic rewards to help motivate the performer

Association

-              Associate correct actions with appropriate emotions or reactions

-              Feeling of satisfaction or pride when completing a skill or getting a reward so that actions can be remembered

-              Use of mental practise – go over the skill/ routine in the mind without physical movement to help store info

-              Helpful for remembering sequence of serial skills to not forget routine

Breaking the task down

-              Breaking down into parts can help to prevent overload

-              Skill can be learned in parts and each part can be put into LTM until the whole skill can be remembered

-              Called chunking

-              Can be stored more easily by getting the performer to focus and concentrate and ignore distractions

-              Most common way of storing info in the LTM is repetition of an action.

-              This will ensure the skill is coded and stored as a motor programme

-              Chaining when items of info are recalled in a sequence so that one movement moves onto the next.

Schema theory – Schmidt, 1982

Suggests that core principles can be taken from an existing motor programme and then adapted using info from the environment.

e.g. motor programme for throwing javelin can be used for a goalkeeper throw in football

Parameters of a schema

Recall initiates movement

1, Initial conditions

-              Refers to info from the sporting environment that must be recognised before the schema can be used

-              May concern the position on the court, placement of limbs just prior to the action

-              Can be summed up as where am I?

2, Response specifications

-              Info is used to access the available options open to the performer

-              E.g. what type of pass should I use?

-              Can be summed up as what do I need to do?

The first two parts of the schema are called the recall schema and is responsible for initiating movement and happens before the action takes place

Recognition controls the movements as you do it

3, Sensory consequences

-              Use of the sense to help guide the movement

-              Grip on the ball sensed by touch

-              Info is used to control and apply the movement to the situation

4, Response outcome

-              Final part where the motor programme can be updated by getting knowledge of the result of the action

-              If not successful, adjustments will be made for the motor programme to be adapted.

Response time

Reaction time – The time taken from the onset of the stimulus to the onset of response

Movement time – the time it takes to complete the task after information processing has taken place e.g. 100m sprint, moving off the blocks to crossing the line

Response time – total time from onset of stimulus to completion of task e.g. 100m sprint, hearing the gun and crossing the line

Response time = reaction time + movement time

Single channel hypothesis

Stimuli can only be processed one at a time – the second has to wait until the first has been processed

Having one stimulus is much faster than many as a delay in processing increases overall response time

More choices = slower response

Psychological refractory period

-              Explains the delay that occurs as we are only able to process one stimulus at a time

-              If a stimulus arrived before the completion of the first one there will be a delay

-              May result in the performer freezing completely for a second while they try to sort out the info

-              E.g. in tennis when you are ready to play the forehand and the ball hits the net so you have to disregard the old stimulus and sort out the new one

Anticipation

-              When a performer tries to prejudge a stimulus – trying to work of what is going to happen before it happens

-              Using information in the environment – signals from opponent, body language

-              Info could be learned prior to the game by research or learning of an action

-              2 essential aspects

Temporal anticipation – prejudging when the stimulus will happen

Spatial anticipation – where and what the projected stimulus is going to be

-              Correct anticipation improves response time

-              As the info processing speeds up, it has been processed before the action happens so the movement can happen immediately

-              However, if incorrect anticipation happens and anticipated stimulus isn’t presented, there will be a delay while the proper info is processed.