Psych study Unit 1: Memory

Three memory processes

-Encoding, storage, retrieval, and how they differ.

Selective attention and levels of processing

-How attention affects encoding, structural, phonemic, and semantic processing, apply them to the penny example.

Three storage systems

-sensory, short term, and long term: capacity and duration

Sperling’s study

-What experiment demonstrated about iconic (visual sensory) memory.

Short term memory and chunking

-Miller's 7±2, Cowan's 4±1, and how meaningful chunks work.

Working memory

-Phonological loop, visuospatial sketchpad, central executive, episodic buffer.

Type of long term memory

-Declarative vs nondeclarative, semantic vs episodic memory

Semantic networks and schemas

-How related concepts and prior knowledge affect what you remember

Forgetting and interference

-ineffective encoding, decay, retrieval failure, interference; proactive vs retroactive

Memory reconstruction

-Lotus and Palmer, misinformation effect, source-monitoring errors

Brain and amnesia

- Hippocampus, consolidation, retrograde vs anterograde amnesia, H.M

Concept What to remember

Encoding Getting information into memory

Storage Retaining information over time

Retrieval Recovering stored information

Sensory memory Very brief storage; about ¼ second

Short-term memory 10–20 seconds; capacity estimates are 7±2 (Miller) and 4±1 (Cowan)

Long-term memory Info can remain for minutes to years, with no known capacity limit

Proactive interference Old information interferes with learning or recalling newer information

Retroactive interference New information interferes with learning or recalling older information

Retrograde amnesia Memory loss for events before an injury

Anterograde amnesia Memory loss for events after an injury

1. Loftus and Palmer Experiment

What they studied: Elizabeth Loftus and John Palmer studied how the wording of questions can influence eyewitness memory.

What they did: Participants watched videos of car accidents and were asked how fast the cars were going. The researchers used different verbs in the questions, such as “hit” or “smashed.”

What they found: Participants who heard the word “smashed” tended to estimate higher speeds than participants who heard less forceful wording, such as “hit.”

Conclusion: Misleading wording can influence how people remember an event and report what they witnessed. The wording can affect their memory or their judgment when answering questions.

Example: If someone asks, “How fast were the cars going when they smashed into each other?” you might estimate a higher speed than if they asked, “How fast were the cars going when they hit each other?”

Remember: Eyewitness reports are not always completely accurate because memory can be influenced by information received after an event.

2. Semantic Network vs. Schema

Semantic network

Schema

A network of concepts connected by associations.

A mental framework of knowledge about a topic, situation, or experience.

Focuses on how individual concepts are linked.

Focus on your organized expectations and knowledge.

Example: Dog connects to animal, pet, and bark.

Example: Your restaurant schema includes sitting at a table, ordering food, eating, and paying.

Easy way to remember:

Semantic network = connected concepts.

Schema = organized knowledge and expectations.

3. Declarative Memory vs. Nondeclarative Memory

Declarative memory	Nondeclarative Memory
Memory for facts and events that you can consciously recall and describe.	Memory expressed through skills, habits, or learned responses, often without consciously recalling how you learned them.
Example: Remembering that the capital of Illinois is Springfield.	Example: Knowing how to ride a bike.
Includes semantic memory (facts) and episodic memory (personal experiences).	Includes skills and other forms of learning, such as conditioning.

Easy way to remember:

Declarative = you can declare or tell someone what you remember.

Nondeclarative = memory shown through doing something, such as a learned skill.