6, SHORT TERM MEMORY- COG-PSY

Memory: The process by which information is retained for later use

Sensory memory: holds information very briefly (~0.5-2s) and is
modality specific (iconic, echoic stores—transient visual and
auditory input that is mainly unprocessed).

Sensory memory example: don’t remember every tiktok scroll past

Short-term stores: extremely limited capacity (Miller (1956): 7+2 bits)
and quite fragile as any distraction usually causes forgetting almost
immediately (Peterson & Peterson, 1959).

Long term stores: could be permanent and unlimited!

George Miller: suggested people can keep only about seven items active in short-term storage, and that this limitation influences performance on a wide range of mental tasks

memory span: is the longest list of items that a person can repeat back in correct order immediately after

presentation.

Performance on the memory span task is also closely linked to language learning abilities; improving verbal memory capacities may therefore aid mastery of a new language.

Chunking: Miller, single items can be grouped into higher level units of organization where there are 4 bits of information instead of 12, and now we can remember them

Chunking example: cnnibmmtvusa = cnn ibm mtv usa

short term memory is only reliable for 3-5 seconds without rehearsal/chunking!

IQ ≠ how much you can remember

80% of ppl w alzheimer have signifiicant short term memory impairments 2 years before symptoms so can put them on Aricept