Working memory

Short Term Memory and Its Limits

• Storage Limits in Short Term Memory

  • The "magic number" of short term memory capacity is seven plus or minus two.

  • Individuals can manage to recall between 5 to 9 items effectively.

  • Items in memory can be "chunked" into groups, enhancing recall ability.

Cognitive Load Theory

• Definition and Implications

  • Cognitive load theory suggests that excessive information provided at once leads to an inability to process it, impacting integration into long-term memory.

  • Overwhelm occurs when the information exceeds the short term memory capacity.

  • With practice, individuals can improve their information retention by employing chunking.

• Practical Application for Educators

  • Teachers and coaches should not overwhelm students or players with excessive information.

  • Education should be layered, introducing new concepts only when students can handle them.

  • Example: Coaching my daughter's softball team required incremental instruction as players developed skills to catch fly balls.

The Importance of Presentation Design

• Diagrams and Clarity

  • Effective presentation of diagrams is crucial. Poorly-designed diagrams can lead to confusion and information overload.

  • An effective diagram or flow chart should simplify complex information, facilitating step-by-step comprehension and reducing cognitive load.

  • Example: A cluttered diagram versus a clear flowchart that aids focused attention.

Time Limits in Short Term Memory

• Study Reference: Peterson and Peterson (1959)

  • Participants were shown a list of letters then asked to count backward for intervals of 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, or 18 seconds.

  • The backward counting task prevented repetition or rehearsal, affecting memory recall.

  • Researchers collected data on the accuracy of letter recall, tracking how performance declined over time.

• Forgetting Curve

  • Recognized pattern: As time increases, recall probability decreases, which illustrates the forgetting curve concept.

  • The information loss occurs sharply at first, then stabilizes as time continues.

Theories of Forgetting

• Decay Theory

  • Definition: Memory traces lose strength over time due to the passage of time alone, leading to spontaneous loss of information.

• Interference Theory

  • Definition: New information entering short term memory can overwrite existing information, leading to loss, regardless of time.

  • Types of Interference:

  • Retroactive Interference: New information learned inhibits the recall of previously learned information.

    • Example: Studying for a second exam makes you forget material from the first exam.

  • Proactive Interference: Older information impacts the learning of new information.

    • Example: Knowledge from the first set of words inhibits learning of a second set.

  • Catastrophic Interference (less common): Forgetting all learned material after studying new information due to overload.

    • Personal anecdote regarding forgetting names or terms while learning extensive psychological concepts.

Strategies to Avoid Interference

• Importance of spacing study sessions to allow for information transfer from short term to long term memory.

• Recommended Approach: After studying, it’s beneficial to pause input of new information.

• Optimal Strategy: Sleep to enhance memory consolidation without interference from new information.

  • Suggestion to recall information or review at night may help improve retention.

• Transitioning to next discussion on long term memory, emphasizing the absence of interference during recall and consolidation phases.