AS Psychology memory revision notes

by rkabir95 (student)

Multi-store model

A01:

By ATKINSON AND SHIFFRIN. They said memory consisted of three distinctive components: SENSORY STORE, STM AND LTM. Information travels in a FIXED SEQUENCE. Information enter the sensory store first-consists of 5 stores for each sense. ATTENTION is needed for information to be TRANSFERRED FROM SENSORY STORE TO STM. STM can only hold a LIMITED capacity of information (5-9 ITEMS) for a brief time (ABOUT 20 SECONDS) and encodes information ACOUSTICALLY. LTM has an UNLIMITED capacity, and has an INDEFINITE DURATION (could last from a few minutes up to a lifetime) and encodes information SEMANTICALLY (via meaning). Information has to be REHEARSED in order to travel from STM to LTM. FORGETTING can occur at ANY STAGE.

EVALUATION OF MSM:

PRIMARY RECENCY EFFECT

The tendency for people to remember the first set of words in a list supports the Multi-Store model as the first set of words are likely to have been transferred into the LTM as they would have been rehearsed. The last sets of words are likely to be circulating around the STM and so P’s would be likely to recall them than middle words. This supports the idea that there are distinct stores within Memory.

CLIVE WEARING

He had brain surgery and his STM was impaired. He was no longer able to make new LTM entries. This supports the Multi-Store model as it suggests that in order to create LTM you need to go through the STM; and as Clive Wearing’s STM is impaired this is not possible.

REHEARSAL

Atkinson suggested whether rehearsal is important, for instance as there are cases where we do not need to recall information in order for it to be transferred to LTM. Flash Bulb Memories which suggest that when emotions are attached, we are more likely to remember the event.

WORKING MEMORY MODEL

Baddeley and Hitch argued that the Multi-Store model was too basic and suggested that the STM consisted of sub-parts (e.g. central executive, visuo-spatial etc.) as opposed to being a unitary system.

CASE OF KF

The Multi-Store model cannot explain why KF who had his STM impaired was still ...

This is a preview of the whole essay

REHEARSAL

WORKING MEMORY MODEL

Baddeley and Hitch argued that the Multi-Store model was too basic and suggested that the STM consisted of sub-parts (e.g. central executive, visuo-spatial etc.) as opposed to being a unitary system.

CASE OF KF

The Multi-Store model cannot explain why KF who had his STM impaired was still able to recall visual information but not auditory.

Working memory model

A01:

By Baddeley and Hitch. They suggested that STM consisted of sub-parts; Central Executive, Phonological Loop and Visuo-Spatial Sketchpad.

Central Executive is thought the main component which is in control of the other two parts as well as dealing with higher order tasks (e.g problem solving tasks).

Phonological Loop deals with auditory information and it consists of two parts, the phonological store (inner ear-which holds sound) and the articulatory control system (inner voice-information is verbally released).

Visuo-Spatial sketchpad (inner eye) deals with visual and spatial information.

A02:

DUAL TASK

Baddeley carried out an experiment where there were two groups. One group had to follow a pointer on a board (visual task) whilst answering questions about the angles of different letters (another visual task). The other group was required to also carry out the pointer task (visual task) whilst recalling a string of digits (verbal task). The second group performed better than the first group as the tasks required them to use different components of the STM – the Visuo-Spatial sketchpad and Phonological loop. The first groups couldn’t complete the task properly as the two tasks were using the same part of the STM which has limited capacity. This proves that there is more than one component in STM.

CASE OF KF

Due to a motorcycle accident KF impaired his STM, as a result he experienced problem with the auditory verbal information but not with verbal information. This again supports the idea that there are different sub parts to STM which work individually from each other.

REHEARSAL

This model is better than the Multi-Store model as it describes a more realistic role for rehearsal in the memory process as it is only part of the process – the articulatory control system.

MULTI STORE MODEL

The Working Memory model is limited as it only considers STM and ignores LTM which the Multi-Store model had considered.

CENTRAL EXECUTIVE

Research into the Central Executive is limited so there are still many questions in regards to how it works.

Eyewitness Testimony

A01:

Where a witness of a crime has to give a statement in court relation to what they had seen.

MISLEADING QUESTIONS - LOFTUS

She wanted to test whether leading questions could affect the accuracy of ones recall.

In her experiment she got 45 psychology students to watch a number of video clips of traffic accidents. Participants were then asked to answer a series of questions in relation to the clips. There was one leading question ‘What speed were the cars travelling when they _____ each other?’. Each three groups were asked the words ‘hit, contacted or bumped’.

The results showed that participants that were asked the question with the word ‘smashed’ gave the highest estimates of 41mph. whereas the ‘contacted’ group gave the lowest estimates of 32mph.

A02: EVALUATION OF LOFTUS’ KEY STUDY ON MIS-LEADING QUESTIONS

This shows that the wording of a question can have a significant effect on ones recall. Additionally, this raises serious allegations for eyewitness testimony and police interrogation processes.

DID YOU SEE THE BROKEN GLASS?

Loftus carried out her study again but this time adding an additional leading question in which she asked participants ‘did you see the broken glass?’. There was no broken glass in the video, but participants asked the question with ‘smashed’ were likely to say they had seen broken glass. This supported Loftus’ claim on accuracy of recall on leading questions.

VIDEO CLIPS

There have been a number of criticisms that have been made in regards to Loftus’ study. A major flaw is that Loftus study lacks ecological validity. It is based on participant’s recall of video clips and had this been a real life event, then recall is likely to have been more accurate. For instance, Cutshall interviewed 13 people who had witnessed an armed robbery in Canada.

He then re-interviewed those four months later after the crime and included 2 misleading questions. Despite the misleading questions, the witnesses provided accurate recall that matched the initial reports. This shows that the wording of a question may not affect the accuracy of someones recall.

OTHER FACTORS

Remember to argue that there are factors that determine how accurate someone’s account of an event is for instance what was the visibility like? And the age of a witness and so on.