UNIT 3
THE CONSCIOUS
SELF
A R E A O F STU DY 2
MEMORY
DEFINING
MEMORY
The processing, storage and retrieval of information
acquired through learning
A neurological representation of some prior event or experience
DEFINING MEMORY
EN C O D ING, STO R AG E & R ET R IEVAL
The process of converting information into a
usable form so that it can be represented and
stored in memory
The retention of information in memory over
time
The process of locating and recovering the
stored information from memory so that we
are consciously aware of it
HOMEWORK
LEARNING ACTIVITY 6.1 (pg.237)
LEARNING ACTIVITY 6.2 (pg.239)
MODELS OF HUMAN
MEMORY
1. ATKINSON & SHIFFRIN
MULTI STORE MODEL
2. BADDELEY & HITCH
MODEL OF WORKING
MEMORY
3. CRAIK & LOCKHART
LEVELS OF PROCESSING
FRAMEWORK
MODELS OF HUMAN
MEMORY
ATKIN SO N -SH IFFRIN’S MU LTI -STOR E MOD EL OF
M EM O RY
Consists of three separate components:
SENSORY REGISTER
SHORT-TERM STORE
LONG-TERM STORE
MODELS OF HUMAN
MEMORY
ATKIN SO N -SH IFFRIN’S MU LTI -STOR E MOD EL OF
M EM O RY
STRUCTURAL FEATURES OF MEMORY:
Permanent built-in fixed features of memory that do not
vary from one situation to another. The three stores are
structural features as well as ‘storage capacity’ and
‘storage duration’
(eg. the parts of the computer and the information
contained on the hard drive)
CONTROL PROCESSES OF MEMORY:
Are selected and used by each individual and may vary in
different situations. They are under ‘conscious’ control of
the individual
(eg. the computer programmer who operates the
computer)
HOMEWORK
LEARNING ACTIVITY 6.3 (pg.241)
MULTI-STORE MODEL OF
MEMORY
SEN SO RY M EM O RY
MULTI-STORE MODEL OF
MEMORY
SEN SO RY M EM O RY
THE ENTRY POINT OF MEMORY WHERE NEW INCOMING
SENSORY INFORMATION IS STORED FOR A VERY BRIEF
PERIOD OF TIME
Retained as an exact copy of its original ‘raw’ sensory form
(rather than an encoded form)
Temporary ‘buffer’ storage system
Information we attend to moves to sensory memory
Sensory impressions last just long enough for each impression to slightly
overlap the last
This makes our world continuous instead of many still snapshots of
sensory information
MULTI-STORE MODEL OF
MEMORY
SEN SO RY M EM O RY
Many psychologists believe that there is a different sensory register for
each of the senses:
VISUAL SENSORY REGISTER
(ICONIC MEMORY)
AUDITORY SENSORY REGISTER
(ECHOIC MEMORY)
MULTI-STORE MODEL OF
MEMORY
SEN SO RY MEMO RY – IC O N IC & EC H O IC M EM O RY
ICONIC MEMORY
Sensory memory for incoming visual
information – stored for 0.3 seconds
ECHOIC MEMORY
Sensory memory for incoming auditory
information – stored for 3-4 seconds
MULTI-STORE MODEL OF
MEMORY
SEN SORY MEMORY
R ESEAR C H D EM O N ST R AT ING IC O N IC M EM O RY
GEORGE SPERLING (1960)
MULTI-STORE MODEL OF
MEMORY
SEN SORY MEMORY
R ESEAR C H D EM O N ST R AT ING IC O N IC M EM O RY
GEORGE SPERLING (1960)
CONDITION
RESULTS
1
• Letters flashed up for 1/20 second
• Participant is required to name as many
letters as they can
• Most could recall only
four or five letters in
the set
2
• Letters flashed up for 1/20 second
• High/Medium/Low tone sounded
• Participant required to name the letters on
the corresponding high/medium/low line
• Participants could
recall the correct line
with 75% accuracy
MULTI-STORE MODEL OF
MEMORY
SEN SORY MEMORY
R ESEAR C H D EM O N ST R AT ING EC H O IC M EM O RY
COWEN et al. (2000)
• Participants are asked to focus their attention on
reading a story and to ignore any spoken words
• During their reading a signal is sounded and participants are
required to repeat the numbers they have just heard
• Results show that participants can accurately repeat the last
few numbers they have heard if the signal is presented
immediately after the last spoken word
• Recall diminishes when the delay between the last spoken
word and the signal increases up to about 10 seconds
HOMEWORK
LEARNING ACTIVITY 6.5 (pg.249)