Psychology Chapter 7 Overview

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

What is the primary function of sensory memory?

To retain perceptual information for a brief period (correct)

To act as a filter for irrelevant information

To transfer information to long-term memory

To hold information indefinitely for retrieval

Which term describes the effect when sensory information is not focused on and thus missed?

Attentional bias

Perceptual blindness

Change blindness (correct)

Memory distortion

What characteristic best describes short-term memory?

Limited capacity and limited duration (correct)

Variable capacity and infinite duration

Unlimited capacity and long duration

Limited capacity and eternal duration

In the context of eyewitness testimony, what should the lineup include?

People matching the description given by the witness. Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential solution to improve the accuracy of eyewitness identification?

Implementing double-blind procedures. Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'familiarity' in memory refer to?

Knowing who the perpetrator is without recalling the event. Signup and view all the answers

How does the structure of a sequential lineup differ from a simultaneous lineup?

Sequential lineups show individuals one at a time. Signup and view all the answers

What impact do early confidence statements from witnesses have?

They are reliable predictors of accuracy. Signup and view all the answers

What role does attention play in sensory memory?

It allows some sensory information to be transferred to short-term memory. Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic feature of short-term memory regarding its capacity?

It has a limited capacity and duration. Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of double-blind procedures in eyewitness testimony?

To ensure the witnesses are not influenced by police. Signup and view all the answers

In terms of lineup construction, what should be avoided?

Selecting individuals who look similar to the suspect. Signup and view all the answers

What phenomenon occurs when sensory information is not focused on and thus missed?

Change blindness. Signup and view all the answers

What is often noted as increasing with the confidence of an eyewitness over time?

The accuracy of their identification. Signup and view all the answers

Which type of memory is specifically designed to hold perceptual information briefly?

Sensory memory. Signup and view all the answers

What recent method helps prevent wrongful convictions related to mistaken eyewitness ID?

Careful construction of lineups. Signup and view all the answers

What is the goal of providing proper instructions to witnesses before a lineup?

To inform them that the suspect may not be present. Signup and view all the answers

What does the Atkinson-Shiffrin model highlight regarding memory storage?

It distinguishes between different memory durations. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Memory Overview

Memory is a complex cognitive process crucial for learning and functioning.

The Atkinson-Shiffrin Model

Stores information in memory without specific purpose.
Control processes shift information between sensory, short-term, and long-term memory.

Sensory Memory: Sperling Task

Sensory memory briefly holds perceptual information.
Iconic memory (visual) and echoic memory (auditory) are types.

Sensory Memory and Attention

Attention interacts with sensory memory to allow for continuous perception.
A "spotlight of attention" transfers some sensory information to short-term memory.
Change blindness occurs when information is outside this spotlight.

Short-Term Memory (STM)

STM is a limited-capacity memory store (approximately 7±2 items or chunks).
Duration is short, less than one minute.
Chunking organizes smaller units of information into larger, more meaningful units.

Short-Term Memory Duration

Brown-Peterson Task demonstrates STM duration, with rapid decay without rehearsal.
Rehearsal allows some information to enter long-term memory for later recall.

Long-Term Memory (LTM)

LTM stores information for extended periods.
Encoding, storage, retrieval are crucial processes.
Deficits can occur at any stage, impacting memory performance.
Students often practice encoding (learning) but not retrieval (accessing).

Organization of Memory

Memories are structured according to similarity.
Memories are represented by connected nodes.
Activating one node can activate related ones.
This organization plays a role in recall (the "tip-of-the-tongue" phenomenon).

Serial Position Effect

Tendency to recall earlier and later items from a list better than middle items.
Primacy effect: superior recall of early items (likely transferred to LTM).
Recency effect: superior recall of later items (still in STM).

Distinguishing STM from LTM

Variations in methodology can selectively disrupt primacy or recency effects.
Delayed recall reduces the recency effect.
Rapid presentation reduces the primacy effect.
Hippocampus is crucial for LTM, while sensory and association areas are involved in STM.
Brain damage can selectively impair one memory system.

Working Memory Model

A more detailed model of short-term memory.
Central executive coordinates attention and the exchange of information among storage components.
Phonological loop (rehearsal of verbal information),
Visuospatial sketchpad (processing visual and spatial information).
Episodic buffer (integrating information from various sources).

The Phonological Loop

Storage component of working memory relying on rehearsal for verbal information.
Phonological store: stores auditory information
Articulatory control process: rehearses sounds and stores them.
Word-length effect: longer words are harder to recall.
Length of the loop (approx. 2 seconds).

The Visuospatial Sketchpad

Processes visual and spatial information.
Feature binding: combining visual features.
Visual chunking: grouping visual information.

The Episodic Buffer

Integrates information from the phonological loop and visuospatial sketchpad into coherent episodes.
Links working memory to long-term memory.

The Central Executive

The control center of working memory.
Coordinates attention and exchanges information among components.

Elaborating on Long-Term Memories

Declarative (explicit) memories: conscious memories (semantic and episodic).
Semantic memories: general knowledge and facts.
Episodic memories: personal experiences.
Nondeclarative (implicit) memories: not dependent on conscious awareness (procedural and conditioning).
Procedural memories: muscle memory and skills.
Classical conditioning: learning through association.

Encoding

How information is transferred into memory systems.
Maintenance rehearsal: simple repetition (ineffective).
Elaborative rehearsal (connecting new information with existing knowledge) is a more effective encoding strategy.
Deep processing (focusing on meaning): improves encoding.

Depth of Processing

Different levels of processing (shallow, intermediate, deep) impact how well information is encoded.
Shallow: surface features (capital letters, rhyming).
Deeper: connecting to existing knowledge.
Deeper processing generally leads to better recall.

Incidental vs. Intentional Learning

Intentional learning (actively trying to learn the material) is more effective than incidental learning (learning something without actively trying).
Learning through varied levels, such as focusing on the meaning of words or counting the letters within them.
Different instructional types (explicit learning, implicit learning) influence recall in varying degrees.

Self-Reference and Survival Processing Effect

Information related to oneself is easier to recall.
Emotional information is processed more deeply, which improves encoding, aiding recall.
Flashbulb memories are vivid memories of highly emotional events.

Retrieval

Recognition: identifying a stimulus previously encountered.
Recall: retrieving information when asked.
Free recall: retrieving information without cues.
Cued recall: retrieving information with cues.

Encoding Specificity Principle

Retrieval is most effective when the context at encoding matches the retrieval context.
Context-dependent learning: matching situations of learning and testing.
State-dependent learning: matching internal states (mood, physical condition) of learning and retrieval.
Mood-dependent learning: matching mood states of learning and retrieval.

Combating Forgetting

The forgetting curve shows how memory decays over time.
Mnemonics: memory aids that use mental imagery.
Strategies include acronyms, first-letter techniques, dual coding, cue overload and method of loci.
Spacing sessions and testing regularly aids memory encoding.

Improving Studying

Testing effect: testing improves retrieval and retention of information.
Spacing effect: distributing study sessions over time.
Interleaving: mixing different types of information during study.
Desirable difficulties: engaging in challenging learning. - Effortful and deep processing is needed for stronger memory encoding.
Note-taking facilitates learning by engaging attention and promoting active learning.

The Importance of Understanding

Expertise enhances memory by organizing information.
Understanding facilitates the integration of new knowledge into existing frameworks, improving memory.

Memory Errors

Errors occur in recall.
Schema-consistency: tendency to encode and retrieve memories consistent with pre-existing schemas.
Misinformation effect: information after an event influences memory, especially impactful after leading questions or staged events.
Children are more susceptible.
Imagination inflation: increases confidence in false memories following repeated imagination.
Memory errors can manifest in forms like reality monitoring errors, source memory errors (inability to distinguish the origin of a memory), and familiarity-based errors (mistaking familiarity with truth).

Eyewitness Testimony

Eyewitness misidentification is common and can lead to wrongful convictions.
Confidence in eyewitness testimony is not a reliable indicator of accuracy.
Factors contributing to eyewitness error include flawed lineups (simultaneous vs sequential).
Strategies include careful witness instructions and double-blind procedures to ensure the witness, and tester don't influence the outcome.

Studying That Suits You

Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

Description

Explore the intricate processes of memory in this quiz based on psychology Chapter 7. Understand the Atkinson-Shiffrin model, sensory memory, and the dynamics of short-term memory. Test your knowledge on attention's role in perception and memory retention.