Memory – Part 2
Memory – Part 2
Storage: Key Questions
Storage: Key Questions
What is the purpose of What is the purpose of sensory sensory
memory
memory??
What is What is short-term memoryshort-term memory used for? used for? How do we increase our storage How do we increase our storage
capacity? capacity?
Made up of three “stores:”
Made up of three “stores:”
1.
1. Sensory/Iconic Memory:Sensory/Iconic Memory: Preservation Preservation
of memory in its original sensory form
of memory in its original sensory form
for a fraction of a second
for a fraction of a second
– Purpose: Allows us to recognize stimuliPurpose: Allows us to recognize stimuli
2.
2. Short-term memory (STM)Short-term memory (STM)
3.
3. Long-term memory (LTM)Long-term memory (LTM)
Storage: Maintaining
Storage: Maintaining
Information in Memory
Short-term/Working
Short-term/Working
Memory:
Memory:
Durability
Durability
Our STM is Our STM is limitedlimited in its in its
durability and capacity durability and capacity
DurabilityDurability of STM storage: of STM storage:
Short-term/Working
Short-term/Working
Memory
Memory
:
:
Capacity
Capacity
Capacity
Capacity
of STM
of STM
storage:
storage:
–
7 items (pieces of
7 items (pieces of
information) or less
How Can We Improve
How Can We Improve
STM?
STM?
Better Encoding
Better Encoding
As a student, you must process and As a student, you must process and
work with a large amount of information work with a large amount of information
in your
in your limitedlimited working memoryworking memory
What encoding strategies help you What encoding strategies help you
work around these limits in durability work around these limits in durability
and capacity? and capacity?
– ChunkingChunking
LONG-TERM MEMORY
LONG-TERM MEMORY
Unlimited capacity store that can
Unlimited capacity store that can
hold information over lengthy
hold information over lengthy
periods of time
Questions Surrounding LTM
Questions Surrounding LTM
Is it really unlimited?
Is it really unlimited?
–
World Memory Championships
World Memory Championships
Are long term memories stored
Are long term memories stored
forever?
forever?
Wrap-up: Storage
Wrap-up: Storage
Sensory memory acts as our storage Sensory memory acts as our storage
“filter”
“filter”
STM is the “mental work space” in which STM is the “mental work space” in which
consciously think about ideas,
consciously think about ideas,
information, and images that we pull
information, and images that we pull
from LTM
from LTM
– In order to access all the information in LTM, In order to access all the information in LTM,
it must be “pulled” from LTM to STM
it must be “pulled” from LTM to STM
Factors that Affect Storage:
Factors that Affect Storage:
Serial-Position Effects
Serial-Position Effects
Serial-position effectsSerial-position effects: the order in which : the order in which
information is presented affects our storage of information is presented affects our storage of
memories memories
– Primacy effect Primacy effect – tendency to recall stimuli – tendency to recall stimuli
introduced first (LTM)
introduced first (LTM)
– RecencyRecency effect – effect – tendency to recall most recently tendency to recall most recently
introduced stimuli (STM)
