Cognition and Memory
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Transcript of Cognition and Memory
Cognition and Memory
Models of Memory
Serial Position Effect
Amnesia
Levels of Processing
Characteristics of Memory
General Processes– 1. Acquisition– 2. Storage– 3. Retrieval
I. Modal Model of Memory
In late 1950s and early 1960s cognitive psychology was primarily interested in information processing
Described processing of material from an informational point of view
Modal Model of Memory
Stimuli Sensory Analysis
Short-TermMemory
Long TermMemory
Retrieval
RehearsalLoss?
Memory
Sensory memory– Brief stimulus traces– May be literal or near literal
representations Types of sensory memory
– 1. Iconic - visual– 2. Echoic - auditory
Memory
Short term memory (STM)– More flexible , useful, active process– Sometimes as referred to as active
memory or working memory– Requires some effort at maintenance
Memory
Long term memory (LTM)– Relatively permanent – Storage component
Memory
Free recall procedures– List learning task– Demonstrates U-shaped serial position
curve
II. Serial Position Curve
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Your Serial Position Results
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Recall
Serial Position Curve
Primacy effect - recall of early items is enhanced by rehearsal
Recency effect - Recall of later items is enhanced by sensory store
Serial Position Curve
Recency effect can be eliminated by having the person engage in some other mental activity for a short period of time to prevent rehearsal
For example, count backwards, count backwards by seven and so on
This will disrupt recency effect
Influence of Activity on Recency Effect
Delay
Filled Delay
% Recall
Serial Position
Rehearsal and Recall
Additional rehearsal does allow for additional recall
There also can be a long term analog to serial position effects– e.g. names of presidents
III. Amnesia
Refers to “not memory” literally More formally, a disorder or loss of
memory Types
– 1. Retrograde - disrupt things learned prior to the event which initiates amnesia
– 2. Anterograde - disrupts information acquired after the event
III. Amnesia
Case of H.M.– Treated with surgery for intractible epilepsy– removed hippocampus– resulted in near total inability to
demonstrate memory and learning
III. Amnesia
Alcoholism– Poor diet associated with heavy alcohol
use– Thiamine (B1) deficiency– Also electrolyte imbalances– Can lead to Korsakoff’’s syndrome– Inability to acquire new information
Levels of Processing Approaches to Memory
Craik and Watkins (1973) challenged the claim that the number of repetitions is crucial to later recall
Suggested that the modal model paid inadequate attention to the strategies and activities of the subject
Levels of Processing Approaches to Memory
Described rehearsal types– Maintenance rehearsal - repeating– Elaboration rehearsal - thinking about
relationship in material– Actual maintenance rehearsal is not that
effect– Subjects tend to shift to elaboration when
qualities about material are known
Levels of Processing Approaches to Memory
Levels of processing described as “deep” and “shallow”
It was predicted deep processing will lead to greater recall
Not an easy idea to test
Levels of Processing Approaches to Memory
Divided subjects into three groups– 1. Judge words on the basis of
similar/dissimilar case– 2. Judge words on the basis of
similar/dissimilar rhyme– 3. Judge words on the basis of meaning– 4. Asked to memorize– 5. Memorize by meaningfulness
Levels of Processing
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Percent Recogn
Case Rhyme Meaning
Condition
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Levels of Processing
Group 5 (Intent to memorize and deep processing) did as well as Group 3
Group 4 (Intent to memorize) had highly variable results
Incidental versus Intentional learning
Levels of Processing
There continues to be parallels with the modal model
Primary memory (STM) Secondary memory (LTM)
Levels of Processing
There are problems with level of processing – There could be elaboration processing– What is depth of processing?– Are processes parallel or sequential?