Psychology: Working Memory and Capacity Essay

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Psychology
1. A) Explain what is meant by encoding.
Encoding is the way in which information is stored in the memory. This is based upon selective attention and the focusing of awareness on a particular set of events/stimuli.
1. B) Outline the difference between the capacity of short term memory and long term memory.
Short term memory has a smaller capacity than long term memory. Short term memory is 7+-2 items whereas long term memory has an unlimited capacity.
2. A) Central executive
Controls attention and coordinates the slave systems. It has a limited capacity but can encode information in any form. B) Phonological loop
Has 2 parts. It processes verbally rehearsed information into a sound based form. Has a limited capacity. C) Visuo-spatial sketchpad
Stores visual and spatial information in the memory. Has a limited capacity. D) Outline one strength and one limitation of the working memory model
Strength
There have been dual investigations to show that it does make sense. Also it confirms that we can use 2 different components at the same time to store info in the memory, e.g. when we read and listen to music.
Limitation
Even though the central executive plays an important part in the working memory model it seems too vague. For example, it’s said that its capacity is 2 seconds yet it cannot be proved by a lab experiment.
3. Evaluate research into the effects of misleading information on eyewitness testimony
Loftus and Palmer (1974) researched into the effects of misleading information on EWT. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of leading verbs on eye witness accounts of a car crash. A strength of this investigation would be Loftus & Palmer did this is in a controlled condition. Therefore allowing them to determine the cause and the effect e.g. words used in the questions caused differences in recall. Another strength would be that because it was conducted in a laboratory experiment, any interested investigators who wish to further investigate Loftus & Palmer study can easy replicate the study. A limitation of this study would be that Loftus & Palmer used an artificial situation so
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