Psychology: Working Memory and Capacity Essay

Submitted By ayshac94
Words: 563
Pages: 3
Open Document
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
Show More

Related Documents: Psychology: Working Memory and Capacity Essay

How Many Different Types of Memory System Are There? Illustrate Your Answer with Examples of the Kinds of Information Which Each System Stores Essay

Although the belief that memory is composed of several distinct systems is not novel, it is only around the mid 20th century that experimental studies carried out on amnesic patients have started to confirm it (Squire, 2004). This essay will discuss the different types of memory systems that have been found, their distinctions and evidence supporting their existence derived from studies on amnesiacs. Atkinson and Shiffrin’s (1968) multi-store model suggests that memory is a flow of information…

Words 1548 - Pages 7

Human Memory Essay

Page Human memory is among some of the most complex phenomena in the universe. Because brain memory is so complex, scientists have came up with theories to understand this complicated phenomena. The major theories of memory are associationism and theories from cognitive psychology and neuropsychology. The major forms of memory are generally defined as short term, long term, and sensory memory. Short term memory is separated by three major characteristics: trace life, storage capacity, and nature…

Words 2281 - Pages 10

Essay on The Five Approaches to Psychology

Name five approaches to psychology There are five approaches to psychology, Cognitive Psychology Cognition is the term used to describe a range of mental activities associated with thinking. Cognitive processes include reasoning, problem solving, paying attention and remembering. Social Psychology Social Psychology studies the way we interpret events that are going on around us and how we interact with one another. Physiological Psychology Physiological Psychology is the study of how…

Words 3720 - Pages 15

PSYCH 2H03 Essay

not necessary to refer to psychological praises. ● Emergence of Cognitive Psychology: ● Richard Tolman ­> Internal thought is a necessary construct. ● e.g. Rats must have a cognitive map in order to have a target location. ● Psychophysics gain mechanism credibility as a way to study the mind. ● Contemporary psychology is thoroughly mechanistic. ● Immanuel Kant ­> What are the underlying steps of mechanisms within the brain that lead to this behaviour? (Kantian logic) ● Psychology ­> explanation of the unknown by comparison to the known; extensive use of…

Words 2030 - Pages 9

Benefits Of Mindfulness

Mindfulness meditation practices(MMPs) has received much attention in the past decades, both in the media and in the psychology and neuropsychology literature. Advocates of mindfulness would have us believe a plethora of benefits from being more mindful, and concurring scientific evidence has begun to authenticate this view. Among its theorized benefits are focused attention, improved working memory and performance, emotional well-being, heightened awareness, enhanced flexibility, composure, mental clarity…

Words 961 - Pages 4

Upload: Attention and Selection Model Essay

Early vs. Late selection models of attention ‘What we see, hear, feel and remember depends not only on the information entering our senses, but also upon which aspects of this we choose to attend’ (Driver,2001). Due to the limited capacity of humans’ sensory and information- processing systems, people cannot deal with all the information perceived. One would select to pay attention to some information over others, despite whether the selection process is conscious or not. Selective attention is…

Words 3550 - Pages 15

AS memory revision guide Essay example

AS PSYCHOLOGY Revision Guide MEMORY Models of Memory Memory is part of cognitive psychology. Types of Memory Atkinson & Schiffrin (1968) created the multi-store model of memory. It’s based on the assumption there are three kinds of memory: Sensory memory Short term memory (STM) Long term memory (LTM) Sensory Memory Storage for unprocessed information for fractions of a second after a physical stimulus is no longer available. It’s assumed we have separate sensory stores for…

Words 4259 - Pages 18

Essay on Memory: Memory and Semantic Encoding

Storage of memory is a process of retaining information in the brain, whether in sensory, short or long-term memory. These different stages of memory function are intended for our own protection – from the flood of unnecessary information. The humans have the capacity to store unlimited amounts of information indefinitely. Forgetting is inability to retrieve information that was recorded into a brain. However, the information that has been learned very well will be resistant to forgetting. Long-term…

Words 787 - Pages 4

Mnemonic: Memory and Short Term Memory Essay

A mnemonic device is strategy or a memory serving aid that can be used to help us remember a list of items or elements by organizing them in a form that’s easily recalled. A mnemonic device can be in the form of an acronym, where the first letter of each word is used to form an acronym or as an Acrostic, a sentence where each letter becomes the first letter of a words and the words together all form a sentence e.g. for music notes E, G, B, D, F (Every Good Boy Deserves Fun or mnemonic devices can…

Words 1769 - Pages 8

Memory: Hippocampus and Day-to-day Lives Essay example

“Memory refers to the capacity to retain and retrieve information and also to the structures the account for this capacity” (Wade, Tavris, Garry, 2014, p.340). Memory gives us a sense of our identity and how to do daily tasks. Memory is reconstructive by the process of drawing on many sources. In memory, the processing of information is called encoding (“convert it to a form that the brain can use” (Wade, Tavris, Garry, 2014, p.351)). Then, over time the encoded information is retain called storage…

Words 970 - Pages 4