Memory Stores (OCR A-Level Psychology): Revision Notes

2.1.1 Memory Stores

Memory

The process of maintaining information from past experiences over time in order to use this information in the present

Memory encoding = Transforming information to put it into memory

Memory storage = Maintaining information in our minds

Memory retrieval = Taking information out of memory storage

Memory recall = Consciously re-accessing a memory without having to be reminded of it first

Memory recognition = Ability to retrieve a memory after being shown it again, due to it feeling familiar

Introduction to the Multi-store model

The multi-store memory model (MSM) represents how memory is stored, transferred between the different stores, retrieved and forgotten.

There are 3 stores: the sensory register, short-term memory and long-term memory.

The three properties in which memory stores can vary:

1. Coding
2. Capacity
3. Duration Capacity = How much information can be stored

Duration = How long information can be stored for

Coding = What format information is stored in

Types of coding - Information can be coded in a sensory code or a semantic code:

Sensory coding = Storing sensory information

Types:

Acoustic code = Storing information as sound

Visual code = Storing information as images

Semantic coding = Storing information by its meaning

The sensory register

= Holds information for a very short duration whilst we process it

• Short duration of 1-2 seconds (Sperling)
• Large capacity as it receives information from all of our senses (Sperling) The coding is sensory

Key study:

Sperling - Conducted a lab experiment investigating the capacity of the sensory register

Procedure:

Presented participants with a 4 x3 grid of letters for 50 milliseconds and immediately tested their recall of the letters

Two conditions:

1. Participants were asked to recall as many letters as possible

2. Participants were asked to recall just one row of letters after having seen the grid

Results:

In 1 condition where participants had to recall the entire grid, they usually recalled around 4-7 letters. When participants were asked to recall only one of the rows, they usually recalled around 3 letters

Conclusion:

The sensory register has a very short duration of 1-2 seconds, which gets worse with age, but a large capacity since it receives information from all of our senses

• Therefore, information will only pass from the sensory register to the short-term memory store if we pay attention to it.