Long Term Memory (OCR A-Level Psychology): Revision Notes
2.1.3 Long Term Memory
A permanent store that holds information for long periods of time
- Very large duration unlimited- hours to years (Bahrick)
- Very large capacity The information is stored in a semantic code
KEY STUDY:
Bahrick
Investigated the duration of long-term memory by asking adults to remember the names of their classmates 15 years and 48 years after they had left school.
- He tested both memory recall and memory recognition, finding that memory recognition was stronger.
Evaluation:
P: Stimuli tested were more likely to be meaningful and relevant to the participants
E: This is because participants were tested on their ability to retrieve information from their own lives
E: Therefore, there is high ecological validity
P: Couldn't control extraneous variables
E: Testing the retrieval of events that occurred years before, making it possible for extraneous variables to affect the study
E: This may have reduced the validity of the results
KEY STUDY
Baddeley
Assessed whether coding in short-term memory and long-term memory is mainly acoustic or semantic
- In long-term memory, you rely on what the words mean to remember them so coding mainly semantic coding is used
Summary paragraph: Long-term memory is described as being semantically encoded according to Baddeley. It has an unlimited capacity and a very long duration of around 48 years, as shown by Bahrick.