Definition: A cognitive system with a limited capacity responsible for temporarily holding and manipulating information for complex tasks such as reasoning and learning.
Characteristics:
Limited capacity: Can hold only a few items at a time.
Active manipulation: Involves processing and transforming information.
Distinct from long-term memory, which stores information permanently.
Long-Term Memory (LTM)
Definition: A system for storing information over extended periods, from minutes to a lifetime.
Characteristics:
Capacity: Virtually unlimited in size.
Duration: Information can remain for years or even decades.
Types of LTM:
Explicit (Declarative) Memory: Involves conscious recall, such as facts and events.
Semantic Memory: General knowledge and facts.
Episodic Memory: Personal experiences and specific events.
Implicit (Non-declarative) Memory: Involves unconscious retrieval, such as skills and habits.
Word Length Effect
Definition: The phenomenon where short words are recalled more accurately than long words in memory tasks.
Explanation: This effect is attributed to the time it takes to rehearse longer words in the phonological loop, making them less likely to be remembered in short-term memory tasks.
Phonological Loop
Definition: A component of working memory responsible for storing verbal and auditory information.
Function:
Maintains verbal information through rehearsal.
Critical for language processing and comprehension.
Visuospatial Sketchpad
Definition: A component of working memory that holds visual and spatial information.
Function:
Allows for manipulation and analysis of visual data.
Essential for tasks requiring visual imagery, such as navigating spaces.
Implicit Memory
Definition: A type of memory that is used without conscious awareness, making its content difficult to verbalize.
Examples: Skills such as riding a bike or typing, which are performed automatically.
Characteristics: Less affected by age and neurological disorders compared to explicit memory.
Procedural Memory
Definition: A subtype of implicit memory that involves the acquisition of skills and procedures.
Examples:
Cycling, swimming, and driving.
Developed through practice and repetition, these memories allow for automatic execution without conscious thought.
Levels of Processing Theory
Proposers: Craik & Lockhart.
Definition: A theory that suggests the depth of processing affects memory retention.
Types of Processing:
Shallow Processing: Focuses on surface features (e.g., phonetic or structural).
Deep Processing: Involves semantic analysis and connection to prior knowledge, leading to better retention.
Elaborative Rehearsal
Definition: A method of transferring information into long-term memory by relating it to existing knowledge or thinking about its meaning.
Advantages:
Enhances understanding and retention.
Encourages deeper cognitive engagement with the material.
Encoding Specificity
Definition: The principle that memory retrieval is more effective when the conditions at the time of encoding match those at the time of retrieval.
Explanation: Contextual cues present during encoding can trigger recall when those cues are encountered again, facilitating memory retrieval.
Consolidation
Definition: The process that transforms newly formed, fragile memories into a more stable and permanent state.
Mechanism: Often occurs during sleep, allowing for the strengthening and integration of memories into long-term storage.
Importance: Essential for protecting memories from disruption or decay.
State Dependent Learning
Definition: The phenomenon where retrieval of information is more successful when an individual is in the same emotional or physiological state during encoding and retrieval.
Example: A person learning a task while happy may perform better when in a similar emotional state.