Storage: Retaining Information Module 25 Storage: Retaining Information

Sensory Memory Short Term Memory Long Term Memory

Sensory Memory

Storage: Sensory Memory Visual persistence  the beginning of memory Characteristics of Sensory Memory: Large Capacity Very brief in duration (3-5 sec.) Two types visual (iconic) and auditory (echoic)

Storage: Retaining Information Iconic Memory a momentary sensory memory of visual stimuli a photographic or picture image memory lasting no more that a few tenths of a second Echoic Memory momentary sensory memory of auditory stimuli

SPERLING (1960) SENSORY MEMORY On the next slide, you will first see a letter X which will disappear and be replaced by 12 letters and numbers flashed briefly on the screen. To prepare to see the letters and numbers, focus on the X. As soon as you see the letters and numbers, write down all of the letters and numbers you remember. SPERLING (1960): SENSORY MEMORY This demonstration contains three variations of Sperling’s (1960) study: (1) whole report, (2) partial report with an immediate cue, and (3) partial report with a delayed cue. The demonstration is too crude to provide dramatic results, but it gives students a rough idea of the procedures used in Sperling's study. Slides 1 and 2 contain general instructions. Whole report (slides 3 through 4). Slide 3 contains the demonstration. After students have seen the letters and numbers, give them some time to report everything they saw. Then proceed to sllide 4 so that students can compare what they remembered to what appeared. Partial report, immediate cue (slides 5 through 7). Slide 5 contains instructions. Tell the students that the arrows will point to only one row, and that is the row they should report. Slide 6 contains the demonstration, and slide 7 can be used for students to check their performance. Partial report, delayed cue (slides 8 through 10). Slide 8 contains instructions. Tell the students that the arrows will appear about half a second after the display disappears. The arrows will point to the location where one row appeared, and that is the row they should report. Slide 9 contains the demonstration, and slide 10 can be used for students to check their performance. Sperling, G. (1960). The information available in brief visual presentations. Psychological Monographs, 74 (11, Whole No. 498).

WHOLE REPORT Here’s where the letters and numbers will appear when I flash them. The next slide will provide you a place to focus your attention. Keep your eyes on the “X” on the next slide and I will flash the letters and numbers. X X X X

X

B 5 Q T 2 H S 9 O 4 M Y

B 5 Q T 2 H S 9 O 4 M Y

> REPORT THIS ROW < PARTIAL REPORT – NO DELAY. For the next demonstration, I will ask you to report only the Top, Middle, or Bottom row. The row to report will be identified by arrows IMMEDIATELY when you see the letters. > X X X X < X X X X > REPORT THIS ROW <

X

2 V 9 R Q M 7 L > K H 5 F <

2 V 9 R Q M 7 L > K H 5 F <

2 V 9 R Q M 7 L > K H 5 F <

> > X X X X < < X X X X > > X X X X < < PARTIAL REPORT – SLIGHT DELAY. For the next demonstration, I will ask you to report only the Top, Middle, or Bottom row. The row to report will be set off by arrows ONLY AFTER you have seen the letters. X X X X > X X X X < X X X X X X X X > X X X X < > X X X X < X X X X > > X X X X < < X X X X > > X X X X < < X X X X > REPORT THIS ROW <

X

G 1 W K Z A 3 8 7 U X P

G 1 W K > Z A 3 8 < 7 U X P

G 1 W K Z A 3 8 7 U X P

National Geographic Magazine - NGM.com National Geographic - Memory Game Short Term Memory Test National Geographic Magazine - NGM.com

Attention In order to get information from sensory memory to STM must pay attention. Ability to ignore lots of information Ability to automatically process information

STROOP EFFECT On the next slide, you will see a column of letters in green, red, and blue. Your task is to whisper the names of the COLORS as fast as you can from the top to the bottom of the column. Ignore the letters themselves, just WHISPER THE NAME THE COLORS. When you finish, note the number at the bottom of the screen, which represents the time, in seconds, it took you to finish the list. THE STROOP (1935) INTERFERENCE TASK Display the instructions on the first slide. The next four slides contains four lists, each with a different variation: LIST 1 = Nonwords LIST 2 = Words unrelated to the color names LIST 3 = Color names that are inconsistent with the color of each word LIST 4 = Color names that are consistent with the color of each word At the bottom of each slide, the numbers 1 through 20 will be displayed, one per second, so that students may obtain a rough estimate of the time it takes them to complete each list. The numbers also appear on the slide with instructions so that students will know what to expect. To display the numbers on the slide with instructions, click the mouse once. For each slide where a list appears, click the mouse once to display the list; the numbers will appear automatically once the list is displayed. Remind the students not to read the words that appear in each list, but to name the colors in which each word is printed. Each student should whisper the color names until the student comes to the end of the list. At that point, the student should record the number that appears at the bottom of the screen. This is the estimate of the time the student required to complete that list. Students typically take about 5 to 7 seconds to identify the ink colors in List 1 and 2, whereas they take about 8 to 12 seconds to read the ink colors in List 3. Because the color names in List 4 are compatible with the colors of the letters, students may actually take less time (about 5 to 6 seconds) to complete that list. The final slide displays all four lists so that you may display them together as you discuss differences in task completion times. Stroop, J. R. (1935). Studies of interferences in serial verbal reactions. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 18, 643-662. 15 14 12 16 13 18 20 19 11 17 10 4 3 2 1 5 6 9 8 7

LIST 1 XXXXX XXXX XXX 15 14 12 16 13 18 20 19 11 17 9 4 3 2 1 5 6 8 7 10

LIST 2 CUP DESK TABLE CUP TABLE 15 14 12 16 13 18 20 19 11 17 9 4 3 2 1 5 6 8 7 10

LIST 3 GREEN RED BLUE 15 14 12 16 13 18 20 19 11 17 9 4 3 2 1 5 6 8 7 10

LIST 4 GREEN RED BLUE 15 14 12 16 13 18 20 19 11 17 9 4 3 2 1 5 6 8 7 10

LIST 1 LIST 2 CUP DESK TABLE CUP TABLE LIST 3 GREEN RED BLUE LIST 4 XXXXX XXXX XXX LIST 2 CUP DESK TABLE CUP TABLE LIST 3 GREEN RED BLUE LIST 4

Stroop Effect With experienced adult readers, automatic processing tends to occur causing interference in the processing of information and a significant increase in the time required to name the colors.

Attention In order to get information from sensory memory to STM must pay attention. Ability to ignore lots of information Ability to automatically process information

Storage: Short-Term Memory 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 3 6 9 12 15 18 Time in seconds between presentation of contestants and recall request (no rehearsal allowed) Percentage who recalled consonants Short-Term Memory limited in duration and capacity “magical” number 7+/-2

SHORT-TERM MEMORY SPAN You will see a series of letters, one at a time, followed instructions to write down the letters you saw in the exact order they appeared. Do not write anything until you see the instructions. MEMORY SPAN AND CHUNKING Display the instructions on slide 1. Each variation in the demonstration is preceded by an asterisk (*) as a focal point. Click on the slide with the asterisk to display the letters in each trial at one-second intervals. Instructions will appear at the end of each list as a cue for students to recall the list in exact order. Poll the class to see how many recalled the letters in exact order. Most students should be able to recall the first and second lists, but few, if any students should recall the third list in exact order; the number of letters in that list exceeds the capacity of short-term memory. Without exposing the fourth list, challenge the class to remember 14 letters in order. Emphatically state that it can be done without explaining how. Proceed with the demonstration, displaying each letter individually for one second. After students have attempted to recall the letters, and prior to displaying the full list of letters, ask for a volunteer to recall the letters; if the volunteer fails, seek help from another member of the class. Then expose the full list on the overhead, poll students to see how many recalled all 14 letters in exact order, and discuss the process of chunking. Miller, G. A. (1956). The magical number seven, plus or minus two: Some limits on our capacity for processing information. Psychological Review, 63, 81-97.

* TRIAL 1

B

Z

T

K

Write the letters in exact order

B Z T K

* TRIAL 2

D

J

R

N

Q

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Write the letters in exact order

D J R N Q P

* TRIAL 3

M

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X

V

L

C

S

R

F

H

Write the letters in exact order

M T X V L C S R F H

TRIAL 4 (Can you remember 14 letters?) * TRIAL 4 (Can you remember 14 letters?)

F

R

O

G

B

A

T

P

I

G

D

U

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Write the letters in exact order

F R O G B A T P I G D U C K

Storage: Short-term Memory Number Activity

Storage: Long-Term Memory How does storage work? Karl Lashley (1950) rats learn maze lesion cortex test memory Synaptic changes Long-term Potentiation increase in synapse’s firing potential after brief, rapid stimulation Strong emotions make for stronger memories some stress hormones boost learning and retention

Storage: Long-Term Memory Amnesia--the loss of memory Explicit Memory memory of facts and experiences that one can consciously know and declare also called declarative memory hippocampus-(HM)-neural center in limbic system that helps process explicit memories for storage Implicit Memory retention independent of conscious recollection also called procedural memory Clive Wearing

Storage: Long-Term Memory Subsystems Types of long-term memories Explicit (declarative) With conscious recall Implicit (nondeclarative) Without conscious Facts-general knowledge (“semantic memory”) Personally experienced events (“episodic Skills-motor and cognitive Dispositions- classical and operant conditioning effects

Storage: Long-Term Memory MRI scan of hippocampus (in red) Hippocampus