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COGNITION – PSYC 352

Problems with Atkinson and ShiffrinThe role of repetition (Tulving, 1966)The short-term store construct (Baddeley and Hitch, 1974)

Topics covered in this lecture:

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Two major problems with Atkinson and Shiffrin's (1968) modal model

1 - Prediction: … to a certain extent all information in the STS is transferred to the LTS.

2 – Do the recency effect and memory span both reflect the activity of a single short-term store?

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Two major problems with Atkinson and Shiffrin's (1968) modal model

1 - Prediction: … to a certain extent all information in the STS is transferred to the LTS.

Tulving (1966): Is repetition enough to explain learning?

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The effects of repetition in free recall learning

Learning phase:

The participants must read 22 word pairs at a rate of one per second. The lists are presented six times.

Experimental group: List AControl group: List B

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Test phase:All participants do a free recall task with list A items. The task is repeated 12 times.

Hypothesis:If repetition is sufficient for learning, participants' performance in the experimental group should be better.

The effects of repetition in free recall learning

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Results

Number of words recalled in the successive free recall tasks

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Trials

List B List A

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Results

Number of words recalled in the successive free recall tasks

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Trials

List B List A

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Interpretation of Tulving's results

Repetition does not enhance memory. Hence, "time spent" in the STS is not an important factor to understand long-term learning.

Thus, one of Atkinson and Shiffrin's key predictions did not hold.

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Atkinson and Shiffrin’s (1968) modal model of memory: short-term store

Short-term store

Working memory

Limited capacity

Controls repetition and encoding

Atkinson and Shiffrin assumed that limited capacity and control processes were different functions of a single memory system.

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Baddeley and Hitch (1974)

Experiment VIII: Memory preload and free recall

The participants are shown 15 lists of 16 words in a series of free recall tasks.

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Baddeley and Hitch (1974)

There were three condtions:

1. Standard free recall task.

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3 digits

Baddeley and Hitch (1974)

There were three condtions:

1. Standard free recall task2. Free recall task with a memory preload of 3 digits.

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3 digits 16 words

Baddeley and Hitch (1974)

There were three condtions:

1. Standard free recall task2. Free recall task with a memory preload of 3 digits.

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3 digits 16 wordsFree recall

Baddeley and Hitch (1974)

There were three condtions:

1. Standard free recall task2. Free recall task with a memory preload of 3 digits.

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3 digits 16 wordsFree recall

Recall digits

Baddeley and Hitch (1974)

There were three condtions:

1. Standard free recall task2. Free recall task with a memory preload of 3 digits.

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There were three condtions:

1. Standard free recall task2. Free recall task with a memory preload of 3 digits.3. Free recall task with a memory preload of 6 digits.

6 digits 16 wordsFree recall

Recall digits

Baddeley and Hitch (1974)

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Prediction:

If Atkinson and Shiffrin's conception of short-term memory is correct, then adding the preload should affect both the primacy effect and the recency effect.

Baddeley and Hitch (1974)

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Results

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Interpretation of Baddeley and Hitch's results

The preload affected the primacy effect, but it did not affect the recency effect.

It must be concluded that capacity and control processes are separate aspects of short-term memory.

Central Executive

Visuospatial sketchpad

Baddeley and Hitch’s (1974): Working memory model

2020

Phonological loop

Working memory is a multi-component system in which an attentional system controls and supervises subordinate, modality specific memory systems.

Central Executive

Visuospatial sketchpad

Visual semantics

Episodic LTM

Language

Episodic buffer

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Phonological loop

Baddeley’s (2000): Working memory model

The phonological loop is a slave system that stores and manipulates auditory information.

2222

Central Executive

Visuospatial sketchpad

Episodic buffer

Phonological loop

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Central Executive

Visuospatial sketchpad

Episodic buffer

Phonological loop

The visuospatial sketchpad is a slave system that stores and manipulates visual and spatial information.

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Central Executive

Visuospatial sketchpad

Episodic buffer

Phonological loop

The episodic buffer is a slave system, which encode, integrates, and retrieves information in the form of conscious awareness.

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Central Executive

Visuospatial sketchpad

Episodic buffer

Phonological loop

The central executive is a limited capacity system, which links the slaves systems and long-term memory. It is also responsible for making plans and selecting strategies.