The Evidence for the Existence of Multiple Memory Systems Essay

Outline and evaluate research in to the duration, capacity and encoding information in short term memory.

The multi-store model of memory (eg, Atkinson and Shiffrin 1968) claims the memory can be sectioned into three distinctive parts: sensory store, short-term store (STM) and long-term store (LTM). Eysenck and Keane (2005:190) states that data is first encountered by the sensory store, then depending on the attention given, is processed to the STM and finally - if rehearsed - continues to the LTM.

This supports the idea of an immediate memory store for items that are neither visual nor phonological and that draw on long-term memory to link the related words. It is used as both the Phonological Loop and the Visuo-Spatial Sketch Pad have specific roles and the Central Executive has very limited storage capacity so as a result there was no where to store both visual and acoustic information. The Episodic Buffer is an extra storage system that has in common with all working memory units, a limited capacity. It is handy and can integrate information from the Central Executive, The Phonological Loop, The Visuo-Spatial Sketch Pad and also information from the Long-Term Memory.

Research has shown that there is “greater activation in the left inferior frontal and medial temporal lobes” (Stanford, 2006, p. 208) during the encoding of words which were later remembered as compared to those which were forgotten. The sensations perceived by sensory nerves are decoded in the hippocampus of the brain into a single experience (Mastin, 2010). The hippocampus analyses new information and compares and asssociates it with previously stored memory (Mastin, 2010). Human memory is associative in that new information can be remembered better if it can be associated to previously acquired, firmly consolidated information (Mastin, 2010). The various pieces of information are then stored in different parts of the brain (Mastin, 2010). Though the exact method by which this information is later identified and recalled has yet to be discovered, it is understood that ultra-short term sensory memory is converted into short term memory which can then later be consolidated into long term memory (Mastin, 2010).

Memory is a capacity that humans rely upon to relate to different events, experiences, conditions, and people. It is a vitally important process and system whereby the brain receives information from (external or internal) stimuli, stores it (encoding), and makes it available on a future occasion (retrieval). It provides continuity to people’s experiences across different periods of time.

Memory in the human brain is a complex process which is easier understood by the use of theoretical constructs. Memories begin as sensory stimuli which become sensory memory which only last about one second, from there it moves into working memory which lasts for about twenty to thirty seconds and is used to process information. Within working memory there are a few separate processes, the central executive which directs attention, the episodic buffer which is a secondary storage lasting ten to twenty seconds, this area communicates with long term memory as well as the central executive. The visuospatial sketchpad which is used to visualise visual and spacial

By doing so is finding support for hypothesis, “AA reflects a failure to consolidate short-lived encoded information into a durable form of memory” (Chen and Wyble,2016). In other words, AA shows brief information does not become a permanent and stable memory, stored in long-term memory. In order, find supporting evidence the authors performed 5 experiments. The first experiment tested consisted of elimination of AA by having participants report an attribute of the stimulus instead of the location, in order to separate the dependence of AA and location. The results suggested location information of the target was automatically stored. Experiment two tested, if AA only occurred because of the familiarity and repetition of targets However, despite eliminating the familiarities and repetition of targets AA still occurred. Lastly, the last three experiments were identical, but with changes in variables and tested the hypothesis. Experiment 3a results showed a weakening in AA by forcing the participants to consolidate the key attribute into memory. Experiment 3b showed the weakening in 3a was caused by having participants maintaining attributes in memory after delayed tasks. Lastly, 3c provided support the previous experiments in which participants were able to find the

7). The Sensory memory could be compared to a sorting table of information. Everything collected by our senses from the environment around us is dumped onto a sorting table known as Sensory Memory. This information does not stay there long, only a few seconds before it is saved into our short-term memory if it is valuable or discarded if it is not. Once in the short-term memory the information needs to be repeated to be remembered and moved into the long-term memory. This process is known as memory consolidation, rehearsal or consciously repeating information is a requirement for long-term memory retention. Otherwise, the information is lost after twenty seconds in the short-term memory. The long-term memory is limitless in its capacity to store information, it holds memories from just a few minutes ago, to years and years ago. As an example, if I were studying for a mid-term exam, I would use a three-step process to retain the information. First, I would read the information start to finish, highlighting information I found interesting or pertinent to lessons objectives. Thus, I am taking the information in though my sensory memory and recognizing that I want to retain it. Second within the twenty seconds the information is in my short-term memory I repeat the information by highlighting it. Thus, through rehearsal the information is consolidated and moved into long term memory. Lastly, I would put the information on flash cards using my own words, for more repetition, to assist me in the recognition and recall of the information during the

Human memory is a complex cognitive structure, which can be defined in many ways. One would argue that memory is 1.) The mental function of retaining information about stimuli, event, images, ideas, etc. after the original stimuli is no longer present. 2.) The hypothesized storage system in the mind that holds this information is so retained. A clear distinction is made between different types of memory systems and can be divided into subclasses.

This also questions the validity and accuracy of "flashbulb memories" in that they are memories actively reconstructed and transformed over time. Neisser & Harsch (1992) measured flashbulb memories of the shuttle challenger explosion. They found that after one day 9 subjects claimed to have learned of the event from television, however 34 months later this figure had risen to 19. As a further nail in the coffin for Brown and Kulik's flashbulb memory hypothesis Christianson & Loftus (1987) found that high emotion served to narrow attention to focus to the central aspects of an event a the expense of peripheral details. This would seem to indicate that the idiosyncratic details associated with flashbulb memories are more reconstructive, as the periphery surrounding an event is filled in on rehearsal.

Memory has different parts in the memory system including sensory, short and long memories. Each type has a different time span and is broken down for different purposes for memorizing. Sensory memory occupies material for one to two

There is evidence that no single region of the brain is responsible for all memories and that each brain region makes a specific contribution. Integrate the following terms into a coherent hypothesis of a multiple memory systems: explicit and implicit memory, encoding, storage, retrieval, recent, remote, working, hippocampus, cerebral cortex, cerebellum, basal ganglia, right and left hemisphere. Please define each term first and then relate it with specific brain areas; finally integrate them into a “coherent hypothesis of a multiple

They proposed the phonological loop had evolved for language acquisition and storage. Also their study found that the ability to pronounce a word places it in phonological storage, allowing you to recall the memory quicker (Baddeley, 1994). The phonological loop has been found to be a workspace for verbal information (Baddeley, 1994). Other studies have also found that the phonological loop works to process auditory information as well (Reisberg, 2013). The visuospatial sketchpad, (Baddeley, 1994) was used to recall a visual object. In the visuospatial sketchpad images are placed on different spatial maps, which then tied together with the spatial workspace on the visuospatial sketchpad. The decision maker of working memory is the central executive. It decides which memories are retrieved, what information you should focus on, how important the information is, and how to attain goals (Riesberg, 2013). Without the central executive, our thoughts and actions would be unorganized in our working memory (Riesberg, 2013). In order to reduce the workload of the central executive, and allow it to focus towards important tasks, the episodic buffer works to store the information gathered from the visuospatial sketchpad and phonological loop (Baddeley, 1974). These models of memory show us how it is organized and operates, and there are other models of memory that go into how memory aids our

After collecting many articles we have narrowed down our articles to four good articles. The first article, “Visual short term memory”, is a peer reviewed article from Scholarpedia.com. Therefore, it can be consider as an accurate source of data. It engages the audience by using figures that enhance the readability. It covers the aspect of visual memory only, but thoroughly, and is organized in sub topics, which makes it easy to understand visual memory.

Prior to the early 1970s the prominent idea of how memories were formed and retrieved revolved around the idea of processing memory into specific stores (Francis & Neath, 2014). These memory stores were identified as sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory. In contrast to this idea, two researchers named Fergus Craik and Robert Lockhart proposed an idea linking the type of encoding to retrieval (Goldstein, 2015). This idea is known as the levels of processing theory. According to this theory, memory depends on the depth of processing that a given item is received by an individual (Goldstein, 2015). Craik and Lockhart stressed four points in supporting their theory. First, they argued that memory was the result of a series of analyses, each level of the series forming a deeper level of processing than the preceding level (Francis & Neath, 2014). The shallow levels of processing were believed to hold less importance and are defined as giving little attention to meaning of an item. Examples of which include focusing on how a word sounds or memorizing a phone number by repeating it over and over again (Francis & Neath, 2014) (Goldstein, 2015). The deeper levels processing involve paying close attention to the meaning of an item and relating that meaning to something else, an example of which would be focusing on the meaning of a word rather than just how the word sounds (Francis & Neath, 2014) (Goldstein, 2015). The second point Craik and Lockhart