Models of Memory Psychology 3717 Introduction Really there

Models of Memory Psychology 3717

Introduction Really there are two types of models l Models that look at specific phenomena l l ACT* l or TLC for example Models that look at general organization l Atkinson and Shiffrin for example

But why model? Models organize data l Models make explicit predictions l Models can lead to application l When you think about it, the first two are what science is all about, so models help us get beyond simple description l

SAM Search of Associative memory l Math model l Basically looking at list learning results l So study list l Then recognition or recall l

Assumptions l Target items are viewed in relation to the memory representations of all other items learned l l l This includes the words, the context etc To be learned items are associated with the context When words are presented they are rehearsed Words have a familiarity value Old v new decisions are based on familiarity vale Basically a signal detection approach

Memory strength Based on rehearsal during encoding l Association between the stimulus and the representation of the word itself l Association between the stimulus and the context l Item retrieval based on prompt by the experimenter l

Retrieval depends on the joint contribution of the context, of all other items and the item itself l So the strength is, basically, the sum of all the associative strengths in the list l This explains why recognition is easier than recall l

Explains a lot Longer presentations, better memory l RI effects (context changes subtly) l Serial position l Encoding specificity l Recognition failure of recall l

Nice eh! Yeah, but…. l Makes a lot of assumptions l Why aren’t all items recognized when one is? l

Levels of Processing Craik and Lockhart l Memory is NOT just this passive thing l It is the result of encoding l Perceptual analysis l Pattern recognition l Semantic elaboration l

LOP is A OK l Semantic processing produces better memory than perceptual processing l Conceptually driven vs. Data driven l Only true with explicit memory (though see Challis and Brodbeck, 1992) Deeper semantic processing, better memory l Read – generate effect l

Levels Depth seems sort of vague though l Hmm, when do you get better memory? l Well when you have deeper processing l How do you know you have deeper processing? l Err umm cuz you have better memory… l Transfer appropriate processing may be a bit of a better concept l

Memory systems approaches Tulving and episodic / semantic distinction l One is explicit, one is implicit l There is physiological evidence of a sort l Tulving maintains that only humans have episodic memory l For him, it involves consciousness because it must be self referential l I don’t agree really… l

Why would there be multiple systems? Sherry and Schacter, 1987 l When a problem shows up that cannot be solved with the present system a new one will be selected for l So, our memory for facts could not deal with autobiographical stuff l Or, birdsongs cannot be remembered with simple CS US associations l

Conclusions Models are cool l They can be tested because they will make explicit predictions l They organize data l They cannot have too many assumptions, the fewer the better l