Lecture Summary
This lecture provides a condensed revision on key psychological concepts primarily focusing on memory models and their evaluations, types of memory, forgetting, eyewitness testimony, and the cognitive interview technique. This material is valuable for A-Level Psychology students and is complemented by further learning resources like the Psych Boost app, exclusive Patreon content, and extensive videos for deeper exploration of these topics.
Memory Models
Multi-store Model of Memory (Atkinson & Shiffrin, 1968)
- Sensory Register: Captures raw sensory information; very large capacity; very short duration.
- Short-term Memory (STM): Receives information from the sensory register and long-term memory; holds information briefly through maintenance rehearsal; capacity of 7±2 items; duration of about 18 seconds.
- Long-term Memory (LTM): Permanent storage; theoretically unlimited capacity; encoded semantically.
Evaluations
- Primacy and recency effects observed in experiments; however, middle words get displaced.
- Sensory register demonstrated large capacity but short duration in Sperling's experiments.
- Immediate recall affected by acoustic similarity while long-term recall is affected by semantic similarity.
Working Memory Model (Baddeley & Hitch, 1974)
- Central Executive: Directs attention and manages cognitive tasks; limited capacity.
- Phonological Loop: Deals with auditory information; limited temporal storage.
- Visuo-spatial Sketchpad: Handles visual and spatial data.
- Episodic Buffer: Integrates information across the system, added in 2000.
Evaluations
- Dual-task performance suggests separate subsystems operate within the model.
- Case studies like KF show selective impairments supporting separate phonological loop and visuo-spatial sketchpad.
Types of Long-term Memory
- Episodic Memory: Personal events, contextually timestamped; emotional intensity affects recall.
- Semantic Memory: Facts and general knowledge.
- Procedural Memory: Skills and actions, often acquired without conscious recall.
Theories of Forgetting
- Interference Theory: Proactive and retroactive interference cause forgetting when memories are similar.
- Retrieval Failure: Cue-dependent forgetting occurs if cues present during learning are absent during retrieval.
Eyewitness Testimony and Cognitive Interview
- Memory reconstructions are susceptible to errors due to schemas and misleading questions.
- Cognitive interview enhances retrieval by reinstating context and encouraging detailed and varied recall.
Evaluations
- Real-life applications show improved outcome in properly executed cognitive interviews.
- An increase in correct recall but also potential increase in incorrect information.
Final Notes
- Research often suffers from ecological validity issues; lab results may not generalize to real-world settings.
- Students and professionals must consider applications of memory theories carefully, particularly in legal contexts (e.g., eyewitness testimony).
Additional Resources
- Psych Boost App: Interactive learning through flashcards for A-Level Psychology.
- Patreon Content: Access to tutorial support, videos, and printable resources.
- Further Viewing: Extended videos for comprehensive understanding of the discussed topics are recommended for deeper insights.
This revised content provides a brief yet comprehensive overview suitable for quick revision sessions, supported by additional tools and resources for extended learning.