● A01 Encoding, Duration and Capacity
Encoding: The way in which information is stored in memory stores
Duration: how long can information be held in mem
Capacity: the measure of how much information that can be held in the
memory store
● A01/ AO3: Short Term Memory
STM capacity: A limited capacity: 7 +/- 2 items
- Miller: concluded that the immediate span of memory is about 7
items approx. Predisposed to remember this and chunking is a
method used to recall information.Jacobs (1887) Digit Span Test:
presented participants with a list of letters or numbers.
Participants then had to recall the list in order. Averages: 9.3 items
and 7.3 letters
- Size of the chunk matters: It affects how many chunks you can
remember.Simon (1974) found that people had a shorter memory
span for larger chunks than smaller chunks. Continues to support
the view that STM has limited capacity
- Individual differences: Jacobs also found that recall increased
steadily with age; 8yrs remember 6.6digits in comparison to 19yrs
= 8.6 digits this could be due to brain changes and development of
strategies- chunking. Suggests that capacity isn't fixed and ID
plays a role. Overlooks complexity of human behaviour.
STM Duration: 18-30 seconds
- Peterson and Peterson 1959)
- There were 24 pps,each took part in 8 trials.They were given a trigram to
recall.They had to count backwards from the 3 digit number until told to
stop(in order to prevent any mental rehearsal of the trigram).On each trial
they were asked to recall after a retention interval, where they had to
count backwards from 3 digit number.
- findings suggested that the STM has a short duration unless verbal
rehearsal occurs as only 2% correct after 18 secs, 20%= 9 and 90%= 3
- Artificial task: Trying to memorise constant syllables doesn't reflect most
daily activities where what we are trying to remember is meaningful.
Encoding: The way in which information is stored in memory stores
Duration: how long can information be held in mem
Capacity: the measure of how much information that can be held in the
memory store
● A01/ AO3: Short Term Memory
STM capacity: A limited capacity: 7 +/- 2 items
- Miller: concluded that the immediate span of memory is about 7
items approx. Predisposed to remember this and chunking is a
method used to recall information.Jacobs (1887) Digit Span Test:
presented participants with a list of letters or numbers.
Participants then had to recall the list in order. Averages: 9.3 items
and 7.3 letters
- Size of the chunk matters: It affects how many chunks you can
remember.Simon (1974) found that people had a shorter memory
span for larger chunks than smaller chunks. Continues to support
the view that STM has limited capacity
- Individual differences: Jacobs also found that recall increased
steadily with age; 8yrs remember 6.6digits in comparison to 19yrs
= 8.6 digits this could be due to brain changes and development of
strategies- chunking. Suggests that capacity isn't fixed and ID
plays a role. Overlooks complexity of human behaviour.
STM Duration: 18-30 seconds
- Peterson and Peterson 1959)
- There were 24 pps,each took part in 8 trials.They were given a trigram to
recall.They had to count backwards from the 3 digit number until told to
stop(in order to prevent any mental rehearsal of the trigram).On each trial
they were asked to recall after a retention interval, where they had to
count backwards from 3 digit number.
- findings suggested that the STM has a short duration unless verbal
rehearsal occurs as only 2% correct after 18 secs, 20%= 9 and 90%= 3
- Artificial task: Trying to memorise constant syllables doesn't reflect most
daily activities where what we are trying to remember is meaningful.
