Short-Term Memory and Working Memory (Intro Psych Tutorial #72)

Summary

In this video, Michael Corayer explores short-term memory, explaining its limited capacity and how it interacts with sensory and long-term memory. He highlights George Miller's 'magical number seven' concept, demonstrating how chunking can enhance memory retention. The video distinguishes between short-term memory and working memory, with insights from Baddeley and Hitch's model, which includes the central executive, visuospatial sketchpad, phonological loop, and episodic buffer. The role of organizational encoding and rehearsal techniques is also discussed, showing how memory can be actively manipulated for more effective recall.

Takeaways

• 😀 Short-term memory is the second stage in the Atkinson and Shiffrin's three-box model of memory.
• 😀 Short-term memory has a very limited capacity, typically able to hold about 7 items (plus or minus 2).
• 😀 George Miller's research in 1956 introduced the 'magical number seven', referring to the number of items people can typically hold in short-term memory.
• 😀 People can recall more than 7 items through techniques like organizational encoding, which involves grouping information into chunks.
• 😀 The concept of 'chunking' allows individuals to remember more by organizing data into manageable units, such as groupings of similar numbers or concepts.
• 😀 Short-term memory is distinct from long-term memory, but it is also where we actively manipulate information, which is referred to as working memory.
• 😀 Working memory, proposed by Baddeley and Hitch, involves not just storing information, but also actively manipulating it for tasks like problem-solving or decision-making.
• 😀 The central executive is the decision-making component of working memory that decides how to allocate attention and resources.
• 😀 The phonological loop and visuo-spatial sketchpad are tools that the central executive uses to process auditory and visual information, respectively.
• 😀 Rehearsal is a technique used within the phonological loop, where information is mentally repeated to prevent forgetting, such as remembering a phone number.
• 😀 The episodic buffer, another component of working memory, integrates information from the phonological loop and the visuo-spatial sketchpad to create coherent episodes or narratives.

Q & A

What is the three-box model of memory proposed by Richard Atkinson and Richard Schiffrin?

The three-box model of memory consists of sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory. Sensory memory captures raw data from our senses, short-term memory has limited capacity for immediate processing, and long-term memory stores information for extended periods.

What is the capacity of short-term memory according to George Miller?

George Miller's research suggests that short-term memory can hold about 7 items, described as the 'magical number seven plus or minus two.' This means people can remember between 5 and 9 items, with more than 9 items being difficult to recall.

How can we remember more than 7 items in short-term memory?

We can use organizational encoding or chunking to group information into meaningful units. For example, by grouping digits into smaller sets like 555, 444, and 332, we reduce the total number of items we need to remember.

What is the difference between short-term memory and working memory?

Short-term memory refers to temporary storage of information, whereas working memory involves actively manipulating that information. Working memory includes processes like problem-solving or mental calculations, while short-term memory is more about holding information briefly.

What is the role of the central executive in working memory?

The central executive is the decision-making component of working memory. It controls and directs attention, determines what to do with information, and coordinates the activities of other components like the phonological loop and visuo-spatial sketchpad.

What is the phonological loop in working memory?

The phonological loop is a component of working memory responsible for processing verbal and auditory information. It allows us to rehearse and mentally repeat sounds or words, helping us maintain information like a phone number in short-term memory.

What is the visuo-spatial sketchpad?

The visuo-spatial sketchpad is a part of working memory responsible for processing visual and spatial information. It allows us to create and manipulate mental images, such as when recalling the layout of a room or imagining how to fit objects into a space.

How does rehearsal in working memory help retain information?

Rehearsal involves repeating information, which helps maintain it in working memory. By mentally repeating information, like a phone number, we effectively re-enter it into the memory loop, extending its retention until we can use or store it.

What is the episodic buffer in the working memory model?

The episodic buffer is an additional component in working memory that integrates information from the visuo-spatial sketchpad and the phonological loop. It helps combine visual and auditory information into a coherent, chronological episode, like recalling a story.

Why is attention crucial for short-term memory and working memory?

Attention is essential for maintaining information in short-term and working memory. Distractions can cause us to forget information or disrupt the processes of rehearsing and manipulating it. For instance, interruptions during rehearsal can cause us to lose track of the information we were trying to retain.