Short term store evidence
- Amnesics can acquire new long term memories
- STS codes are more than just Acoustic-verbal-linguistics (AVL)
Short term store short interval recall
- 96%
- Auditory = visual
Short term store long interval recall
Visual > Auditory
Evidence of semantic codes in STS
- 10 words
- Probe word: does it match item from list?
- Probe type when doesn’t match item from list: related (boat/ship) vs unrelated (boat/shin)
- False positives when probe was related (boat/ship)
Working memory
Active system for temporary store and manipulation of information
Components of working memory
Phonological loop - Central executive - Visuo-spatial sketchpad
Central executive component of working memory
- Plan actions, integrate information
- Initiate control/decisions
- Transfer of info to and from long term store
- Rehearsal, recording
Phonological loop
- Recycle information for immediate recall
- Rehearsal of verbal information
- Two parts: phonological store (storage) and articular rehearsal (processing)
Visuo-spacial sketchpad
- Visual imagery tasks
- Spatial, visual search tasks
- Two parts: Visual cache (storage) and Inner scribe (processing)
Assumptions of working memory
- Only one working memory system and operates on many tasks
- Limited storage and processing capacity
- Demands of task 1 limit performance on task 2
Assumptions regarding the subsystems of working memory
- Involve simple low level processing (rehearsal/storage)
- Domain specific (phonological/visuo-spatial)
- Each has own limited pool of attentional resources
Phonological store
- Passive store that holds verbal information
- Forgotten unless rehearsed and refreshed
Articulatory loop
Active refreshing of verbal information
Articulatory suppresion effect
- Memory for words is poorer when concurrently trying to say something
- Act of speaking uses up resources in articulatory loop
- Why it’s hard to read when others are talking
Phonological similarity effect
Memory poorer when trying to remember words that are similar
Mental rotation
Visual codes can be used to temporarily rotate objects in STS
Dual-task method
- If 2 tasks interfere with each other, tasks utilizing same working memory subsystem
- If 2 tasks don’t interfere with each other, tasks utilizing separate working memory subsystems
Neuropsychological evidence for separate working memory systems
- Phonological loop activated mostly left hempisphere parietal and frontal lobe
- Visuo-spatial sketch pad activated mostly right hemisphere in the occipital cortex and posterior parietal lobe
Central executive and aging
As you age, recall becomes worse in working memory
Working memory and driving
- Conversation utilizes working memory and this lowers drivers’ awareness of other cars
- Conversation especially utilizes ponological loop
- Phonological loop is required to keep track of vehicals behind them
