Cognitive Psychology: Encoding, Storage, Retrieval, and Memory Types - Prof. Mary A. Taylo, Study notes of Psychology

Download Cognitive Psychology: Encoding, Storage, Retrieval, and Memory Types - Prof. Mary A. Taylo and more Study notes Psychology in PDF only on Docsity! Encoding: Where information is sensed, perceived and attended to Storage: the information is stored for either a brief of extended period of time, depending upon the processes following encoding Retrieval: the information is found at the appropriate time and reactivated for use on a current task, the true test of effective memory b) Cognitive psychologists rejected the behaviourist assumption that mental events or states were unsuitable for scientific research. A good example of the kind of things cognitive psychologists use to study mental processes are cognitive maps. Cognitive maps are a method we use to structure and store spatial knowledge, allowing the "mind’s eye" to visualize images in order to reduce cognitive load, and enhance recall and learning of information. c) During World War II, psychologists in the armed forces were required to solve practical educational problems. They learned to predict, for instance, who would make a good pilot or radio repairman. They learned to teach skills such as aircraft gunnery and cooking quickly. Also, the atrocities committed in World War II caused people to have a greater wish to understand the human mind. d) Cognition is the mental process of knowing, thinking, learning and judging. Cognition is complicated. A lot of cognition depends on how information is presented and, consequently, how it is encoded. e) Working Memory Model Phonological Loop- The loop stores auditory information the ears, as well as containing an articulatory system for speech production. Visual-Spatial Sketch Pad-This manages visual coding. Central Executive-Information rehearsed from the articulatory-phonological loop and visual-spatial sketch pad goes to the central executive. This is our 'attention'. f) Attention is the cognitive process of selectively concentrating on one aspect of the environment while ignoring other things. Examples include listening carefully to what someone is saying while ignoring other conversations in a room (the cocktail party effect) but being able, at the same time, to shift their focus if presented with a familiar stimuli. What a person pays attention is mainly determined by their schemata. g) One model of memory sees memory as a present act of consciousness, reconstructive of the past, stimulated by retrieval cue. There are distinct types and elements of memory, which involve different parts of the brain, like short term (working) memory and long-term memory. Most data is not stored at all. What is stored are bits and fragments of experience which are encoded. Exactly how they are encoded is not completely understood. A stimulus is needed to retrieve these memories. See a. under Cognitive Perspective! 1 Cognitive Perspective F. attention/selective attention  Attention – the process of selectively focusing on particular stimulus elements, typically those deemed most significant - what we focus on can be by choice or the most compelling stimuli - cocktail party effect - attention limits our conscious awareness to a small portion of our moment to moment environment G(J &K included). Memory---the ability to store, retain, and retrieve information  Long term memory: the component of memory involved in the retention of events over a long period of time(hours, days, months, years)  Differences between long and short term memory are duration and capacity -Types of long term memory -Episodic memory: episodes -procedural memory: “how to memory” -semantic memory: knowledge of the world  Short term memory: the component of memory which handles retention over relatively brief intervals of up to approx. 15 seconds H. Language  system of communication, through sounds, or writing  Language constrains or broadens the way we perceive things.  Language in non-humans is first developed at 6 months when children begin to babble. At the first year children being to use spoken language that is spoken around them, at 2 years they begin to use two word sentences, at the 2-4 year period children learn to use prepositions, verb forms, and other grammar rules, and at the 4-5 year age mark they begin to use full complex sentences. Language in other animals is not comprehensible by humans, and is not “spoken” however,  For example, the Inuit have a variety of words for the word snow, where as English and the Navajo language only have one. I. Schemata  A mental framework which organizes knowledge, beliefs and expectations and is used to guide behavior  Grows as we learn and experience more  Are used to organize groups of people and objects  pattern imposed assist in explaining situations; guide response L. Cognitive Dissonance  In Festinger’s theory, a state of tension created when there are conflicts between an individual’s behavior and beliefs or between two beliefs M. Scientific study of mental processes  Research is often done in the form of memory tests  Often linked with neurological studies N. Relevance of explanations of non-human behavior  the comparison in humans can show links in brain evolution on different species and across species as well 2 10. Culture plays a role in the cognitive perspective. It affects what people know and their perception of things around them. For example through stereotypes a child in Europe may perceive Americans as fat and stupid, based on the differences in theirs to ours. Age also plays a factor because a child’s perception, problem-solving skills are not as developed or accurate as those of an adult. Women tend to be more emotional in their decisions and the way they solve problems may differ greatly from that of a male. 11. The statement “The problem with long term memory is not storage capacity, but retrieval.” means that although memories are stored are often stored for an infinite period there is usually difficulty in finding stimuli to help recall specific memories as quickly as possible. 12. The three stages of problem solving are defining the problem, developing possible solutions, and selecting and evaluating the best solution. 13. The Gestalt theory and the information-processing model have influenced cognitive psychology in such a way that the Gestalt theory is based on the creative nature of perception and learning, which are essentially the two basic elements of cognitive psychology. The information-processing model describes the mental processes between the stimulus and response. 14. Creativity in psychology is regarded as the capacity to produce something, which is both unique and useful. Creativity in problem solving could help resolve a problem quicker. 15. Problem solving skills are acquired skills, and are not general knowledge. People who are more insightful seem to experience a mental shift in which their perception of the problem is more logically organized. 16. Language in non-humans is first developed at 6 months when children begin to babble. At the first year children being to use spoken language that is spoken around them, at 2 years they begin to use two word sentences, at the 2-4 year period children learn to use prepositions, verb forms, and other grammar rules, and at the 4-5 year age mark they begin to use full complex sentences. Language in other animals is not comprehensible by humans, and is not “spoken” however, primates to have the capability to learn ASL, and are able to communicate with humans, using English correctly. 17. Language constrains or broadens the way we perceive things. For example, the Inuit have a variety of words for the word snow, where as English and the Navajo language only have one. VOCABULARY 1. Conceptual: anything conceived within in the mind 2. Attention: focusing on a specific stimulus of interest 3. Selective Attention: the process of choosing which stimuli to focus on 4. Cognition: mental process of knowing, awareness, perception, reasoning, and judgment 5. Information gathering: the process of gathering and storing information 6. Information processing model: the mental functions that occur between stimulus and response 7. Insight: characterized by change in behavior from being randomly based to rule based 8. Mediators: process or event that within in the individual that comes between a stimulus and a response 9. W. Kohler: one of the founders’ of the Gestalt theory; studied apes on Canary Island; his studies led to his view of insight in problem solving 10. E.C. Tolman: also one of the founders of the Gestalt theory; advocated that the trial and error view point was a key in the examination of problem solving 11. Incubation: process of ceasing to work on solving problem 5 12. Cognitive map: Tolman’s explanation of our relationships with stimuli 13. Latent learning: (Tolman) learning is distinct to the performance of behavior 14. Language: system of communication, through sounds, or writing 15. Working memory model: 16. Memory: the retaining of past information 17. Retrieval: the ability to recollect information from memory 18. Short-term memory: brief retention of information 19. Long-term memory: the storing of information indefinitely 20. Episodic memory: memory based around specific events 21. Semantic memory: context free memory 22. Procedural memory: The memory of motor, perceptual, and cognitive skills 23. Mental set: the schema that people use to organize their perception of a situation 24. Gestalt theory: theory which suggests that between stimulus and response lies perception 25. Perception: Recognition of stimuli based on memory. 26. Perceptual processing: the process one goes through in order to organize their perception of the recognition of stimuli based on memory 27. Perceptual set: The readiness to see in a particular way that’s based on expectations, experiences, emotions, and assumptions. 28. Priming: when one thought or memory activates other thoughts or memories 29. Recall: the retrieval of information 30. Recognition: the ability to realize that information is familiar 31. Relearning: the improvement which occurs after reviewing; i.e. when you study 32. Retention: ability to recall or recognize what has been learned or experienced 33. Chunk: unit of measure for STM 34. Schemas/schemata: pattern imposed assist in explaining situations; guide response 35. Sensory memory: The sensations that briefly continue after something has been perceived 36. Encoding: sensory input into one’s memory 37. Maintenance rehearsal: retention of material in STM by rote repetition 6 38. Elaborative rehearsal: associate new material with material already learned 39. Storage: the retention of memory 40. Dissociative amnesia: dissociative loss of memory 41. Free association: when you say whatever comes to mind when an topic is presented to you, it is used to reveal your subconscious thoughts 42. Repression: (Freud) when memories are “blocked” out of your conscious 7