Cognition

1. Cognition Memory

2. Memory • Memory: persistence of learning over time via the storage and retrieval of information. • Gives us our sense of self and connects us to past experiences. • Cognition: All the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, and remembering information

3. Models of Memory:no memory accounts for all memory phenomena • Information Processing Model: Compares our mind to a computer 1. ENCODING To become a memory, information must first be registered in sensory memory – it must stand out among a variety of stimuli and be selected for further processing. 2. STORAGE When we rehearse short-term memories sufficiently, we encode them for placement in long-term memory. 3. RETRIEVALWe seek information from long-term memory storage

4. Information Processing Model:Impact of Attention • Focused (selective) attention: attending to one task over another • Divided attention: We have difficulty when we try to attend to more than one complex task; thus we may encounter the cocktail party effect • Feature Integration Theory (Anne Treisman): Focus attention on complex incoming auditory or visual information in order to synthesize it into a meaningful pattern.

5. Levels of Processing Model:Craik & Lockhart • How long and how well we remember information depends on how deeply we process the information when it is encoded. • Shallow Processing: Using superficial sensory information that emphasizes the physical characteristics of the stimuli as it comes in • Example: Crossing the street when there is traffic..you notice there is traffic by you don’t focus on the specific types of vehicle or who is driving • Deep Processing:Attach meaning to information and create associations between the new memory and existing memories • Semantic encoding: Emphasizes the meaning of verbal input • Self-referent encoding: Processing information that is more important or relevant more deeply, making it easier to recall

6. Three-Stage Model:Atkinson & Shiffrin • Describes three different memory systems characterized by time frames • Stage One: The initial recording of sensory information in the memory system is referred to as sensory memory. • Stage Two: sensory memories are processed into short term memory your activated memory which can only hold a minimal amount of information. • Stage Three: short term memories are encoded into long-term memory, the relatively permanent and limitless storehouse from which we retrieve.

7. Types of Sensory Memory Sensory Memory: refers to the initial recording of sensory information in the memory system. All information is held here briefly (1/2 to 4 seconds) Sensory Memories include both: • Iconic Memory: a momentary sensory memory of a visual stimuli. Memory only lasts for a few tenths of a second. • Echoic Memory:a momentary sensory memory for auditory stimuli. Sound memories can usually last up to 3 or 4 seconds. Sensory memory is very hard to measure since it fades as we try to measure it.

8. How Does Sensory Memory Get Processed Into Memory? • Sensory memories disappear unless you focus your selective attention on the information. • Attention causes information to be further processed. • What does this say about subliminal messages?

9. Encoding Effortful Automatic Process of Encoding: 2 Types

10. Automatic Processing (Type 1) • unconscious encoding of incidental information • space • time • frequency • well-learned information • word meanings • we can learn automatic processing • reading backwards

11. Automatic Processing: Reading Backwards • Reading backwards requires effort at first but after practice becomes automatic. • .citamotua emoceb nac gnissecorp luftroffE • Automatic processing allows us to do multiple things at once and re-illustrates the concept of parallel processing.

12. Effortful Processing (Type 2) • Effortful Processing: type of encoding that requires attention and conscious effort. • Ex: Learning new vocabulary terms, memorizing historical events/chronology, etc. • Encoding can be aided by maintenance rehearsal: simple rote repetition of information in consciousness or even more successfully by elaborate rehearsal: processing of information for meaning which can more easily help produce long term memories.

13. Working Memory Model:Baddeley& Hitch • Based their model off of the multi-store model • Challenged the idea that STM is a single store • STM includes several components • Central executive • Episodic buffer • Phonological loop • Visuospatial sketchpad

14. Central Executive • Controlling system which monitors and coordinates the operations of the other components • Most important part of the working memory model • Limited capacity and can process any sensory information) • Attentional control is the most important job of the central executive

15. Attentional Control • Happens in two ways: • 1.) Automatic level: • Based on habit and controlled automatically by stimuli in the environment • Includes routine procedures • 2.) Supervisory level: • Deals with emergencies or creates new strategies when old ones are no longer sufficient • Reactions

16. Episodic Buffer • Consciously trying to remember details • Acts as a temporary and passive display store until the information is needed (similar to a TV screen) • Processing of the information takes place in other parts of the system

17. Phonological Loop • Divided into 2 components • 1.) Articulatory control system: • Inner voice which holds information in verbal form • Remembering a telephone number and repeating it • Holds words until you are ready to speak • 2.) Phonological store: • Inner ear which holds speech-based material in phonological form • Memory only lasts 1.5-2 seconds if it is not refreshed by the articulatory system • Receives info. directly from sensory memory in the form of auditory material and from LTM in the form of verbal information and the articulatory control system

18. Visuospatial Sketchpad • Inner eye • Deals with visual and spatial information from the sensory memory or LTM