PSY HW #12 - Homework assignment on iconic and echonic memory. Also, questions and answers PDF

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Homework assignment on iconic and echonic memory. Also, questions and answers on visual, acoustic, and semantic encoding. Questions and answers on memories and their storage within the brain. ...

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1.

What is the difference between iconic memory and echoic memory? b) What is the difference between short-term memory and working memory? c) Describe the capacity and duration of short-term memory and long-term memory.

Iconic memory happens with sensory images and it usually lasts for about half a second, it is a mental image or visual representation. When you hear something, it is stored as echoic memory. Echoic memory usually lasts for up to two seconds. So, the difference between iconic memory is that iconic memory is with a visual stimulus and echoic memory is with an auditory stimulus. The duration for which each memory lasts also differs. Short term memory is used for storing small amounts of information. It can be affected by interruption or interference which can affect how effectively you can recall the information. Working memory is another name for short term memory and this type of memory is when you STM is used for problem solving and thinking. The capacity of long term memory is unlimited and its duration could range from a couple minutes or a lifetime. The capacity of short term memory is 15 to 30 seconds and its’ capacity is approximately seven items of pieces of information at once. 2. What are the benefits of visual, acoustic, and semantic encoding? b) Give an instance where each one might be the optimal method of encoding. c) Discuss the synaptic changes that accompany memory formation and storage. Visual encoding is used with visual stimuli (images) and acoustic encoding is used with auditory stimuli (sounds) and they are considered shallow forms of encoding when compared to semantic encoding. Semantic encoding deals with the meaning. When we process verbal stimuli semantically and relate it to ourselves (self-reference effect) we are more likely to remember that information We use visual encoding when we are remembering people’s faces. Acoustic encoding is used when were are remembering the lyrics to a song or words. Semantic encoding should be used for important information as it will allow us to remember it for a longer period of time. There are synaptic changes that accompany memory formation and storage. The pathways between neurons are strengthened by our experiences and if the pathways between the neurons are stronger then synapses send signals better. This process leads to long term potentiation which allows neurotransmitters to release faster, gain more receptors which helps them detect more neurotransmitters. Long term potentiation is the building blocks for learning information and remembering it. 3. Your friend tells you that her father experienced brain damage in an accident. She wonders if psychology can explain why he can still play checkers very well but has a hard time holding a sensible conversation. What can you tell her? Different memories are stored in different sections of the brain. Our explicit memories are processed in our hippocampus. Implicit memories are those that encompass skills and procedures that are necessary for playing games like checkers. Implicit memories are processed in the cerebellum and other parts of the brain. I would tell my friend that her father probably suffered more damage to the parts of his brain responsible for explicit memories, but did not suffer a lot of damage to the part of his brain needed for implicit memories.

4. When you feel sad, why might it help to look at pictures that reawaken some of your best memories? Memories are stored among different associations, one association is mood and if you think about the happy moments from the past, you trigger those positive links. Further, after the positive link is triggered you can go through mood congruent memory which allows you to see more happy memories which ultimately can positively affect your mood and help how you are feelings about your current situation. 5. What you know today seems to be what you have always known. Explain what this means. Any new experiences, thoughts, expectation that we go through can change our memories. Any gaps that are in our memories are filled in with guesses that are semi -reliable as they feel like real memories. The misinformation can be skewed dramatically if the person has a vivid imagination because they can fill the gaps with events from their imagination. What we know today seems to be what we have always known because we don’t realize the memory revision process that occurs....