Memory

Demonstrates that memory is crucial to our well being and everyday functioning

Suffers from amnesia

Was left with extensive brain damage, which caused major memory disruption

He is still able to talk, read and write, however his memory is dramatically impaired

The fact Clive continues to talk, walk, play music, read and write, in spite of huge impairments in his memory for personal history and general knowledge suggests that memory is not a unitary system

Clives case raises a number of questionsfor cognitive psychologists e.g. why do you think Clive cannot recall a visit from his wife a few minutes earlier? One possiblility is that her visit never actually registered in his mind so no memory trace was laid down, another is memory trace was laid down but faded quickly, another is the memory trace was laid down but faded quickly, another is the memory trace was laid down but cannot be recived

Normal functioning memory: Registering information, storing information over time, retrieving information when required

Capacity: The amount of information that can be stored in the store at any one time

Duration: The length of time that information can be held

Encoding: The way the sensory input is represented

Storage system that holds information in a relatively unprocessed form for frcations of a second after the phyical stimulus is no longer avaliable

It is assumed we have separate memory stores for all senses

System storing information for brief periods of time

Factors affecting capacity of STM: Influence of LTM, reading aloud, rhymic grouping

Factors affecting duration of STM: Maintenace rehearsal, deliberate intention recall, amount of information to be retained

Factors affecting encoding in STM: the sound of words

Holds a vast amount of information that cna be stored for long periods of time. Information kept is diverse amd wide ranging

Factors affectimg duration of LTM: Childhood amnesia - young people are incapable of layi