Encoding in Memory

1
Encoding in Memory

• Encoding refers to the form in which info is
  stored and transmitted
• For example, the same piece of music can be
  represented in many different ways

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2
Encoding in Memory

• One difference between STM and LTM is that they
  encode information in different ways

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3
Encoding in Memory
List One
List Two
A
R
Q
Z
L
F
M
W
D
P
E
C
G
V
B
T

• In immediate recall (STM) most people have more
  accurate recall for list two
• This is because the letters in list one are
  acoustically similar

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4
Encoding in Memory

• Baddeley (1966)
• PPs asked to learn one of four word lists
• Acoustically similar (see, be, key)
• Acoustically dissimilar
• Semantically similar (seat, chair, stool)
• Semantically dissimilar
• PPs either recalled the list immediately (STM) or
  after a timed delay (LTM)

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5
Encoding in Memory

• The DV was how many errors PPs made

STM LTM
Acoustically similar Highest --
Acoustically dissimilar -- --
Semantically similar -- Highest
Semantically dissimilar -- --
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6
Encoding in Memory

• The type of error made depended on both the type
  of list and the time delay
• When recalling from STM PPs made more acoustic
  errors
• When recalling from LTM PPs made more semantic
  errors
• Suggests that STM uses an acoustic code whilst
  LTM uses a semantic one

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7
Encoding in Memory

• All of this relies on lab experiments with the
  usual problems of ecological validity mundane
  realism
• Also a bit of a simplification e.g. our own
  experiences suggest that LTM uses other codes
  besides semantic
• E.g. visual, visio-spatial, acoustic,
  kinaesthetic etc.

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