Modal Model of the Mind

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Modal Model of the Mind
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Modal Model of the Mind

• Three memory store that differ in function,
  capacity and duration
• Control processes - control movement of
  information within and between memory stores

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Sensory Memory Store

• Function - holds information long enough to be
  processed for basic physical characteristics
• Capacity - large
• can hold many items at once
• Duration - very brief retention of images
• .3 sec for visual info
• 2 sec for auditory info

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Sensory Memory Store

• Divided into two subtypes
• iconic memory - visual information
• echoic memory - auditory information
• Visual or iconic memory was discovered by
  Sperling in 1960

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Sperlings Experiment

• Presented matrix of letters for 1/20 seconds
• Report as many letters as possible
• Subjects recall only half of the letters
• Was this because subjects didnt have enough
  time to view entire matrix? No
• How did Sperling know this?

K Z R Q B T S
G N
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Sperlings Experiment

• Sperling showed people can see and recall ALL the
  letters momentarily
• Sounded low, medium or high tone immediately
  after matrix disappeared
• tone signaled 1 row to report
• recall was almost perfect
• Memory for image fades after 1/3 seconds or so,
  making report of entire display hard to do

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Sperlings Iconic Memory Experiment
1. Letters are displayed on a screen for
1/20 of a second
Q C F T S K G O W R J B
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Sperlings Iconic Memory Experiment
2. Screen is blank
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Sperlings Iconic Memory Experiment
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Sperlings Iconic Memory Experiment
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Sperlings Iconic Memory Experiment
G V U L S J N A Z

A M K X F Q O U N
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What Letters Do You See?
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What Letters Do You See?
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What Letters Do You See?
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What Letters Do You See?
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What Letters Do You See?
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Sensory Memory Store

• Sensory memory forms automatically, without
  attention or interpretation
• Attention is needed to transfer information to
  working memory

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Working Memory Store
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Working Memory Store

• Function - conscious processing of information
• where information is actively worked on
• Capacity - limited (holds 7 /- 2 items)
• Duration - brief storage (about 30 seconds)
• Code- Often based on sound or speech even with
  visual inputs.

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Working Memory Store

• What happens if you need to keep information in
  working memory longer than 30 seconds?
• To demonstrate, memorize the following phone
  number (presented one digit at a time)

8
3
6
1
9
7
5
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Working Memory Store

• What is the number?

857-9163
The number lasted in your working memory longer
than 30 seconds So, how were you able to remember
the number?
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Maintenance Rehearsal

• Mental or verbal repetition of information allows
  information to remain in working memory longer
  than the usual 30 seconds

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Maintenance Rehearsal

• What happens if you cant use maintenance
  rehearsal?
• Memory decays quickly
• To demonstrate, again memorize a phone number
  (presented one digit at a time)
• BUT, have to count backwards from 1,000 by sevens
  (i.e., 1014, 1007, 1000 etc.)

6
4
9
0
5
8
2
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Working Memory Store

• What is the number?

628-5094
Without rehearsal, memory fades
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Petersons STM Task

• Test of memory for 3-letter nonsense syllables
• Participants count backwards for a few seconds,
  then recall
• Without rehearsal, memory fades

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Working Memory Store

• What happens if you need to remember more than 7
  /- 2 items?
• To demonstrate, memorize the following 16 digit
  number (presented one digit at a time)

1
8
1
2
1
9
9
8
2
0
0
1
1
4
9
2
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Chunking

• Grouping small bits of information into larger
  units of information
• expands working memory load
• Which is easier to remember?
• 4 8 3 7 9 2 5 1 6
• 483 792 516

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Working Memory Model

• Baddeley (1992)
• 3 interacting components

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Working Memory Model

• Visuospatial sketch pad - holds visual and
  spatial info
• Phonological loop - holds verbal information
• Central executive - coordinates all activities of
  working memory brings new information into
  working memory from sensory and long-term memory

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Long-Term Memory Store

• Once information passes from sensory to working
  memory, it can be encoded into long-term memory

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Long-Term Memory Store

• Function - organizes and stores information
• more passive form of storage than working memory
• Unlimited capacity
• Duration - thought by some to be permanent

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Long-Term Memory Store

• Encoding - process that controls movement from
  working to long-term memory store
• Retrieval - process that controls flow of
  information from long-term to working memory store

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Summary

• Modal model of memory
• three memory stores (sensory, working and
  long-term memory)
• control processes (attention, maintenance
  rehearsal, encoding and retrieval) govern
  movement of information within and between stores