cognitive psychology Introduction 

 

 

 

Part A 

 

Compare and contrast two models of memory  

 

 

 

 

 

Beginning with Atkinsons and Shiffrin's multi store model of memory in 1968 there have been many models that attempt to explain the complex cognitive process of memory. A similarity between them is that they examine memory regarding its composition or structural elements and incidental processes within the system itself. Three key stages in a memory system are Encoding, which is the active conversion of sensory stimuli into a form which can be stored and lastly retrieved (very well mind). Tulving and Thomson (1973, p.359) once stated that “only that can be retrieved that has been stored. How it can be retrieved depends on how it is stored” this empathizes the importance that proceeds cannot occur without structure and secondly Infromation cannot be retrieval with previous encoding or storage. Two important models of memory's are discussed and compared in some detail here.  

In 1972 the levels of process theory were constructed by Craik and Lockhart. Their general assumption was that during learning perception and attention occur conjointly and dictate what information would be transferred into long term memory. Critically this model proposed there's several levels of processing which depend on the way a stimulus is physically examined or analyzed deeply and semantically. How deep this processing is and at what level has a significant on how its subsequently remembered. Secondly deeper levels of analysis discard a memory trace that has longer duration. Other research agreed with criak and Lockhart's model however others have since elaborated and expanded the model elaboration Craik and Tulving (1975) is the quantity and type of memory is also of importance and distinctiveness (Eysenck 1979) was argued to be another aspect of information processing concerning a unique memory trace being stronger and retrieved more successfully than traces which are similar. ( (Eysenck and Keane cognitive psychology a student's handbook)