chapter 6 (6.4 and 6.5) human factors reading

what are the four major components of working memory (according to baddeley)?

1. central executive: acts as an attentional control system that coordinates info from three "storage" systems - visuospatial sketchpad, episodic buffer, and phonological loop 2. visuospatial sketchpad: holds info an an analog spatial form (visual imagery) specialized for spatial and visual encoding. 3. phonological loop: represents verbal info in an acoustical form. (speech based form) 4. episodic buffer: orders and sequences events and communicates with long term memory to provide meaning to the info held in the phonological loop and visuospatial sketchpad. important because it enables a meaningful sequence of events - a story - to be remembered much more easily than an unordered sequence

What is maintenance rehearsal?

Repeating information over and over to hold it in short-term memory longer. the strength of info in working memory decays over time unless it is periodically reactivated, or "pulsed"

a cognitive interview (that takes into account how humans naturally think and remember) typically yieldshow much more accurate information than a standard police interview?

between 35 and 100 percent more info. Police avoid recognition tasks because asking a witness a series of yes or no questions (did the suspect have red hair?") can be quite biasing and leave vast quantities of encoded info untapped

what are the two main features that determine the ease with which people are able to retrieve memories?

its strengths and it's associations. the strength of an item in long term memory is determined by the frequency and recency of its use. Associations: each item retrieved in long term memory may be linked or associated with other items. Ex: the sound of a foreign word is associated with its meaning or with its sound in the native language of the speaker

what do we call the process of storing info in long term memory?

learning. Note: we maintain info in working memory for its immediate use (less than a minute) but long term memory stores info for retrieving later

what is the upper limit or capacity of a working memory?

limits of working memory severely limit how people can process and retain info they see and hear. the upper limit of working memory is four chunks. A chunk is the unit of working memory space, defined jointly by the physical and cognitive properties that bind items within the chunk together.

Which technique is more effective for learning material and remembering it later (as it engages recall learning): re-reading the textbook or utilizing quizzes/notecards?

quizzes/ notecards. each act of retrieval solidifies the material

What is a script?

schemas that describe a typical sequence of activities are called scripts, like logging into a computer system, shutting down a piece of industrial equipment or dealing with a crisis at work. schemas and scripts are important for design bc they help ppl develop appropriate expectations and process info efficiently.

what is a concept map?

semantic network. constructing a semantic network, or concept map, can be an effective way of learning new material and enhancing long term memory. writing out concepts and connecting related concept with lines to form a large network helps to identify and reinforce associations in the material to be learned.

know the ways to design the environment and systems to prevent poor memory performance.

the following are ways that we can design the environment and systems within it so that ppl do not suffer inconveniences, errors, accidents due to poor retrieval from long term memory. 1. encourage regular use of info to increase frequency and recency 2. encourage active reproduction or verbalization of info that is to be recalled. ex: take notes in class or reading back verbal instructions increases the likelihood info will be remembered. 3. standardize: standardize environment and equipment including controls, displays symbols, and operating procedures. 4. use memory aids: when a task is performed infrequently or when correct task performance is critical, designers should provide computer based or hard copy memory aids. can be as simple as a list of procedures 5. design info to be remembered: 6. design helpful habits: consider context, repetition, and reward to reinforce desired behaviors, and discourage bad habits. 7. support correct mental models: one way to support correct mental models is to apply the concept of visibility and transparency. device has visibility if the user can immediately and easily determine the state of the device and the alternatives for action.

What is a schema?

the knowledge structure about a particular topic is often termed schema. the info we have in long term memory is sometimes organized around central concepts or topics. ppl have schemas about many aspects of their world including equipment, activities, and systems they use. Ex: college courses, kitchens, vacations. A schema is a cognitive framework or concept that helps organize and interpret information. Schemas can be useful because they allow us to take shortcuts in interpreting the vast amount of information that is available in our environment. Schema, in social science, mental structures that an individual uses to organize knowledge and guide cognitive processes and behaviour. ... Examples of schemata include rubrics, perceived social roles, stereotypes, and worldviews. Examples of schemata include academic rubrics, social schemas, stereotypes, social roles, scripts, worldviews, and archetypes.

what are four ways to take advantage of chunking?

1. physical chunk size: for presenting arbitrary strings of letters, numbers or both, the optimal chunk size is 3 to four numbers or letters per chunk. 2. create meaningful sequences: sequence is retained as a single item rather than a set of individual characters. Ex: 555, 1234, or a friends initials 3. superiority of letters of numbers: letters support better chunking than numbers bc of their greater potential for meaningfulness. grouping letters into one word (one chunk) can ease working memory demands Ex: 1- 800 - GET HELP 4. keep numbers separate

in research regarding eye witness testimony, roughly how often is an innocent person identified in a police line up as the perpetrator of a crime?

20 percent of the time