Cotswold_School_Logo_CMYK_100_72_0_0-01

Topic title: Memory

Year group: Year 12

When taught: Term 2

What are we learning?

  • Features of each store: coding, capacity and duration.
  • Types of long-term memory: episodic, semantic, procedural.
  • The multi-store model of memory: sensory register, short-term memory and long-term memory.
  • The working memory model: central executive, phonological loop, visuo-spatial sketchpad and episodic buffer.
  • Explanations for forgetting: proactive and retroactive interference and retrieval failure due to absence of cues.
  • Factors affecting the accuracy of eyewitness testimony: misleading information, including leading questions and post-event discussion; anxiety.
  • Improving the accuracy of eyewitness testimony, including the use of the cognitive interview.

Why is this important to know? 

  • This unit highlights some of the problems with eye witness testimony and basing convictions on this alone.
  • It also allows students to test and challenge their own memory and might help them identity wants they can help their memory.

Where does this link into our past and future learning? 

  • This unit gives students some good examples to support the cognitive approach they will have studied in the first term.
  • It also includes plenty of research studies they can use to practise their new research methods knowledge from the first term.

How will we be assessed on this topic?

  • Students will sit a formal exam on this topic in the summer. This section makes up 24 marks and 30 minutes of Paper 1 at AS and A Level. They will be asked questions varying in size from multiple choice up to 12 mark essays at AS and 16 mark essays at A Level.
  • There will also be mid topic and end of topic tests on the unit when we study it.
  • Students will also have recap tests / questioning / exam questions on this topic during most lessons.

What makes a strong piece of work in this topic?  What are teachers hoping to see?  

  • A detailed description of the content.
  • Sustained evaluation that is fully ‘PEEEL’ed.
  • Using specific research examples to support the points they are making.
  • Using correctly key terminology (see below and topic Glossary).

What key words are there in this topic?

Click here: Quizlet

What can I try if I want to stretch and challenge myself on this topic?

  • Use the key study list to ensure you know the details of the studies in this topic: Quizlet
  • There is an extension challenge set for this unit. This consists of 4 interesting tasks such as videos to watch, podcasts to listen to, articles to read and online courses to complete with a feedback task at the end. Please see your subject teacher to access this sheet.

What wider reading can be done on this topic?

There are several Psychology Review Magazine articles relevant to this topic that you can read to extend your knowledge.

  • You could read some of the full text journal articles for the studies covered in this topic. E.g.
    • Loftus and Palmer
    • Baddeley
    • KF