Echoic Memory: Memory for sound is referred to as echoic memories, which can be defined as very brief sensory memory

of some auditory stimuli. Echoic memory is one of the sens ory memory registers; a component of sensory memory (SM) that is specific to 're taining auditory information.' Echoic memory can also be called the auditory sto re or auditory sensory register. Unlike visual memory (i.e. Iconic Memory), in which our eyes can scan the stimul i over and over, the auditory stimuli cannot be scanned over and over. Auditory stimuli is received by the ear one at a time before it can be processed and understood. For instance, hearing the radio is very different from reading a magazine. A person can only hear the radio once at a given time, while the mag azine can be read over and over again. Typically, echoic memories are stored for slightly longer periods of time than i conic memories (visual memories). Echoic and iconic memories are sensory memorie s, not types of long-term memory, and thus are very temporary and fade quickly. Echoic memory sensory store is capable of storing large amounts of auditory info rmation that is only retained for a short period of time (3 4 seconds). This echoi c sound resonates in the mind and is replayed for this brief amount of time shor tly after the presentation of auditory stimuli. One creative experiment designed to measure echoic memory was carried out by Gut tman and Julesz (1963). They used a computer to generate repeating segments of w hite noise. White noise is composed of all frequencies randomly mixed together. It sounds like "shhhh" and cannot be described or memorized. The computer made i t possible to put together a repeating pattern of white noise with no gap betwee n repetitions. The subjects had no clue that a sound was being repeated. Guttman and Julesz instructed subjects to put on headphones, listen to the noise, and r eport what they heard. If the repeating segment of white noise lasted longer than a few seconds, the su bjects never realized it was repeating. They heard a continuous whooshing sound with no pattern. If the segment of white noise was less than two seconds long, t he subjects suddenly realized they heard a repeated sound. They still could not describe the sound (other than saying "shhhh") but they knew it was being repeat ed. Development of brain scanning technology made it possible to observe echoic memo ry in the brain. Using MEG (magnetoencephalography),Lu, Williamson, and Kaufman (1992) were able to show activity in a portion of the auditory cortex (part of t he cerebral cortex which responds to sound) lasting two to five seconds after a sound stimulus.

Span of apprehension: number of objects we could reliably count with tachistosco pic presentation Memory span: Number of items we can recite back perfectly without error. Forward and backward memory span are still used as a neuropsychological measure. Noted memory span was approx 7 + or 2 items. Noted that limits of absolute identification were about the same.

Definition: Proactive Interference Proactive interference is a decrement in performance attributable to prior lear ning. Often shown as a decrement in performance with practice.

How can you distinguish from fatigue? Definition: Retroactive Interference Retroactive interference is a decrement in performance attributable to subseque nt learning. Often shows up as a decrease in memory as a function of recency.