High-Speed Scanning In Human Memory - Article Example

High speed scanning in human memory Goal of the article The main concept as fronted by the of this article is in relation to the effect of high speed scanning to the retrieval of human memory. According to Sternberg (1966), high speed scanning of memory has an effect on the retrieval of symbolic information from the most recent memory stored by the human brain. By reflecting on the inferences that have been made by short term memory studies, Sternberg notes that there are determinants of memory failures that affect the retrieval of short term memory but, which also provides little insight into how the performance and the process of retrieval can be made error free. The hypothesis under study is whether the response selection will entail the supposition of information that is already stored in the memory, then the latency of the response has a direct effect on the retrieval of the information (Sternberg 1966). Particularly, the study was more concerned with the effect the memory elements had on the latency of the response; hence, the question how symbolic memory can be retrieved at a high scanning speed from the recent memory. Cognitive psychology terms 1. Response: In cognitive psychology, response determines the change in attitude that is put in a persuasive communication. Response has been attributed with the cognitive response theory in which the insights to persuasion variables are enhanced as is in the article. For the case of human memory, the response attained from the recall of a particular set of symbolic information that was stored in the memory, largely depends on the speed that is used to scan the particular information so that it can be processed and brought to remembrance. 2. Short term memory: This refers to the brain’s capability to store into the brain for a relatively short duration of time after which it is immediately recalled. Thus, the ability to recall this type of memory quickly is influenced by the scanning speed that is applied to the brain to enhance the retrieval of such memory. In this study, Sternberg uses this term in disputing its neglect for the retrieval of information which is error free in spite of the same having been recalled after a short time duration. Particularly, this outlines the generality of the brain’s scanning capabilities yet to be determined. 3. Response latency: The simplest definition of response latency is that it indicates the duration that exists between the conveyance of stimuli and the achieved response. This is a common concept that has been widely used by cognitive psychology researchers to designate the probability relationships that exist between the response time and the presentation of a stimulus. In studying human memory and its scanning speed, Sternberg linearly relates this increase in reaction time between when a stimulus is introduced and when the response is achieved to the length of sequence of information activity retrieval (Sternberg 1966). Description of the dependent variable The dependent variable in Sternberg’s study is the human memory in relation to its ability to process retrieved information at the highest possible scanning speed. Specifically, the concern was on how symbolic information can be retrieved from a recent memory. The participants were given an assessment which required them to determine whether a test symbol was in the short memorized sequence. The measure for the capabilities of the human brain also involved the determination of the mean reaction time for the logical recall of sequences. Particularly, based on the subject’s memory, they were required to determine the presence of a test symbol under a stimulus of several other objects. Description of the independent variable The independent variable is the high speed scanning that is used to define the retrieval process of memory without having to experience any forms of performance errors. This speed of memory scanning defines the latency of response in the retrieval of the processed information based on a stimulus. The response latency also works best based on the frequency with which it is needed hence, in the study Sternberg held all frequencies at a constant level whether positive, negative or response entropic so as to enable the variation of the stimulus (Sternberg 1966). The experiment’s procedure Two experiments were conducted in this study and in each; the participants were given a short series of symbols to memorize. Thereafter, a test stimulus is shown to each participant and then required to determine whether the symbol they saw was among the stimulus list. An affirmative decision was termed as a positive response and negative if otherwise. In the experiments, the identification of the symbols was of importance to the binary response than the order in which a person recognized the same (Sternberg 1966). In experiment 1, ten digits were used as the stimuli, and each was shown to the subjects based on trials within a fixed locus of 1.2 seconds. In total, 24 practice trials and 144 test trials were administered. Experiment 2 served as a control for the test-stimulus and response entropy. An alternative process was used to study the retrieval process and entailed 60 practice trials and 120 test trials. Random permutation was used to determine the test stimuli three sequences used in this second experiment; thus, yielding similar conditions for the relative frequency of positive responses and the sequential processes. Main effects and interaction The memory scanning speed is quite essential based on the ideal that the performance of other tasks by human beings depends on the retrieval of information stored in the memory. The generality of the variable of high speed scanning takes into account several features that relate to the requiring of high accuracy in the recall process of memory without having to correct any errors. Subsequently, the study recognized that the viewing of one stimulus cannot be started when former stimuli has not been completed (Sternberg 1966). Particularly, the study was interested on the memory effects of the elements to the latency response. Suggested conclusion The results of the study were linearly plotted in order to obtain the latency lines, and the slope and the linearity of the function implied the existence of internal serial comparisons with an average rate of 25 to 30 symbols. In concluding, the study found out that the response size variations had no effect on the latency function hence, an increase in the latency reflected the retrieval duration and not the retention exigencies. The high speed scanning generality was not out rightly determined but, took into account features such as arbitrary signing of the class members, relative little practice, high accuracy and ignoring the errors. Ultimately, this was performed to the extent in which one stimulus was completed so that the next could be started (Sternberg 1966). Assessment of human memory Other than the high speed scanning process that involves the determination of the latency period that a response takes to be retrieved, this study can alternately be measured by determining the stroop effect on the memory reaction time. Consequently, attention and executive control tests of short memory could be used as through the engagement of word memory tests. Reference Sternberg, S. (1966). High-speed scanning in human memory. Science, 153(3736), 652-654. Read More