Syllabus Edition
First teaching 2025
First exams 2027
Exam code: 7182
Molly wants to memorise her new phone number but she finds it very difficult to remember all 11 digits: after about six digits she forgets what comes next. ‘Why don’t you try chunking the numbers together?’ her friend Milly advises, ‘You’ll probably find that you are able to remember your new number quite easily if you do that’.
With reference to the capacity of short-term memory, explain why Molly is experiencing difficulties trying to memorise her number.
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Briefly outline one way in which researchers have investigated the capacity of short-term memory.
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Briefly outline one way in which researchers have investigated the duration of short-term memory.
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Two groups of participants took part in a memory experiment. The researcher read 20 words to the participants.
Participants in Group A had to write down the words immediately after they had heard them.
Participants in Group B had to write down the words after they had read a book for one minute.
The researcher noticed that:
participants in Group A generally recalled words from the beginning and the end of the list
participants in Group B generally recalled words from the beginning of the list only.
Outline what is meant by standardisation and suggest one way standardisation could have been used in this experiment.
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Outline what is meant by randomisation and suggest one way randomisation could have been used in this experiment.
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Explain the results of this experiment with reference to the multi-store model of memory.
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Dr Lookback has conducted a meta-analysis of studies into gender differences in short-term memory. Her findings are shown in the table below:
Table 1. Results of meta-analysis into gender differences in short-term memory
Total number of studies analysed | Studies supporting a gender difference in short-term memory | Studies challenging a gender difference in short-term memory |
86 | 44 | 22 |
Using the data in Table 1, calculate the ratio of the number of studies that challenge gender differences in short-term memory to the total number of studies in the meta-analysis.
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With reference to Dr Lookback’s study above, explain what the findings suggest about gender differences in short-term memory.
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With reference to Dr Lookback’s study above, explain one strength and one limitation of using a meta-analysis and to measure gender differences in short-term memory.
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In an investigation into memory, participants were presented with two different lists of words.
List A | List B |
Flip Flit Flop Flap Flab Flan Flat | Huge Large Great Giant Vast Mighty Epic |
After seeing the lists, participants were tested on their ability to recall the words.
When tested immediately, participants found it more difficult to recall the words from List A in the correct order.
When tested after 30 minutes, participants found it more difficult to recall the words from List B in the correct order.
Using your knowledge of coding in memory, explain these findings.
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Professor Marsh investigated his hypothesis that eating marshmallows before taking a memory test would significantly improve STM memory capacity. These are the results showing the test scores out of 20 per participant:
Table 2 . Memory test scores before and after eating marshmallows
Participant | Marshmallows before test | No marshmallows | Difference | Sign of difference |
1 | 17 | 9 |
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2 | 7 | 18 |
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3 | 18 | 20 |
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4 | 7 | 4 |
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5 | 11 | 3 |
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6 | 17 | 16 |
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7 | 13 | 15 |
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8 | 6 | 16 |
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9 | 14 | 10 |
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Using the data in Table 2, calculate the value of S using the Sign Test.
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Complete the missing parts of the table, A, B, C and D, in relation to features of the multi-store model of memory.
Capacity | Duration | Coding | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sensory register | A | 250 milliseconds | Modality specific |
Short-term memory | 7 +/- 2 | B | C |
Long-term memory | Unlimited | Potentially forever | D |
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Outline and evaluate research into duration in memory.
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Most PIN codes are 4 digits long and are easy to remember. In contrast, mobile phone numbers are 11 digits long. Most people would not be able to remember a friend’s new mobile phone number unless they were able to say it to themselves several times without interruption.
Discuss the multi-store model of memory. Refer to the information above in your answer.
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