PS261 Chapter 11: 11 - Delayed Matching to Sample
Document Summary
Working memory is the retention of recently acquired info just long enough to complete a task. Reference memory is long term retention of info necessary for the successful use of incoming and recently acquired info. Procedure to study nonhuman short term remembering: shown object, retention period, have to pick original object from 2 cues. Participants with schizophrenia showed a deficit in working memory. Working memory involved in retaining info, reference memory involved in remembering the basic structure of the task from one trial to the next. Some types of sample stimuli are more effective than others. Sample stimuli presented for a longer period lead to better performance. Longer delay between sample stimulus and choice test at end of trial leads to more mistakes. One explanation is that presentation of a stimulus creates a stimulus trace in the brain that automatically fades with time, leading to more memory errors.
