STM Encoding: Conrad (1964)

Aims: Determine how short-term memory is encoded

Procedure: Ps were presented with sequences of six consonants and then asked to recall the sequences.

Findings: Letters with similar sounds (e.g. "P", "D", "T") proved more difficult to recall correctly than letters with different sounds (e.g. "D" "O") even though the different sounding letters looked more similar ("D" looks like "O" but sounds different; "D" doesn't look like "T" but sounds similar)

Conclusion: STM encoding is acoustic

Strength: the idea that STM is encoded acoustically is supported by Baddeley (1966) who found similar effects when testing words that sounded similar.

Weakness 1: Lacks mundane realism; the use of single letters does not comprise a reflection of the memory tasks used in everyday life

Weakness 2: Other methods of encoding such as visual (or even by taste and smell) are also used.


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