The Level of Processing

Abstract

This paper focuses on the study and analysis of the theory of level of processing presented by Craik and Lockhart, in 1972. The authors start their presentation with the exposition of some claims of the pro and multi-storage model. They consider the validity of the proofs in reference to the concepts of capacity encoding and forgetfulness characteristics, and in relation to the last one. They focus particularly on the function of retention. Following this, an alternative propose they framework in terms of processing Levels, keeping the concept of memory trace as a perceptive analysis sub-product, whose persistence is a positive function of the depth of the stimulus analysis. The authors will re-examine the then existing data incidental about learning, selective attention and sensory storage, long and short term storage differences, serial position curve and repetition and review results. The work ends Clarifying that the authors view does not intent to be a conceptual framework, but a theory and a reference to Further Research into memory issues. Example presented, in which two experiments discussed that analyze the idea of the level of processing, presented by Craik and Lockhart.

The Level of Processing

Introduction

The authors, Craik and Lockhart begin their work with a discussion of various arguments for and against multi-warehouse models, considering the validity of the evidence underlying reference to the concepts of capacity, coding and features from oblivion, focusing on the latter in the hold function. Then propose an alternative framework in terms of levels of processing, maintaining that the memory trace is a product of perceptual analysis and that its persistence is a positive function of the depth at which the stimulus analyzed (Craik, Lockhart, 1972). The authors re-examine existing data on incidental learning, selective attention and sensory warehouse, storage distinction in the short / long term serial position curve and effects of repetition and review. The article concludes by explaining that the authors approach is not a theory, but rather a conceptual framework within which research could proceed on memory (Craik, Lockhart, 1972).

Examples

Considerable research devoted to understanding the role of attention in direct memory. In recent years, recent memory typically studied under the rubric of working memory. Although many definitions of WM exist, most suggest that WM involved in the maintenance and processing of information over brief periods of time. WM has become central to understanding cognition, partly because there is a strong relationship between performance on WM span tasks and measures of higher level cognition. Although various tasks used to measure the efficiency of WM, perhaps the most widely used measures of WM capacity are complex span tasks. For example, the operation span task typically involves the presentation of between two and six to-be-remembered words per trial each preceded by an arithmetic problem that participants must decide is either true or false (5 × 7 = 40?) (Barrouillet, Bernardin, et al, 2004). These tasks originally believed to measure WM capacity by requiring concurrent maintenance and manipulation of information. A recent, alternate interpretation of complex span tasks focuses ...