This mini-lesson covers the OCR Memory topic: the multi-store model, reconstructive memory, the Loftus and Palmer core study on eyewitness testimony, and Grant et al's study on context-dependent memory.
Work through each screen, answer the questions as you go and collect ⭐ stars. Every fact here is anchored to a named study or theory on the OCR GCSE Psychology (J203) Memory topic. Press Start when you're ready.
Memory · structure
The multi-store model
Memory can be described as three stores information flows through:
Sensory store — very brief; needs attention to move on.
Short-term memory (STM) — limited capacity (~7 items), short duration (~18–30s); kept going by rehearsal.
Long-term memory (LTM) — huge capacity, long duration.
Quick check
Capacity of STM
?Roughly how many items can short-term memory hold at once?
Memory · reconstructive
Reconstructive memory
Memory is reconstructive: we rebuild memories using our schemas, so they can be distorted.
We fill gaps with what we expect to have happened.
This means memory is not a perfect recording and can be influenced by later information.
It has real-world importance for eyewitness testimony.
Quick check
Reconstructive memory
?Saying memory is 'reconstructive' means that we:
Memory · Loftus & Palmer
Loftus & Palmer core study
The OCR core study is Loftus and Palmer (1974) on eyewitness testimony:
Participants watched films of car crashes, then were asked how fast the cars were going.
The verb in the question changed the answer: 'smashed' produced higher speed estimates than 'hit' or 'contacted'.
A week later, those asked with 'smashed' were more likely to falsely remember broken glass.
This showed that leading questions can distort eyewitness memory — memory is reconstructive.
Sort it
Sort the memory stores
Tap a feature, then tap the store it best describes. (Some belong to all three.)
🔁 All three stores
⏳ Short-term memory
📚 Long-term memory
Quick check
Loftus & Palmer
?In Loftus and Palmer's study, the word 'smashed' rather than 'hit' led participants to:
Memory · Grant
Grant et al: context-dependent memory
Grant et al (1998) studied context-dependent memory:
Participants learned material either in silence or with noise, then were tested in silence or noise.
They did better when the test condition matched the learning condition.
This shows that recall improves when the context at retrieval matches the context at learning.
Match it
Match the memory idea
Tap a description on the left, then its matching term on the right.
Statement
Answer
Quick check
Grant et al
?Grant et al found people remembered best when the noise conditions at test:
Memory · evaluation
Evaluating the multi-store model
The model is helpful but limited:
Strength: clear and supported by evidence.
Weakness: treats STM and LTM as single stores — too simple.
Weakness: over-emphasises rehearsal.
Memory · applying it
Eyewitness testimony in the real world
Loftus and Palmer's work has real importance:
Leading questions can distort what witnesses recall.
Because memory is reconstructive, confident witnesses can still be wrong.
Courts must treat eyewitness evidence with caution.