2.3 - Introduction to Memory Flashcards
Explicit memories
These are facts and experiences that we can consciously know and recall. Types are semantic and episodic memories
Episodic memories
Personal life and experiences
Semantic memories
Facts and general knowledge (textbook)
Memory
Persistence of learning over time, through the storage and retrieval of information and skills.
Implicit Memory
memories we retrieve automatically. This helps us complete habits, skills, and conditioned responses. A type of implicit memory is procedural memory (cerebellum)
Procedural Memory
skills, habits, tasks that can be completed without conscious recall (type of Implicit memory)
Automatic Processing
Implicit memories without conscious recall, processed in cerebellum
Space, time, frequency (where you ate dinner yesterday)
Motor and cognitive skills (riding a bike)
Classical conditioning (reaction to dentists office)
Effortful Processing
Explicit memories with conscious recall, processed in hippocampus and frontal lobes
Facts and general knowledge (this chapters concepts)
Personally experiences events (families holidays)
Prospective Memory
helps us “remember to remember.” It helps us remember to carry out future events, like schedule an appointment for your car or take your psychology notes home to study.
(what was I supposed to do today?)
Long-Term potentation
a persistent strengthening of synapses based on recent patterns of activity. This is thought to be a key mechanism behind learning and memory.
Working memory model
3 components work together to hold information in short term memory giving us time to process info before sending it to long term (central, phonological, and visuospatial sketchpad)
Central executive
Controls attention and coordinates information
Phonological loop
handles auditory and verbal information briefly
Visuospatial sketchpad
Handles visual and spatial information briefly
Long term memory
the part of the brain that stores information and experiences for a long time. It’s a nearly permanent storage space that can hold an unlimited amount of information.
Multi-store model
provides a foundational, structured view of memory with distinct stores (sensory, short-term, and long-term) and focuses on storage, transfer, and rehearsal.
Sensory memory
Sensory memory refers to the immediate, very brief recording of sensory information before it is processed into short-term, working, or long-term memory.
Types of sensory memory include iconic (vision), echoic (hearing), haptic (sense of touch), olfactory (smell), and gustation (taste)
Sensory memory is essential for our ability to perceive and make sense of the world around us. It acts as a filter, allowing us to process and decide which sensory information is worth further attention and potentially transfer to short-term or long-term memory. However, the information stored in sensory memory is extremely fleeting and fades rapidly if not attended to or transferred to other memory stores through processes like selective attention.
Echoic memory
Echoic memory pertains to auditory sensory input, like what you hear. It has a slightly longer duration than iconic memory, lasting a few seconds. This allows you to briefly hold and process auditory information, like a few words in a conversation, before it fades away.
Iconic memory
Iconic memory is related to visual sensory input, such as what you see. It lasts for a very short duration, typically less than a second, and helps you retain a visual image of a scene or object briefly after it disappears.
Structural encoding (shallowest)
Definition: Structural encoding, also known as visual encoding, involves processing the physical appearance or structure of the information. It’s a shallow form of processing that focuses on superficial details.
Example: Recognizing the shape of letters in a word or noting whether a word is written in uppercase or lowercase letters. For example, processing the word “DOG” by noticing it has three letters or that it’s in uppercase.
Effect on Memory: Structural encoding generally leads to weaker, more transient memories since it doesn’t engage with the meaning of the information. Information processed structurally is typically forgotten more quickly than information encoded in more meaningful ways.
Phonemic encoding
Definition: Phonemic encoding, or acoustic encoding, involves processing the sound of information. This is an intermediate level of processing that focuses on how words or information sound.
Example: Rhyming words, like encoding “cat” by remembering it rhymes with “hat.” You might remember that the word “frog” sounds similar to “log.”
Effect on Memory: Phonemic encoding creates a moderate level of recall. It’s more effective than structural encoding but typically less effective than semantic encoding, as it still doesn’t engage with the deeper meaning of the information.
Semantic encoding (deepest level)
Definition: Semantic encoding involves processing the meaning of information. This is the deepest level of processing and involves understanding or associating information with concepts, ideas, or experiences.
Example: Remembering the word “tree” by understanding its meaning, imagining a tree, or connecting it with concepts like nature or growth. Learning a new vocabulary word by understanding its definition and using it in a sentence.
Effect on Memory: Semantic encoding generally leads to stronger, more durable memories because it involves deeper cognitive processing. Information that’s semantically encoded is often easier to recall later and can be integrated with existing knowledge.
By engaging in deep or semantic processing, you go beyond rote memorization and actively engage with the material. This deeper understanding and processing lead to better retention and recall of the information, making it more likely that you’ll perform well and have a richer comprehension of the topic.Tell students they will recall more psychology terms by the time of a test if they ask deeper questions about the words rather than just looking over the words or echoing them. This allows for more connections and associations to help in recall.
Semantics—arms (weapons or body part)
