6 long-term memory Flashcards
What are the three components of long-term memory described by Tulving (1972, 1983)?
episodic memory, which is our memory for personal events (such as a relativeʼs wedding)
semantic memory, which is our knowledge of language and facts about the world (e.g. we know that the sky is blue)
procedural memory, which has to do with motor skills (such as how to play an instrument).
What is non-declarative memory?
no conscious recollection
implicit learning
priming -> rapidly, different to procedural memory which is slow and intentional
tied closely to specific stimuli
What is anterograde and retrograde amnesia?
anterograde amnesia = difficulty remembering new stuff
retrograde amnesia = loss of pre-existing memory
What did Baddeley and Longman find regarding distributed practice study?
Optimal Training - The most efficient learning occurred in the group with one session of one hour per day.
Least Efficient Training - The least efficient learning was observed in the group with two sessions of two hours per day.
Retention -There was about a 30% decrease in typing speed across all
groups when tested for retention, with the worst performance in the two daily sessions of two hours group.
What are the factors or conditions that might help us retrieve information from
long-term memory?
- the use of retrieval cues or hints
- common triggers, associated memories, … - matching encoding and retrieval conditions
- location, context, internal mood, task
“encoding specificity”
“state-dependent learning”
“transfer-appropriate processing”
What did Tulving and Pearlstone´s (1966) experiment reveal?
Procedure: Participants learned lists of words categorized into different groups. During the test phase, some were given category names as cues,
while others were not.
Result: Participants recalled more words with category cues than without.
Implication: Demonstrates that specific cues linked to the encoding context can significantly enhance recall.
What did Mantyla´s (1986) experiment reveal?
Procedure: Participants generated three words associated with each of
600 nouns during the study phase. For retrieval, they were shown either the words they generated or those generated by others.
Result: Recall was 91% with self-generated cues and 55% with others’ cues.
Implication: Personalized, self-generated cues are more effective because they are more likely to match the individualʼs original encoding process.
What is interference theory?
Interference theory: Suggests forgetting occurs because of overlapping associations in memory.
For example, learning something new A C can
interfere with previously learned information A B.
Types of interference:
Proactive interference = Earlier learning hinders the acquisition of new information.
Retroactive interference = New learning impairs the retrieval of older information.
What are flashbulb memories?
informant (person who supplied the information)
place where the news was heard
ongoing event
individualʼs own emotional state
emotional state of others
consequences of the event for the individual
Vivid, detailed memories formed during dramatic, important public events (e.g., 9/11 attacks).
What is infantile amnesia?
Adults struggle to recall memories from the first few years of life, typically remembering nothing from before age 2.5 to 3 years.
What theories try to explain infantile amnesia?
Freudian Theory - Suggests early memories are repressed due to their threatening nature.
Cognitive Self Development -Suggests autobiographical memory
begins with the development of self-awareness around the second year
of life.
Social-Cultural Development Theory - Argues language and cultural
practices shape memory, with early memories being difficult to articulate due to immature language skills.
What are false memories?
Memories that are distorted or entirely fabricated.
They can arise naturally or be intentionally implanted.
-> not static, infallible record of past events
-> highly susceptible to alteration and influence
