7.1 Memory systems

Question 1

Memory

Answer 1

a collection of several systems that store information in diff forms for differing amounts of time

Question 2

Stores

Answer 2

retain info in memory without using it for any specific purpose

Question 3

Control processes

Answer 3

shift info from one memory store to another

Question 4

Attention

Answer 4

selects which info will be passed on to STM

Question 5

Encoding

Answer 5

the process of storing info in the LTM system

Question 6

Retrieval

Answer 6

brings info from LTM back into STM

Question 7

Sensory memory

Answer 7

memory store that accurately holds perceptual info for a very brief amount of time

Question 8

Ionic memory

Answer 8

the visual form of sensory memory

Question 9

Echoic memory

Answer 9

the auditory form of sensory memory

Question 10

Short term memory

Answer 10

a memory store with limited capacity and duration - 30 sec, 7 +- 2

Question 11

Chunking

Answer 11

organizing smaller units of info into larger, more meaningful units

Question 12

Long term memory

Answer 12

holds info for extended periods of time, if not permanently

Question 13

Tip of the tongue phenomenon

Answer 13

when you are able to retrieve similar sounding words or words that start with the same letter but can’t quite retrieve the word you actually want

Question 14

Serial position effect

Answer 14

in general, most people will recall the first few items from a list and the last few items, but only an item or two from the middle

Question 15

Proactive interference

Answer 15

a process in which the first info learned occupies memory, leaving fewer resources left to remember the newer info

Question 16

Retroactive interference

Answer 16

the most recently learned info overshadows some older memories that have not yet made it into long-term memory

Question 17

Rehearsal

Answer 17

repeating info until you do not need to remember it anymore

Question 18

Working memory

Answer 18

a model of short-term remembering that includes a combination of memory components that can temporarily store small amounts of info for a short period of time

Question 19

Phonological loop

Answer 19

storage component of working memory that relies on rehearsal and that stores info as sounds, or as an auditory code

Question 20

Word-length effect

Answer 20

people remember more one-syllable words than four-or five-syllable words in a short-term memory task

Question 21

Visuospatial sketchpad

Answer 21

a storage component of working memory that maintains visual images and spatial layouts in a visuospatial code

Question 22

Feature binding

Answer 22

the process of combining visual features into a single unit

Question 23

Episodic buffer

Answer 23

a storage component of working memory that combines the images and sounds from other two components into coherent, story-like episodes

Question 24

Central executive

Answer 24

the control centre of working memory; it coordinates attention and the exchange of info among the three storage components

Question 25

Declarative memories

Answer 25

memories that we are consciously aware of and that can be verbalized, including facts about the world and our own personal experiences

Question 26

Episodic memories

Answer 26

declarative memories for personal experiences that seem to be organized around “episodes” and are recalled from a first-person perspective

Question 27

Semantic memories

Answer 27

declarative memories that include facts about the world

Question 28

Non-declarative memories

Answer 28

include actions or behaviours that you can remember and perform without awareness

Question 29

Procedural memory

Answer 29

Aka muscle memory - learned patterns of muscle movements

Question 30

Long-term potentiation

Answer 30

demonstrated that there is an enduring increase in connectivity and transmission of neural signals between nerve cells that fire together

Question 31

Consolidation

Answer 31

the process of converting short-term memories into long-term memories in the brain

Question 32

Amnesia

Answer 32

a profound loss of at least one form of memory

Question 33

Anterograde amnesia

Answer 33

the inability to form new memories for events occurring after brain injury

Question 34

Storage

Answer 34

refers to the time and manner in which info is retained between encoding and retrieval

Question 35

Reconsolidation

Answer 35

the hippocampus functions to update, strengthen or modify existing long-term memories

Question 36

Cross-cortical storage

Answer 36

a phenomenon in which long-term declarative memories are distributed throughout the cortex of the brain, rather than being localized in one region

Question 37

Retrograde amnesia

Answer 37

a condition in which memory for the events preceding trauma or injury is lost