AP PSYCH UNIT 7 memory Flashcards
What is memory?
An indication that learning has persisted
What is encoding?
Incoming sensory information is converted for storage
What is the difference between automatic and effortful processing?
That requires attention and or effort (explicit memories)
Some information (your route to school, driving a car) is automatically processed(inexplicit memory)
What is the spacing effect?
Distributing rehearsal is better than practicing all at once ( when studying for a test a student would do better when spreading looking across 7 days than studying the night before the test
What is the testing effect?
Repeated quizzing of information increases the chances it will be recalled. repeated self testing is an effective way to remember things
What is deep processing/semantic encoding?
Processing information with consideration to its meaning
Mnemonic Encoding
is any device or technique used to assist memory, usually by forging a link or association between the new information to be remembered and information (remembering abcs by making it a song)
Method of Loci
a memory enhancement technique that combines visualization with spatial memory of familiar environments in order to quickly recall information (milk in my shoe)
Peg-word system
A memory aid that involves linking words with numbers (one is a gun, two is a shoe)
Chunking
when we divide large pieces of information into smaller units (chunks) that are easier to retain in short-term memory ( PEMDAS)
Hierarchical organization
Complex information broken down into broad concepts categories
Iconic
Iconic memory deals with visual information, holding that information for 1 second
Echoic
short term memory deals with auditory information, holding that information for 1-2 second
STM/Working Memory (what is its capacity and duration)
Capacity 7+/-2 (George Miller, 1956)
Chunking: can increase the capacity of working memory
Duration: approx. 20 sec (brown/peterson, 1958)
Explicit long term memory
Declarative memories which you are consciously aware of acquiring
Implicit long term memory
implicit memory which is the info you are not conscious of acquiring. It includes procedural and conditioned
What are state-dependent memories?
The phenomenon where people remember more information if their physical or mental state is the same at the time of encoding and time of recall. if you learned something while drunk, you will have a higher chance of remembering it if you are also drunk
What are context-dependent memories?
The ability to remember emotional, social, spatial, or temporal circumstances related to an event.
What are mood-dependent/mood-congruent memories?
We usually recall experiences that are consistent with or current mood emotions or moods as retrieval cues
Understand the serial position effect. Know the difference between primacy and recency.
Primacy is the phenomenon where you remember the first items in a list better than the middle of the list
recency cognitive bias in which those items, ideas, or arguments that came last are remembered more clearly than those that came first
What is a flashbulb memory?
A unique emotional moment that created a clear strong persistaent memory, THough vivid and detailed, they are not free from errors( 911, JFK assassination)
Who did research using nonsense syllables? What were his findings?
Herman Ebbinghaus studied rehearsal by using nonsense syllables(icec I cant eat cat)
The more times the nonsense syllables were practiced on day 1, the fewer repetitions were required to remember them on day 2
What is long-term potentiation? What is the role of neurotransmitters associated with long-term potentiation?
a process by which synaptic connections between neurons become stronger with frequent activation
What is the role of the hippocampus and the cerebellum in the storage of long term memories?
Hippocampus -A neural center in the limbic system that processes explicit memories
Cerebellum- A neural center in the hindbrain that processes implicit memories
Define retrieval
Retreieval- information is recovered from memory when it is needed
What is the difference between recall and recognition?
Recongition -Being able to identify an item amongst orthe rchoices (ex multiple choice test
Recall- Information is retrieved without external cues requires greater effort
What are retrieval cues? How do they relate to priming?
aspects of an individual’s physical and cognitive environment which aid the recall process
Priming -which exposure to one stimulus influences how a person responds to a subsequent, related stimulus.. (retrieval cues lead to priming)
What are encoding failures? Give an example.
the inability to recall specific information because of insufficient encoding of the information for storage in long-term memory. (remembering the details of a coin)
Explain interference. What is the difference between proactive and retroactive interference?
Interference-Learning some new information may disrupt retrieval of other information
Proactive interference- in which old memories disrupt the retrieval of new memories
Retroactive iterference- which new memories disrupt the retrieval and maintenance of old memories.
How does sleep affect retroactive interference?
Sleep prevents retroactive interference, therefore, it leads to better recall
What is source amnesia?
impaired memory for how, when, or where information was learned despite good memory for the information itself.Or whether the information is correct or not
What is déjà vu and how does it relate to memory?
The feeling you have experienced something before
caused by the brain top attempt to correct an inaccurate memory
What is motivated forgetting? Repression?
the idea that people can block out, or forget, upsetting or traumatic memories, because there is a motivation to do so
repression- a defense mechanism that banishes anxiety arousing thoughts feelings and memories from consciousness
What is the difference between retrograde amnesia and anterograde amnesia?
Retrograde amnesia is nability to retrieve information from ones past, while anterograde amnesia is a type of memory loss that occurs when you can’t form new memories.
What is the construction/reconstruction of memory?
While tapping our memories we filter or fill in missing pieces of information to make our recall more coherent
Explain the misinformation effect
When our memory for past events is altered after exposure to misleading information
What is cognition?
acquiring knowledge and understanding
What are concepts and how are they formed? How do they relate to categories? How do we organize conceptual information?
concepts are The mental grouping of suimular obejects evetnt ideas or people, and are formed by generalisation, differentiation and abstraction. A category is a collection of instances which are treated as if they were the same.
We organixe these concepts into category hierarchies
What are prototypes?
A prototype is the BEST example or cognitive representation of something within a certain category the concept of a “bird.” Most people would agree that a prototypical bird has certain features, such as wings, feathers, and the ability to fly.
What is the difference between convergent and divergent thinking?
convergent thinking narrows the available problem solutions to determine the single best solution 5+5=_ while divergent thinking expands the number of possible problem solutions(creative thinking that diverges in different directions +=_
Define algorithm and give examples
methodical logic rules or procedures that guarantee solving a particular problem ( solving a rubix cube
Define insight and give an example
Insight involves a sudden novel realization of a solution to a problem
People will use a chair in order to get high enough to paint the top of the wall
What are heuristics? Give an example for each.
Problem-solving strategies that are a product of experience
Representative heuristic
Judging the likelihood of things or objects in terms of howwell they seem to represent or match a particular prototype
example- thinking that because someone is wearing a suit and tie and carrying a briefcase, that they must be a lawyer, because they look like the stereotype of a lawyer
Availability heuristic
Relying on immediately availability information example (plane crashes can make (people afraid of flying.
Confirmation bias
COnfirmation bias: We have a tendency to search for information that confirms a personal bias
Fixations
The inability to see a problem from a fresh perspective, impeding problem-solving
Mental set
A tendency to approach a problem in a particularly similar way especially if it was successful previously, ignoring alternatives
Functional fixedness APP
The tendency to think only on the familiar functions of an objects
Overconfidence
Our tenency to overestimate the accuracy of our beliefs and judgements
Framing Effect
Decisions and judgments may be significantly affected depending upon how an issue is framed/said
Belief bias and perseverance
belief bias- The tendency of ones pre-existing beliefs to distort logical reasoning by making invalid conclusions(flat earthers)
belief perseverance- We cling to our belief regardless of the evidence
What is intuition?
immediate insight or perception, as contrasted with conscious reasoning or reflection
Phonemes, Morphemes
phonemes-The smallest distinct unit of sound
Morphemes- the smallest unit that carries a meaning. Could be the word in its entire meaning or part of the word
Grammar
-the system of rules in a language that enables us to communicate with and understand others
babbling stage
4 mos Babbling stage- nonsense syllables and sounds like ah-goo not an imitation of speech
one-word stage
12 mos- One-word stage - Child begins speaking one word at a timed vocabulary develops slowly
two-word stage
18-24 mod - two -word stage- Child speaks in two-word sentences or telegraphic speech “go car” means I would like to go in for a ride in a car.
What is telegraphic speech and when does it occur?
-Telegraphic speech is simply two-word sentences, such as “kitty tired” or “I hungry”. 18-24 months
Explain the theories of language acquisition according to Noam Chomsky
the process is biologically determined - the human species has evolved a brain whose neural circuits contain linguistic information at birth.
What is the critical period for language? What supports this theory?
The critical period hypothesis (CPH) states that the first few years of life constitute the time during which language develops readily and after which (sometime between age 5 and puberty) language acquisition is much more difficult and ultimately less successful.
What is an aphasia?
a disorder that affects how you communicate
Broca’s area
serving a role in speech production, the Broca area also is involved in language comprehension
Wenicke’s area
Wernicke area, region of the brain that contains motor neurons involved in the comprehension of speech.
