Chapter 6: Memory Flashcards
memory
the ability to store and retrieve information over time
encoding
how does information get into memory
storage
the process of maintaining information in memory over time
retrieval
the process of bringing to mind information that has been previously encoded and stored
semantic encoding
the process of relating new information in a meaningful way to knowledge that is already stored in memory; done by left hemisphere of frontal lobe
visual imagery encoding
the process of storing new information by converting it into mental pictures; done by occipital cortex
organizational encoding
the process of categorizing information according to the relationships among a series of items
- in frontal lobe
sensory memory
a memory of sensory events
iconic memory
visual sensory memory that lasts for a half a second
Echoic memory
a fast-decaying store of auditory information that lasts for a few seconds
short term memory
a type of storage that holds nonsensory information for more than a few seconds but less than a minute
rehearsal
the process of keeping information in short-term memory by mentally repeating it
chunking
combining small pieces of information into larger clusters or chunks that are more easily held in short-term memory
working memory
active maintenance of information in short-term storage
long term memory
a type of storage that holds information for hours, days, weeks, or years
anterograde amnesia
a disorder that prevents the retention of new information
retrograde amnesia
the loss of memories of past events
consolidation
the process by which memories become stable in the brain
reconsolidation
the process where memories can become vulnerable to disruption when they are recalled, thus requiring them to be consolidated again
long-term potentiation
a process whereby communication across the synapse between neurons strengthens the connection, making further communication easier
retrieval cue
external information that is associated with stored information and helps bring it to mind
encoding specificity principle
states that a retrieval cue can serve as an effective reminder when it helps re-create the specific way in which information was initially encoded
State-dependent memory
the process whereby information tends to be better recalled when the person is in the same state during encoding and retrieval
transfer-appropriate processing
the idea that memory is likely to transfer from one situation to another when the encoding and retrieval contexts of the situations match
Retrieval-induced forgetting
a process by which retrieving an item from long-term memory impairs subsequent recall of related items
Explicit/declarative memory
when people consciously or intentionally retrieve past experiences
Implicit memory
nonconscious memories, memories the influence behavior without our awareness
procedural memory
the gradual acquisition of skills as a result of practice, or “knowing how” to do things
priming
an enhanced ability to think of a stimulus, such as a word or object, as a result of a recent exposure to the stimulus during an earlier study task
semantic memory
a network of associated facts and concepts that make up our general knowledge of the world (facts)
episodic memory
the collection of past personal experiences that occurred at a particular time and place (personal experiences)
seven sins of memory
transience, absentmindedness, blocking, memory misattribution, suggestibility, bias, persistence
transience/decay theory
forgetting what occurs with the passage of time
retroactive interference
new memories interfere with old
Proactive interference
old memories interfere with new
absentmindedness (Encoding failure theory)
information never made it into memory
prospective memory
remembering to do things in the future
blocking
a failure to retrieve information that is available in memory even though you are trying to produce it (tip of tongue phenomenon)
memory misattribution
assigning a recollection or an idea to the wrong source
source memory
recall of when, where, and how information was acquired
suggestibility
the tendency to incorporate misleading information from external sources into personal recollections
bias
the distorting influences of present knowledge, beliefs, and feelings on recollection of previous experiences
persistence
the intrusive recollection of events that we wish we could forget
flashbulb memories
detailed recollections of when and where we heard about shocking events
- not any more accurate than regular memories
what is the relationship between the hippocampus and memory?
the hippocampus consolidates memories
Atkinson and Shiffrin
proposed information processing model
what makes up the information processing model
sensory memory, short term memory/working memory, long term memory
memory span
the number of digits an individual can report after a single presentation
Craik & Lockhart
proposes levels of processing theory of memory
elaborative rehearsal
the extensiveness of processing at a given level of memory
Craik & Lockhart
said people will be better at retrieving memories if they form more associations with the material during learning
Bradeley’s working memory model
phonological loop, visuospatial scratchpad. central executive
primary effect
first piece of information will be remembered
Recency effect
we are more likely to remember information that has been given to us more recently
serial position effect
the tendency to remember the first and last work of a series
context dependent memory
the environment in which you learn information can serve as retrieval queue
inference
competition among related memories
cue dependent theory
we don’t have the cues necessary for retrieval
schemas
mental frameworks representing our knowledge and assumptions about the world
what distorts our memory?
bias, misattribution, suggestibility
amnesia
the loss of memory
hippocampus and memory
consolidation, inability to store new memories
childhood amnesia (only remembering at 3 years old)
frontal cortex
associating fact to context
basal ganglia
procedural memory (how to do things)
cerebellum
classical conditioning
what is the most important neurotransmitter for memory
acetylcholine
Sperling
Created test of iconic memory
maintenance rehearsal
the conscious repetition of information that increases the time it stays in working memory
HM case study
removed hippocampus which caused HM to not remember new things that happened to him
Elizabeth Loftus case study
false memory syndrome
- the human memory is highly susceptible to suggestion
retrieval failure
repression of memories
when is the best time to study?
an hour before going to bed
which brain structure is involved with the formation of explicit memories?
amygdala
Those who seem to be memory whizzes tend to use ________ to aid memory
mnemonics
what are the three types of encoding processes?
semantic encoding, visual imagery encoding, and organizational encoding
Which of the following brain structures is involved in the formation of explicit memories
frontal lobe
Short-term memory is slightly better remembering…?
random digits than for random letters
