Chapter 7 Flashcards
what are the three stages of memory?
sensory, short-term, long-term
how long is information retained in sensory memory?
a few seconds
how long is information retained in short-term memory?
a short time
how long is information retained in long-term memory?
relatively permanent
how does information from sensory memory pass to short-term memory?
through selective attention
how does information from short-term memory pass to long-term memory?
through rehearsal
how much information is stored in long-term memory?
no known limit on capacity
how much information is stored in short-term memory?
around 7 items
how much information is stored in sensory memory?
large range
which stage is also called “working memory” and why?
short-term memory; because short-term memory is used actively and therefore “working”
the unconscious encoding of everyday information, such as space, time, frequency, and well-learned word meanings
automatic processing
increase in a synapse’s firing potential
long-term potentiation
describe the relationship between intense emotion and memory.
memories that have intense emotion are stronger than memories that do not
the tendency to recall best the first and last items in a list
serial position effect
retaining learned skills or conditioning, often without conscious awareness of this learning
implicit memory
memories of facts and personal events that you can consciously retrieve
explicit memory
memory demonstrated by identifying items previously learned, as on a multiple-choice test
recognition
memory demonstrated by identifying items learned earlier, such as on a fill-in-the-blank test
recall
what we learn in one state might be easier to recall if we are put again in that state. what is this concept called?
state-dependent learning
how does state-dependent learning relate to depression and childhood memories?
when we are depressed, we remember bad memories. when we are happy, we remember better memories.
the blocking of recall as old or new learning disrupts the recall of other memories
interference
under what conditions is interference most likely to be a problem for memory?
if you’re gathering other information, it has a chance to get encoded and then your memory gets cluttered.
why is information learned immediately before sleep usually forgotten?
it is not rehearsed
why is human memory not like a “tape recorder”? what does this have to do with false memories?
memory is constructed as we “fill in the blanks”. therefore, false memories can be inserted either intentionally or by accident.
which is more likely to be effective: spaced study time or concentrated study time?
spaced study time
