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Psych 102 > Chapter 7: memory > Flashcards

Chapter 7: memory Flashcards

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1
Q

what is memory?

A

Retention of information over time

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2
Q

what are the functions of memory?

A

Autobiographical memory – who am I?
Semantic memory – what do I know?
Working Memory – what is happening right now?

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3
Q

what is autobiographical?

A

A specific type of long-term, explicit memory that involves recollecting personal experiences and events from an individual’s life.

It is a complex memory system that integrates episodic memories (specific events or experiences) with semantic memories (general knowledge or facts) in the context of one’s personal history.

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4
Q

what is semantic memory?

A

a type of long-term, explicit memory that deals with the storage and retrieval of general knowledge, concepts, and facts that are not tied to specific personal experiences.

This type of memory allows us to understand the meaning of words, recognize objects, know facts about the world, and comprehend abstract concepts.

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5
Q

what is working memory?

A

what is in our brain right now

also known as STM, is a cognitive system responsible for the temporary storage and manipulation of information. It plays a crucial role in various mental tasks and processes, such as reasoning, problem-solving, decision-making, and comprehension

enables us to hold and process information in our minds for brief periods, typically up to 30 seconds

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6
Q

what do all memory systems have in common?

A

storing information for some period of time

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7
Q

memory is __, not ___

A

Memory is reconstructive, not reproductive

This means that when we recall a memory, we don’t reproduce an exact replica of the original experience. Instead, we reconstruct the memory based on stored information, current context, and our expectations. This reconstruction process can lead to memory errors, distortions, and even false memories.

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8
Q

What is DRM paradigm?

A

this is a memory task in which participants are presented with lists of semantically related words (e.g., bed, rest, tired, dream, etc.) but not the actual theme word (e.g., sleep).

In subsequent memory tests, participants often falsely recall or recognize the non-presented theme word.

This demonstrates that memory is reconstructive, as participants are influenced by the gist or theme of the list, and not just the specific words presented.

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9
Q

what is memory illusion?

A

a false but subjectively compelling memory

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10
Q

what is sensory memory?

A

brief storage of sensory information before it is passed on to the short-term memory

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11
Q

what is STM?

A

the capacity to hold a small amount of information in mind in an active, readily available state for a short period of time

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12
Q

what is the duration of the STM?

A

less than 30 seconds (without rehearsal)

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13
Q

what is decay?

A

fading of information from memory over time

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14
Q

what is interference?

A

loss of information from memory because of competition from additional information

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15
Q

what is considered the stronger explanation for forgetting?

A

interference (loss of information from memory because of competition from additional information)

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16
Q

what are the types of interference and what do they do?

A

Think of “Pro” as “Prior” or “Before.”
Proactive: previously learned material interfere with the ability to acquire new information

“Retro” means “Backward” or “Past.”
Retroactive: the acquisition of newer material interfere with the ability to retain older information

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17
Q

what is chunking?

A

Organizing information into meaningful groupings, allows us to extend the span of STM

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18
Q

what is rehearsal?

A

repeating information to extend the duration of retention in short-term memory and promote the likelihood of transfer to long-term memory

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19
Q

what are the two types of rehearsal and what do they do?

A

Maintenance rehearsal: repeating information in its original form; no meaningful connections

Elaborative rehearsal: linking information together in a meaningful way

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20
Q

what are “Levels of Processing”?

A

the depth of rehearsal, or how we transform the information, influences how well we remember it.

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21
Q

what is the LTM?

A

Enduring retention of information, including facts, experiences, and skills

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22
Q

how is LTM different from STM?

A

LTM has an unlimited capacity (no known limits)

Duration: years or permanent

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23
Q

types of long-term memory?

A

“se- E - I”
explicit (the type of memory that involves consciously remembering specific facts, events, or experiences) –> episodic (ability to remember specific events or experiences from your own life) / Semantic (stores general knowledge and facts about the world)

Implicit (affects our thoughts and behaviors without us being consciously aware of it) –> procedural memory & skills / classical conditioning / priming

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24
Q

what is priming?

A

Our ability to identify a stimulus more easily or more quickly after we’ve encountered similar stimuli.

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25
Q

what is the three-step sequence for memory?

A

encoding: When a library receives new books, the books must be labeled, categorized, and entered into the library’s database so they can be easily found later. Similarly, when we encounter new information or experiences, our brain encodes this information into a format that can be stored in either short-term or long-term memory.

  1. Storage: In the library analogy, storage is like placing books on the shelves, organized by their categories and labels. In the human memory system, short-term memory acts as temporary storage for limited amounts of information, while long-term memory serves as a more permanent and expansive storage system. Like a library with its vast collection of books, long-term memory can store a large amount of information for extended periods.
  2. Retrieval: retrieval is like finding and checking out books from the shelves. When a patron wants a book, they need to search the library’s database, locate the book on the shelf, and then check it out. Similarly, when we need to recall information from memory, our brain searches through stored memories and brings the relevant information back into conscious awareness or short-term memory for use.
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26
Q

what is encoding?

A

the process of getting information into our memory stores

convert information into a usable mental form

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27
Q

what plays a crucial role in the process of encoding?

A

attention

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28
Q

Mnemonic Devices:

A

An active, strategic learning device or method that enhances recall

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29
Q

what do mnemonics rely on?

A

internal mental strategies during encoding to help us recall information later on

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30
Q

what is a simple type of mnemonic?

A

Acronyms

e.g., HOMES to remember the names of the Great Lakes

31
Q

what is the method of loci?

A

uses known location as cues for memory items

32
Q

what is the peg word method?

A

A pre-memorized set of words serves as a sequence of mental “pegs” onto which the to-be-remembered material can be “hung.”

33
Q

what is storage?

A

the process of keeping information in memory

34
Q

what are schemas?

A

organized knowledge structures or mental models that we’ve stored in memory

35
Q

what do schemas provide?

A

a frame of reference that allows us to quickly understand a situation

36
Q

what are scripts?

A

a procedure for a set order of events

37
Q

what is the issue with schemas and mistakes and overgeneralization?

A

They represent our generalized understanding of the world based on previous experiences. While they help us quickly process and interpret new information, they can also lead to biases and errors in our thinking and memory.

38
Q

what is retrieval?

A

is the reactivation or reconstruction of information or experiences from our memory stores

39
Q

what are retrieval cues?

A

Pieces of information that serve to help us retrieve information

“hints” that improve recall

40
Q

what is a recall?

A

people have to generate previously learned information

41
Q

what is recognition?

A

people have to select previously learned information from a set o options

42
Q

__ is typically more difficult than recognition

A

Recall is typically more difficult that recognition due to the differences in the cognitive processes involved in each type of memory retrieval.

43
Q

what is the primacy effect?

A

better memory for items in the early positions of the list

44
Q

what is the recency effect?

A

better memory or items at the end positions of the list

45
Q

what is the process of relearning?

A

reacquiring knowledge that has previously been learned, but has been forgotten overtime

46
Q

what is the savings score?

A

the reduction in the number of trials necessary for relearning a list, compared to the original learning of the list

47
Q

what is distributed practice?

A

Learning in small amounts over time.
E.g. studying one of your classes for 20 minutes every day.

48
Q

what is massed practice?

A

Learning a lot all at once.
E.g., Cramming for an exam

49
Q

___ tends to out perform mass practice

A

Distributed practice

50
Q

Encoding Specificity

A

We will better remember some information when the conditions under which we retrieve the information are similar to the conditions under which we encoded that information

51
Q

what can serve as a cue to remember information during the encoding process?

A

Anything that was present during the learning/encoding of information can serve as a cue for later remembering it

52
Q

Two examples of encoding specificity:

A

Context-dependent learning
State-dependent learning

53
Q

Context-Dependent Learning:

A

This refers to the idea that memory retrieval is more effective when it occurs in the same physical environment in which the information was encoded.

For example, if you study for an exam in the same room where the test will be administered, you may perform better because the context is more similar between encoding and retrieval.

54
Q

State-Dependent Learning:

A

refers to the idea that memory retrieval is more effective when an individual is in the same mental or emotional state during both encoding and retrieval.

For instance, if you learn information while feeling happy, you might recall it more successfully when you are happy again.

55
Q

Hebb’s rule:

A

“neurons that fire together, wire together”

The rule relates to memory formation and consolidation

56
Q

Long-Term Potentiation (LTP):

A

A long-lasting strengthening of the connections between two neurons after synchronous activation

57
Q

Long-Term Depression (LTD):

A

A long-lasting weakening of the connections between two neurons after low patterns of activation

58
Q

Hippocampus:

A

critical for the formation of many declarative memories, including both episodic and semantic memory

59
Q

Amygdala:

A

plays an important role in emotional memories

60
Q

Prefrontal cortex:

A

a “bank” of memories

61
Q

Cerebellum:

A

important for procedural or motor memories

62
Q

what are the problems with memory?

A

Overconfidence in memory

Flashbulb memories

Source monitoring failure

Implanting false memories

Amnesia

63
Q

overconfidence in memory:

A

certainty in accuracy of memory

64
Q

what does overconfidence stem from?

A

Source Memory: memory of the exact source of the information

Processing Fluency: the ease with which something comes to mind

65
Q

what are flashbulb memories?

A

Emotional memories that are vivid and detailed

Happen in response to surprising, unusual, or otherwise highly emotional events

Research indicates these are not as accurate as people think and they do change over time
– Just like regular memories

66
Q

Source Monitoring:

A

The ability to accurately remember the source of a memory, including whether it is something encountered in the real world or something imagined

67
Q

Source monitoring failure:

A

remember the content of the information, but cannot attribute it to a particular source.

68
Q

Cryptomnesia:

A

a person unconsciously plagiarizes something they have heard or read before, but because they have forgotten the source, mistakenly think that it is a new idea that they thought of

69
Q

Leading Questions:

A

suggest which answer to a question is appropriate

70
Q

Memory can become distorted if:

A

Viewing conditions are poor
Witnesses talk to each other
People observe a person from a different race than their own
People see a crime under stressful circumstances

71
Q

Amnesia:

A

Loss of memory or memory abilities due to brain damage or disease

72
Q

Retrograde Amnesia:

A

Loss of memory of events before the injury

73
Q

Anterograde Amnesia:

A

Loss of memory of events after the injury

Psych 102 (10 decks)

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