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psych 101 > Chapter 8 > Flashcards

Chapter 8 Flashcards

1
Q

What is memory?

A

the processes that allow us to record and later retrieve experiences and information.

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2
Q

What are the three basic processes of memory?

A

ENCODING

STORAGE

RETRIEVAL

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3
Q

Explain the three stage model of memory.

A

Views memory as having distinct, but interacting components (doesn’t suggest that these components are bound to a specific brain structure)

1) SENSORY MEMORY: holds incoming sensory info just long enough for it to be recognized
2) WORKING (short-term) MEMORY: holds info we are consciously aware of at any given time. Constantly works on/processes info.
3) LONG-TERM MEMORY: vast library of durable stored memories

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4
Q

How does information pass through the 3 stage model of memory?

A

sensory input to

sensory registers (in sensory memory)

moves by encoding/attention

to working memory

where it is rehearsed and then encoded to

long-term memory

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5
Q

What does sensory memory do?

A

briefly holds sensory information

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6
Q

What are 2 types of sensory registers in sensory memory?

A

ICONIC STORE: for visual information
very short duration; fraction of a second

ECHOIC STORE: for auditory information
lasts about 2 s

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7
Q

How is information represented in working memory?

A

by mental representations/memory codes

the memory code does not correspond to form of original status (words on a page are visual, but are represented in the mind phonetically)

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8
Q

Give a few examples of codes that may be used in the brain

A

VISUAL encoding
PHONOLOGICAL encoding
SEMANTIC encoding (by meaning)
MOTOR encoding (movement)

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9
Q

What is the limit to capacity of our short term/working memory?

A

7 +- 2 meaningful units

you may be able to remember 7 separate numbers, but if you clunk numbers together you can remember much more than that. Same with words/sentences

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10
Q

What is chunking?

A

combining individual items into larger units of meaning

ex thepieishot has many small units, but combine it into a sentence and you can easily remember

most effective when chunk is meaningful:
random letters can be put together to form a chunk, letters that spell a word hold more meaning and are better

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11
Q

What is the shelf-life or duration of a memory in working memory?

A

approx. 20s without rehearsal

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12
Q

What are 2 ways we can extend the duration of a memory in working memory? which is more effective?

A

1) MAINTENANCE rehearsal: simple repetition
2) ELABORATIVE rehearsal: focus on the meaning or relate it to things we know.

elaborative is more effective in converting to long term

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13
Q

Explain how the view of short-term/working memory has changed.

A

originally it was viewed as a passive component that converted and retrieved info to long-term

now considered working memory because it:
-actively processes different types of info and supports problem solving and planning and in doing so interacts with long term memory

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14
Q

What are the 4 components of working memory?

A

AUDITORY WORKING MEMORY (phonological loop)

SPATIAL WORKING MEMORY (visuospatial sketchpad)

EPISODIC BUFFER: provides temp storage for info to be integrated between different systems

CENTRAL EXECUTIVE: directs action/attention, recalls from long-term, and integrates input

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15
Q

What is the serial position effect?

A

it refers to the U-shaped pattern of memory we can recall

say we have a list of 30 words; we will recall more at the beginning and at the end if asked to recall as many as possible in any order

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16
Q

What are the two components to the serial position effect?

A

PRIMACY effect: this is at the start of the list and represents info converted to long-term

RECENCY effect: info at the end of the list that is still in short term

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17
Q

What are the two types of processing that translate memory to long-term?

A

EFFORTFUL processing: Intentional and conscious effort to do so. ex studying

AUTOMATIC processing: unintentional and requiring minimal attention.
ex recalling where on a page a piece of information is

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18
Q

What is the levels of processing concept?

A

the more deeply we process info, the better it will be remembered

structural is shallow
phonemic is medium
semantic is deepest

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19
Q

What is hierarchal organization?

A

it organizes information by order of association with each other like a tree.

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20
Q

What are mnemonic devices?

A

aids memory by organization

hierarchies
chunking
acronyms

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21
Q

What is dual coding theory?

A

states memory is enhanced if we use both verbal and visual codes

ex the word firetruck and a visual image of one

also applies to more abstract concepts but it is harder to associate them

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22
Q

What is a schema?

A

a mental framework that we develop through experience

creates a perceptual set that helps us organize and interpret info

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23
Q

What is expert knowledge?

A

the process of developing schemas

ex musical notes on a page look meaningless to someone who can’t read it. To a musician, their schemas make it easy to remember it

experts look for logical meaning

24
Q

what is the associative network concept

A

represents memories as a massive network of associated ideas and concept

things that are strongly associated are easily recalled

25
Q

What is priming?

A

in associative network theory it believes that a concept being activated partially activates other concepts that are related

this leads to a SPREADING ACTIVATION

26
Q

What are the two approaches to memory as a network?

A

Associative network

Neural network

27
Q

What is the neural network concept?

A

think of your brain being divided into many, many nodes that each fire

a concept is represented as a pattern of nodes firing (not just one)

also called parallel distributed processing models

28
Q

What are the two types of long-term memory?

A

DECLARITIVE: can be verbalized (factual knowledge)

PROCEDURAL: cannot be clearly stated (skills and actions and conditioned responses)

29
Q

What are the two sub categories of DECLARITIVE memory?

A

EPISODIC: recalling the details of experience
ex. when, where, how, what

SEMANTIC: general factual knowledge (includes professional)

30
Q

What is explicit and implicit memory?

A

EXPLICIT: conscious or intentional memory retrieval
ex. recalling a grocery list

IMPLICIT: memory influences behaviour but no conscious awareness.
ex HM could perform a mirror tracing task, but have no recollection of learning it

31
Q

What is a retrieval que?

A

any stimuli that leads to activation of information stored in long-term

32
Q

What can be said about multiple and self-generated cues

A

both make recalling information easier

multiple involves deeper processing

self-generated hold personal meaning

33
Q

What can be said about distinctiveness of memories?

A

we are much more likely to recall something that stands out from the rest of the memories

ex recalling the word tomato in a list of words about animals

34
Q

What is a flashbulb memories?

A

memories that are vivid and clear like a snapshot in time

does not mean that they are more accurate:

higher emotional response improves accuracy

individuals who were most inaccurate were most sure that they were correct

35
Q

What is the encoding specificity principle?

A

memory is enhanced when conditions present during retrieval match those that were present during encoding

CONTEXT dependent: recreating the environment

STATE dependent: internal state matches (mood and physiology)

36
Q

How do we improve our memory?

A

elaborative rehearsal

link to other info

organize info

overlearn (rehearse far past initial learning)

distribute learning over time

minimize interference (take breaks)

use imagery

37
Q

What two approaches attempt to explain why we forget?

A

DECAY OF MEMORY TRACE:
long-term physical trace in nervous system fades over time with disuse

INTERFERENCE THEORY:
information forgotten because other items in long-term interfere with retrieval

38
Q

what are the two types of interference in interference theory?

A

PROACTIVE interference:
past material interferes with recall of newer material

RETROACTIVE interference:
new information interferes with ability to recall older information

39
Q

What are the two types of amnesia?

A

RETROGRADE amnesia:
memory loss for events before amnesia

ANTEROGRADE amnesia:
memory loss for events after amnesia

40
Q

What is infantile amnesia?

A

memory loss for early childhood experiences

typical for events before ages 3-4

41
Q

What is retrospective memory?

A

memory of past events

42
Q

what is prospective memory?

A

remembering to perform an activity in the future

43
Q

Explain how memory is a constructive process.

A

we piece together bits of information we can recall and add in other pieces

often inaccurate

44
Q

How do schemas affect our recollection of information?

A

they create a perceptual set that we use to organize and reconstruct memories in a way we can understand it

45
Q

What is the misinformation effect?

A

the distortion of a memory by misleading post-event information

46
Q

What is the significance of the misinformation effect?

A

can effect eyewitness testimony

can occur because of source confusion

47
Q

What is a critical issue in children’s memories?

A

SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONING

children are much more susceptible to misleading and suggestive questions

48
Q

What did Lashley spend many years searching for? what is it?

A

ENGRAM: physical trace stored in brain when memory formed

it doesn’t exist, memory is stored throughout the brain

49
Q

What are the three basic approaches to discovering where in the brain are memories?

A

human lesion studies
nonhuman lesion studies
brain-imaging studies

50
Q

What does the hippocampus do in terms of memory?

A

convert STM to LTM

51
Q

What does the cerebral cortex do in terms of memory?

A

encodes information

52
Q

What does the prefrontal cortex do in terms of memory?

A

deep processing

53
Q

What happens to memory if the thalamus is damaged?

A

extensive anterograde and retrograde amnesia

54
Q

What does the amygdala do in terms of memory?

A

controls the emotional aspects of memory

55
Q

What does the cerebellum do in terms of memory?

A

forms procedural memory

psych 101 (7 decks)

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