Chapter 8 - Memory Flashcards
three basic types of memory
sensory, working, long-term
system for filing and retrieving information
memory
memory in which information for short term use is stored
working memory
memory lasting no more than a few seconds, impression of sensory stimulus stored
sensory memory
memory in which information that can last a lifetime is stored
long term memory
process by which sensory information is converted into storable form
encoding
process by which encoded information is placed in memory
storage
inability to retrieve previously stored information
forgetting
process by which previously stored information is moved from long-term memory to working memory
retrieval
parts of the brain that make up sensory memory, each sense has one
sensory registers
parts of brain active during creation of sensory memory
visual cortex, audio cortex, sensory cortex, frontal lobe (to some extent)
types of sensory memory
iconic memory involves visual stimuli
echoic memory involves auditory stimuli
ability to recall detailed images vividly after looking at them for a short period of time
eidetic memory
applying the mind to a sense or thought
attention
process of encoding that involves paying specific attention to the information being remembered
conscious encoding
process of encoding that does not involve any deliberate thought or action
unconscious coding
process of encoding images / sounds / meaning
visual encoding / auditory encoding / semantic encoding
process of organizing large pieces of information into smaller pieces
chunking
process of repeating information with the intent of learning it
rote rehersal
ability to recall information given first when given a list of things to remember
primacy effect
ability to recall information in a list depending on its position
serial position effect
ability to recall information most recently stored when given a list of things to remember
recency effect
type of encoding interference in which information is never actually stored due to lack of attention
pseudoforgetting
type of forgetting in which person is specifically told to forget something
cued forgetting
memories of which a person is consciously aware
explicit memories
memories of which a person is not consciously aware
impilicit memories
containing factual and conceptual information that is not directly linked to life events
semantic
process of activating associations in memory just before starting a certain task; used to prove existence of implicit memory
priming
memories in which a person remembers an entire sequence of events
episodic memories
type of memory consisting of learned habits and skills
procedural memory
process in which an implicit memory forms because of repeated exposure to a stimulus that causes a reaction in a person
conditioning
process in which repeated exposure to a stimulus reduces response to that stimulus
habituation
diminishing of conditioned response, most often through removal of the reinforcement associated with it
extinction
process by which person gives meaning to information for the purpose of storing it in long-term memory
elaborative rehearsal
memory aids that give rhyme or reason to lists or other pieces of information
mnemonics
memories that are immediately stored in long term memory and that are caused by emotional events
flashbulb memories
level of processing in which a word’s sound or appearance is encoded
shallow processing
level of processing in which a word’s meaning is encoded
deep processing
part of brain involved in processing explicit memories, recognizing and recalling long-term memories, and conditioning
hippocampus
part of the brain involved in conditioning and forming procedural memories and habits related to movement
cerebellum
area between neurons across which nerve impulses travel
synapse
set of interconnected structures in brain involved in forming procedural memories and habits related to movement
basal ganglia
major biological basis for memory
long term potentiation
process of matching an external stimulus to a stored memory
recognition
process of retrieving a stored memory in the absence of external stimuli
recall
easier to retrieve info when it is in the same context as when it was encoded
context effect
stimulus that helps retrieve info from memory
retrieval clue
stored memory that is more easily retrieved when in the same state of mind as when it was encoded
state-dependent memory
phenomenon in which previously learned information interferes with ability to recall new info
proactive interference
phenomenon in which new info interferes with recalling previously learned info
retroactive interference
graphical representation of how quicly a person tends to forget info
forgetting curve
state in which a person’s fight or flight response is fully activated
hypervigilance
law that performance generally peaks with moderate level of arousal
Yerkes-Dodson law
phenomenon in which many memories fade over time
storage decay
memory loss characterized by inability to form new long-term memories
anteretrograde amnesia
memory loss characterized by loss of past memories
retrograde amnesia
phenomenon in which you remember info but forget or misrember where it came from
source amnesia
three sins of forgetting
absent-mindedness (attention problem), transience (storage decay), blocking (retrieval failure)
three sins of distortion
misattribution (source amnesia), suggestibility (create false memories), bias (memories favor personal biases over accuracy)
one sin of intrusion
persistence (of genuine and false memories, PTSD)
sin categories of Daniel Schacter
forgetting (absent-mindedness, transience, blocking)
distortion (misattribution, suggestibility, bias)
intrusion (persistence)
types of forgetting
pseudoforgetting, cued forgetting
Organization of long-term memory
explicit memories (consciously aware); semantic & episodic memories implicit memories (not consciously aware); procedural memories & conditioning
encoding method that makes connections between new information and information we already know
elaborative rehearsal
levels of processing
shallow processing (word's sound or appearance) deep processing (word's meaning)
part of brain largely responsible for processing explicit memories / implicit memories
hippocampus
hippocampus, cerebellum, basal ganglia
why do we forget things
interference (proactive, retroactive) and storage decay
