cognition Flashcards
Levels of Processing Model of Memory
how different types of judgement influence peoples memory
• the theory is that if people engaged in deeper processing of that information when acquired, they would have better memory of it
Primary Effect
we are more likely to recall items at the beginning of a list
Recency Effect
ability to recall items at the end of the list
Serial Position Effect
together, the primary and recency effect demonstrate that their recall is determined by the order of items on the list
Tip-of-the-tongue-Phenomenon
temporary inability to remember information
ex: this would not come in hand when playing jeopardy
Recovered Memory
when individuals claim to suddenly remember events that they have “repressed” for years, often in the process of therapy
Mood-Congruent Memory
there is a greater likelihood of recalling an item/memory when our mood matched the mood we were in when the event happened
Decay Theory
the gradual disappearance of a memory because the memory has not been thought about, or retrieved, from LTM to STM
(idk) theory
memories are either stored in LTM or STM; they are either DEEPLY (elaborately) processed or SHALLOWLY (or maintenance) processed
3 Box Model of Memory
information processing begins in sensory memory, short term/ working memory, and long term memory (LTM)
- Sensory Memory
holds an exact copy of what you are or hear for 1- 4 seconds
- Short term Memory / Working Memory
holds small amounts of information for brief periods of time
• usually fade after 10 - 30 seconds if we do nothing with them
- Long term Memory
our permanent storage. it’s unlimited.
(episodic, semantic, procedural)
Episodic Memory
memories of specific events, stored in a sequential series of events
Semantic Memory
general knowledge of the world, stored as facts, meanings, or categories rather than sequentially
Procedural Memory
memories of skills and how to perform them
Encoding
the process of getting or putting information into the memory system
Maintenance Rehearsal
mental or verbal repeating of a term, resulting in each time recreated increasing the duration of how long an item is stored in STM
Chunking
grouping items in meaningful chunks like acronyms, freeing up space in STM
• (7 +/- 2) => 5 to 9 chunks
Flashbulb Memories
clear memories of emotionally significant moments of events that are processed in the amygdala, which often ties emotion to this information
Explicit Memories
facts like your address, password, etc
Implicit Memories
implies memories, which means you just know how to do it
ex: walking
Meta Cognition
thinking about thinking 🧠
Concepts
similar to schemata, which are cognitive rules that allow us to categorize and think about objects, people, and ideas we encounter (perception)
ex: the concept of mama is different from the concept of papa
Algorithms
a rule that guarantees the right solution by using a formula or foolproof method. its a step by step solution for mathematics similar to a cooking recipe
Heuristic
rule of thumb. a rule that is generally, but not always, true that we can use to make a judgement in a situation
Availability Heuristic
judging a situation based on personal experience
ex: a person may judge their neighborhood to be more dangerous because they are familiar with crimes in their own neighborhood more than new neighborhoods
explanation: your personal experience that’s related to that situation is the only heuristic/judgement available to you at the moment, which explains why you’re using it.
Representativeness Heuristic
judging a situation based on stereotypes
Overconfidence
our tendency to overestimate how accurate our judgements are
Belief Bias
occurs when we made illogical conclusions in order to confirm our predicting beliefs
Confirmation Bias
a tendency for people to favor information that confirms their preconceptions of existing beliefs
Belief Perseverance
our tendency to maintain a belief even after the evidence we used to form the belief is contradicted
basically: delulu
Functional Fixedness
the inability to see a new use for an object
ex: not realized you can use chopsticks as drumsticks
Convergent Thinking
thinking that searches for 1 solution
Divergent Thinking
thinking that searches for multiple possible answers to a question
Framing
the way something is presented can drastically change the way we view a problem or an issue
Relearning Effect
if you have to relearn something you already learned it will take less time to learn it again
Motivated Forgetting
happens when a person intentionally suppresses information
ex: me after this test
Suppression
consciously forgetting information
Repression
unconsciously forgetting information
• according to Freud, even though these memories are not consciously remembered, these memories can still influence a person unconsciously
Interference
sometimes other information in your memory competes with what you are trying to recall
Retroactive Interference
a new memory interferes with you remembering an old memory
ex: learning a new locker combination prevents you from remembering your old locker combination
Proactive Interference
an older memory interferes with you remembering a new memory
ex: you keep dialing your old number which prevents you from learning your new number
Amnesia
severe memory loss. there are two types:
• retrograde amnesia - the inability to form new information
• anterograde amnesia - the inability to form new memories
Context Dependent Memory
information is better remember in context it was coded
ex: you might perform better on the AP test it it was in the same room as your AP class
Mnemonics
memory aids that help organize information
Acronyms
examples of mnemonic devices
Method of Loci
associating an item with an actual place the item is found in can help you remember an entire list of items
ex: grocery list; think of a freezer and what items are normally located there
Phonemes
the smallest basic unit of a sound that can influence the production of speech
ex: the word “bat” contains 3 phonemes: “b,” “a,” and “t”
Morphemes
the smallest unit of meaning in language
• “-ed” is also a morpheme
ex: “opened” has 3 morphemes
Syntax
the rules associated with the organization of a sentence
ex: in English, a verb is always preceded by a noun
Semantics
rules that establish the meaning of a sentence
ex: “where do you want to go?”
Noam Chomsky
THE LANGUAGE GUY
Motivation
refers to an inner state that guides and drives human behavior
Emotions
feelings that are usually accompanied by physiological arousal, cognitive interpretations and related behavioral responses
Instinct Theory
argues that organisms are preprogrammed to engage in behaviors that ensure survival and reproduction
Drive Reduction Theory
based on the premise that organisms seek to obtain some basic biological need that is lacking
Homeostatic - Regulation Theory
takes Drive - Reduction Theory a step further by suggesting that organisms are driven to maintain a steady and balanced internal state. according to this view, the body constantly monitors temperature and nutrient levels
Arousal Theory
argues that individuals are often motivated by a desire to either maintain or increase their level of stimulation or excitement
Incentive Theory
proposes that individuals are motivated by a desire to obtain external incentives such as money, affection, and grades
• these are also called secondary drives (non-biological)
Intrinsic Motivation
engage in behavior for their OWN enjoyment
Extrinsic Motivation
engage in behavior for external rewards / to avoid punishment
Achievement Motivation
argues that individuals are motivated by a desire to accomplish tasks and to excel
