Encoding, Retrieval & Forgetting Flashcards
Learning
processes of acquiring information for mental storage and later use
Forgetting
processes leading to a loss of ability to retrieve previously learned information
Memory trace
a mental representation of stored information
Available vs accessible information
- Available information is the information that is stored in memory
- Accessible information is the information we can actually retrieve
Levels of processing theory Craik & Lockhart
focuses on the depth of processing involved in memory, and predicts the deeper information is processed, the longer a memory trace will last.
structural encoding - shallowing processing
phonemic encoding - moderate processing
semantic encoding - deep processing
Mnemonics
strategies to boost memory, like categorization where you group items together
Method of Loci (Memory palace)
strategy in which familiar route is imagined and the images of the items to be recalled are linked to landmarks on the route
Pegword method
strategy in which items to be recalled are linked by imagery to an already learned sequence list of imaginable words
dual-coding hypothesis
proposes that concrete words can be encoded both verbally and by means of images representing their meaning; in contrast, abstract words can only be coded verbally
encoding specificity principle
if the context at recall is similar to the context at encoding then memory will be enhanced
context-dependent retrieval
occurs if memory is better when the external environment at testing is the same as at learning
Godden & Baddeley diver study
scuba divers learned lists of words either on land or underwater. They were then tested for recall of the words either in the same environment they learned them in or in the opposite environment. The study found that participants recalled more words when the retrieval context matched the learning context, showing that memory performance was influenced by the environmental context in which learning took place.
state dependent learning effect
occurs if the memory is better when internal physiological conditions at learning are reinstated at testing
E.g. learned while drunk and tested in same state improved preformance
mood dependent memory effect
memory is better when mood at learning is reinstated at testing
spacing effect
occurs when material studied on many separate occasions is better learned than material studied in one continuous session even if total study times were equal
deficient processing
the view that massed repetitions lead to deficient processing of the second representation
encoding variability
encoding varies with the context at the study period
proactive interference
occurs when previous learning impairs later learning
retroactive interference
occurs when later learning impairs memory for earlier learning
long term potentiation
the long lasting improvement in signal transmission between two neurons that results from stimulating them at the same time
long term depression
the long-lasting reduction in the effectiveness of the signal transmission between two neurons
retrograde facilitation
the beneficial effect on memory that can be the result of a period of sleep or inactivity following study period, or even the result of taking certain drugs
reconsolidation
process by which old memories become destabilized during retrieval and therefore are susceptible to modifications
retrieval-induced forgetting
an impaired ability to recall some items caused by earlier retrieval of related items
directed forgetting
memory impairment brought about by instructions to forget some items
Think/noThink (TNT)
a memory manipulation in which participants are instructed not to retrieve a memory even when a strong cue is presented. E.g. someone who experienced a traumatic event at school does not want to remember that every time they are at school
Flashbulb memories
Exceptionally clear memories of emotionally significant events, like 9/11. That does not mean they are accurate, 50% of people reported having seen Diana’s crash on TV, but there is no evidence of a film
