Final Flashcards
Consolidation
achieved through some aspect of protein synthesis and neural reorganization
the fact that we are still processing our memory for a chunk of time before it is transferred into long term memory is evidenced in RETROGRADE AMNESIA: a blow to the head can interrupt the process of consolidation for events that happened 1-2 hours before the accident occurred, memory for events during this time period are lost
Retrieval
storage is not enough; we must be able to access the memory when needed
processing from LTM to working memory
inadequate coding leads to a failure to retrieve
with an adequate retrieval cue, sometimes we can realize that encoding wasn’t the problem at all
Maintenance Rehersal
Maintains information but does not transfer it to the LTM. Thinking about the material in a mechanical uninteresting way, repetition leads to poor memory
Elaborative Rehersal
Transfers information to LTM. Thinking about the material in terms of meaning, relating the items to each other and to what one already knows – making connections it leads to good memory
shallow vs. deep processing
shallow processing: engages with the information in a relatively superficial way
deep processing: engages with the information in a more meaningful way
depth processing
The Level of Processing Theory : Craik and Lockheart
Deep processing: close attention is paid to meaning (good memory)
Shallow Processing: little attention is paid to meaning (poor memory)
There are different levels of processing memory
the depth of processing promotes recall by facilitating later retrieval
consider learning as a way to establish indexing, a path to the information
connections between to-be-remembered items facilitates retrieval
state-dependent learning
Internal – you recall more information when you are in the same state as when learned information
new material is most likely to be recalled when the person is in the same mental, emotional, or biological state as when the material was learned
context reinstatement
recreating the context that was present during learning will improve memory performance
Encoding Specificity
refers to the tendency, when memorizing, to place in memory both the materials to be learned as well as the context of those materials
as a result, materials will be recognized as familiar later on only if they appear again in a similar context
best recall when encoding in same location
Script Reproduction
Script reproduction is the experimental paradigm of having participants read a story and then have them try to reproduce the story back as completely as possible. They may be asked one or more times to examine how their memory of the story changes with time. Bartlett’s “war of the ghosts” mentioned in lecture and the text used this paradigm
own script influences the interpretation of the story
retrieval cues and paths
connections between newly acquired material and representations already in memory serve as retrieval paths
a retrieval cue is anything that helps access the right information stored in long-term memory
it is easier to recognize than recall information
according to the encoding specificity principle, any stimulus encoded along with an experience can later trigger the memory of the experience
testing effect
enhanced performance due to the retrieval practice
organization in memory
Scripts: the conception of the sequence of actions that describe a particular activity. For example, the sequence of events that are associated with going to class would be a “going to class script”
self-reference effect
a tendency to have better memory for information relevant to oneself than for other sorts of material
generation effect
generating material yourself rather than receiving it
