Improving Memory

Question 1

Goal of memory

Answer 1

To encode, store, and retrieve information that supports adaptive behavior

Question 2

Method of loci

Answer 2

Mnemonic technique used to associate item to be remembered with locations along a well-known path

Question 3

Elaboration processing

Answer 3

Creating additional information that relates and expands on item to be remembered

Question 4

Deeper processing

Answer 4

Material processed more deeply is better remembered

Question 5

Joshua Foer: difference between memory champions and regular people

Answer 5

More spatial region activation when memorizing, walking around memory palaces

Question 6

Picture superiority effect

Answer 6

Participants remember meaningful interpretations of pictures more so than words

Question 7

Testing effect

Answer 7

Students tested on material and successfully recall or recognize it, they retain it better in future

Question 8

Depth of processing

Answer 8

Items encoded at different levels
Eg. Case, rhyme, sentence
Deeper levels better remembered

Question 9

Challenges to depth of processing

Answer 9

What counts as deeper?
Encoding and retrieval separate?
Encoding specificity effect

Question 10

Encoding specificity effect

Answer 10

Successful retrieval depends on the match between encoding and retrieval
Rhyme encoders retrieve better to rhyme cue than “deeper” sentence cue

Question 11

Flashbulb memory

Answer 11

Phenomenon where some specific emotional or higher arousal events can be remembered in great detail

Question 12

Narrative hypothesis

Answer 12

People involved in stressful events more likely to construct and rehearse narrative of event

Question 13

Challenges to flashbulb memory

Answer 13

Potential for reconstruction over time
9/11 study shows reconstructive memory in all samples where many believed they saw the news the day of the event and not the day after

Question 14

Spreading activation

Answer 14

Proposal that activation spreads from items currently or recently processed to other parts of memory network, activating the memory traces that reside there (ie. attended items can make associated memories more available)

Question 15

Associative priming

Answer 15

Facilitation in access to information when closely related material presented
Study where pairs of words were to be judged sense or nonsense; faster for double positive sense words when words related