memory 4 Flashcards
define a flashbulb memory
a vivid and enduring memory of a significant or emotionally charged event that is remembered in clarity.
define infantile amnesia
when adults have limited or no recollection of events that occurred before ages 3/4
define the reminiscence bump
- the enhanced memory of events occuring in adolescence typically from ages 10-30
- appear to only be positive memories
what is retention function
shows better memory for the previous 20 years
what is incidental forgetting
forgetting without the intention
what is motivated forgetting
encompasses intentional forgetting and forgetting due to motivations
what is the forgetting curve also known as
retention function
what is the forgetting curve
- forget alot of things rapidly then rate of forgetting slowly declines as time goes on
what are 2 key processes involved in incidental forgetting
- time realted decay
- interference
what is time related decay?
memory traces become weaker over time
what is interference?
disruption due to other related memory traces
what are 2 forms of interference
- retroactive interference
- proactive interference
what is retroactive interference
forgetting due to encoding new traces
what is proactive interference
forgetting due to previous encoding
what did barnes and underwood 1959 find about recall for word lists and 2nd time?
found 2nd list, impairs memory for first list
what did baddeley and hitch 1977 find about rugby players?
- names of teams they could recall over a series of months decreased with number of interviewing games
- found forgetting also due to encountering similar information
in a proactive intereference study by Underwood 1957, what was found about lists of words
- naive students remembered 80% of word-pair items 24 hours later
BUT - students who had 20 plus sessions of word pair items remembered fewer than 20%
SHOWS the more proactive interference the poorer the performance
what is psychogenic amnesia and what causes it
refers to cases where chunks of someones life can be forgotten
- set off by trauma and PTSD
what is retrieval suppression
actively trying to suppress or block the retrieval of specific information leads to temporary difficulty or inhibition in recalling that information