Memory Test Key Terms Flashcards
Memory
the retention of information or experience over time as the result of three key processes, encoding, storage, and retrieval
encoding
first step of memory
-process by which information gets into memory storage
does it take effort to encode
yes
divided attention
concentrating on more than one activity at the same time
sustained attention
-vigilance
-the ability to maintain attention to a selected stimulus for a prolonged period of time
levels of processing
a continuum of memory processing from shallow to intermediate to deep,
-deeper processing = the better the memory
shallow level processing
nothing but physical features
intermediate level processing
gives a stimulus a label (reading the word ‘mom’ )
deepest level processing
thinking about the meaning of a stimulus
-what something means to you
elaboration
the formation of a number of different connections around a stimulus at any given level of memory encoding
self-reference
relating material to your own experience
storage
the retention of information over time and how this information is represented in memory
atkinson-shiffrin theory
theory stating that memory storage involves three seperate systems, sensory memory, short-term memory, long-term memory
sensory memory
memory system that involves holding information from the world in its original sensory form for only an instant
echoic memory
refers to auditory sensory memory and it is retained for up to several seconds
iconic memory
visual sensory memory, only retained for about a 1/4 of a second
short-term memory
limited-capacity memory system in which information is usually retained for only as long as 30 sec. unless the individual uses strategies to retain it longer
memory span
refers to the number of digits an individual can report back, in order, after a single presentation of them
chunking
involves grouping or packing information that exceeds the 7+or- 2 memory span into higher and order units that can be remembered as single units
rehersal
the conscious repeitiion of information
-doesnt work for retention of long-term
working memory
includes short-term memory and attention, that allow individuals to hold information temporarily as they complete tasks
-work bench essentially
the phonological loop
specialized to briefly store speech-based information about the sounds of language
the visuo-spatial sketch pad
stores visual and spatial information, including visual imagery
-limited capacity
the central executive
integrates information not only from the phonological loop and the visuo-spatial sketchpad, but also from long-term memory
long-term memory
a relatively permanent type of memory that stores huge amounts of information for a long period of time
explicit memory
the conscious recollection of information, such as specific facts or events and, at least in humans, information that can be verbally communicated
episodic memory
the retention of information about the where, when, and what of life’s happening
-ex. your first date, what you ate for breakfast this morning
sematic memory
a person’s knowledge about the world, including his or her areas of expertise or general knowledge
-knowledge of chess, geometry, Lady Gaga
implicit memory
memory in which behavior is affected by prior experience without a conscious recollection of that experience
-ex. skills to play tennis, or go snowboarding
3 parts of implicit memory
- procedural memory
- priming
- classical condition
2 parts of explicit memory
- episodic memory
- semantic memory
procedural memory
memory for skills
-ex. typing you know where the keys are without having to think hard about it
priming
the activation of information that people already have in storage to help them remember new information better and faster
classical conditioning
involves automatic learning of association between stimuli, so that one can evoke the same response as the other
-liking the person sitting next to you because they are around you when you feel good
schema
preexisting mental concept that helps people to organize and interpret information
-influences encoding
script
schema for an event
-the details of what is happening
-helps to organize in storage to make retrieval easier
connectionism or (PDP)
the theory that memory is stored throughout the brain in connections among neurons, several of which may work together to process a single memory
frontal lobes
(episodic)
amygdala
(emotional memories)
temporal lobes
(explicit memory and priming)
hippocampus
(explicit memory and priming)
cerebellum
(implicit memory)
retrieval
the memory process that occurs when information that was retained in memory comes our of storage
serial position effect
the tendency to recall the items at the beginning and end of a list more readily than the middle
primacy effect
refers to better recall for items at the beginning of a list
recency effect
refers to better recall for items at the end of a list
recall
a memory task in which an individual has to retrieve previously learned information
recognition
memory task in which the individual only has to identify learned items
-ex. multiple choice test
encoding specifity principle
states that information present at the time of encoding or learning tends to be effective as a retrieval cue
- ex. not recognizing a teacher outside of the classroom
context-dependent memory
people remember better when they attempt to recall information in the same context in which they learned it
false memories
occur when people remember something that never actually happened
auto-biographical memories
-memories about your life
-contains 3 levels
-1 being the largest with years and decades
reminiscense bump
the effect that adults remember more events from the second and third decades of life than from other decades (early 20 to 30s)
general events
such as trip you took with your friends from highschool
event-specifc knowledge
such as first time jet skiing on the post graduation trip
flashbulb memory
memory of emotionally significant events , vivid
-when child was born, 9/11
repression
defense mechanism by which a person is so traumatized by an event that they forget it and then forget the act of forgetting it
motivated forgetting
forgetting that occurs when something is so painful or anxiety-laden that remembering is intolerable
discovered memories
idea developed by psychologist Johnathan Schooler, states that recovered memories are this because regardless of their accuracy, individuals do experience them as real
encoding failure
occurs when information was never entered into long-term memory
interference theory
people forget not because memories are lost from storage but because other information gets in the way of what they want to remember
proactive interference
old information interfere with new information
retroactive interference
new information interferes with the old information
decay theory
states that when an individual learns something new, a neurochemical memory trace forms, but over time this trace disintegrates
-passage of time = forgetting
retrospective memory
remembering information from the past
prospective memory
remembering information about doing something in the future, includes memory for intention
-your intentions and rembering having those intentions
time-based prospective memory
our intention to engage in a give behavior after a specified amoutn of time has gone by
event-based prospective memory
we enages in intended behavior when some external event or cue elicits it
amnesia
the loss of memory
anterograde amnesia
a memory disorder that affects the retention of new information
retrograde amnesia
memory loss for a segment of the past buy not for new events
