psych Flashcards
Memory
the cognitive capacity to store, encode, and retrieve info
step in memory
encoding>storage>retrieval
Encode
entering info into memory
storage
storing the info
retrieval
recalling the info
serial position effect
the order in which we see a list affect our ability to remember them
primacy effect
we remember the first word better
recency effect
we remember the last work best
selective attention
focusing on a specific aspect of experience while ignoring others
divided attention
concentrating on more than one activity at a time
sustained attention
the ability to focus on a specific thing for a long time
levels of processing
shallow, intermediate, deep
shallow
physical and perceptual features
intermediate
stimulus is recognized and labeled
deep
meaningful symbolic characteristics are recalled (feelings or experiences associated with the stimulus)
elaboration
forming connections around a stimulus at a given level of encoding
atkinson-shiffrin theory
memory storage is separated into sensory, short-term, and long-term
sensory memory
sight, sounds, feelings, smells, and tastes are encountered but often only held for an instant
echoic memory
sound
iconic memory
sight
short-term memory
when info is only retained for up to 30 sec unless external aids are used
the magic 7±2
we are able to keep track of 7 plus or minus 2 items without external aid
chunking
grouping info together so that they can be remembered as one unit (FBI, CIA, etc)
working memory
a combination of stm and attention that allow us to retain info temporarily while performing tasks
long-term memory
a permanent memory that holds a lot of info for a long time
explicit memory
memories we are aware of
semantic memory
everything in mental storage (trivia or facts), occurs in the prefrontal cortex
episodic memory
info that comes from experience (riding a bike), occurs in the hippocampus
implicit memory
memories we aren’t aware of
procedural memory
memory for skills
priming
activating info that is in storage to help retain new info better and faster
recall
when we must retrieve previously learned information info (essay test)
recognition
when we must identify learned info (multiple-choice tests)
encoding specificity principle
info that is present at the time of encoding is helpful at retrieving
context dependent memory
we remember better when we attempt to recall info in the same context as when we learned it
autobiographical memory
our recollections of our own life
flashbulb memory
memories of emotionally significant events are easier to remember than everyday events
motivated forgetting
when we forget something because it is too painful to remember
forgetting
occurs from encoding or retrieval failures
hermann ebbinghaus’s forgetting curve
most forgetting happens soon after we learn something
inference theory
we forget because other info gets in the way, not because the info is lost
proactive inference
when previously known info disrupt the recall of info recently learned
retroactive interference
when recently learned info disrupts the retrieval of previously learned info
decay theory
a neurochemical memory trace forms when we learn something but it decays over time
tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon
when we are confident we know something but can’t remember it
Amnesia
the loss of memory
anterograde amnesia
affects the retention of new info and events
