Unit 2: Section 2.3, 2.4 and 2.5 Vocab

Question 1

central executive

Answer 1

In Baddeley’s model of working memory, the component responsible for coordinating and controlling cognitive processes, including attention, planning, and decision-making.

Question 2

echoic memory

Answer 2

The sensory memory system responsible for the temporary storage and processing of auditory information, often referred to as “echoes” of sounds.

Question 3

Encoding

Answer 3

The process of transforming sensory input into a form that can be stored in memory.

Question 4

episodic memory

Answer 4

A type of long-term memory that involves the recollection of specific events, situations, and experiences with associated contextual details.

Question 5

explicit memory

Answer 5

Memory of facts and experiences that one can consciously recall and declare, also known as declarative memory.

Question 6

iconic memory

Answer 6

The sensory memory system responsible for the temporary storage and processing of visual information, often referred to as “iconic” images.

Question 7

implicit memory

Answer 7

Memory of skills, procedures, or associations that are expressed through performance or behavior without conscious awareness.

Question 8

long-term memory

Answer 8

The relatively permanent storage of information, including facts, experiences, and skills, with potentially unlimited capacity and duration.

Question 9

long-term potentiation (LTP)

Answer 9

A process of strengthening synaptic connections between neurons, believed to be a cellular mechanism underlying learning and memory.

Question 10

memory

Answer 10

The ability to retain and retrieve information over time, involving encoding, storage, and retrieval processes.

Question 11

Multistore Model of Memory

Answer 11

A model proposed by Atkinson and Shiffrin, describing memory as consisting of three stores: sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory.

Question 12

phonemic processing

Answer 12

type of processing the process of encoding sounds, actual words, and other auditory input for storage and retrieval.

Question 13

phonological loop

Answer 13

A component of working memory responsible for the temporary storage and rehearsal of verbal and auditory information.

Question 14

primary memory system

Answer 14

a momentary sensory memory of auditory stimuli; if attention is elsewhere, sounds and words can still be recalled within 3 or 4 seconds.

Question 15

Procedural Memory

Answer 15

A type of long-term memory involving how to perform different actions and skills.

Question 16

Prospective Memory

Answer 16

Remembering to perform a planned action or recall a planned intention at some future point in time.

Question 17

retrieval

Answer 17

The process of accessing and bringing into consciousness previously stored information from memory.

Question 18

semantic memory

Answer 18

memory for general factual knowledge and concepts, of the kind that endows information with meaning and ultimately allows people to engage in such complex cognitive processes as recognizing objects and using language.

Question 19

semantic processing

Answer 19

The process of encoding the meaning or significance of information into memory, leading to better retention and recall.

Question 20

sensory memory

Answer 20

The brief and initial stage of memory processing where sensory information is briefly registered and preserved in its original sensory form.

Question 21

structural processing

Answer 21

The practice of only encoding the physical qualities of something.

Question 22

visuospatial sketchpad

Answer 22

A component of working memory responsible for the temporary storage and manipulation of visual and spatial information.

Question 23

working memory

Answer 23

A limited-capacity system responsible for the temporary storage and manipulation of information needed for complex cognitive tasks, often referred to as the “mental workspace.”

Question 24

Working Memory Model

Answer 24

a memory model proposed by Baddeley and Hitch the short-term maintenance and manipulation of information necessary for performing complex cognitive tasks such as learning, reasoning, and comprehension.

Question 25

chunking

Answer 25

Organizing information into smaller, more manageable units or chunks to improve memory and processing efficiency.

Question 26

Distributed Practice

Answer 26

A practice schedule that involves intervals of rest between sessions of learning.

Question 27

encoding

Answer 27

the conversion of a sensory input into a form capable of being processed and deposited in memory. Encoding is the first stage of memory processing, followed by retention and then retrieval.

Question 28

hierarchies

Answer 28

A Social structure that organizes ranks people such as in a class system.

Question 29

Massed Practice

Answer 29

A practice schedule in which studying continues for long periods, without interruption.

Question 30

memory consolidation

Answer 30

The process of stabilizing and strengthening newly acquired memories over time through the reorganization of neural circuits.

Question 31

Method of Loci

Answer 31

A mnemonic technique involving the visualization of familiar spatial environments to enhance the recall of information.

Question 32

mneumonics

Answer 32

Memory aids or techniques used to improve encoding and retrieval of information, such as acronyms, rhymes, or visual imagery.

Question 33

Primacy Effect

Answer 33

The tendency to remember the first items in a series better than the middle items.

Question 34

Recency Effect

Answer 34

The tendency to remember the most recently presented information best.

Question 35

serial position effect

Answer 35

The tendency to recall items from the beginning (primacy effect) and end (recency effect) of a list more accurately than items from the middle.

Question 36

spacing effect

Answer 36

The phenomenon where information is better remembered when it is distributed over time with intervals between study sessions, compared to massed practice or cramming.

Question 37

Alzheimer’s Disease

Answer 37

A progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by memory loss, language deterioration, and impaired ability to mentally manipulate visual information.

Question 38

Amnesia

Answer 38

A significant memory loss that is too extensive to be due to normal forgetting.

Question 39

anterograde amnesia

Answer 39

A type of memory impairment characterized by the inability to form new memories after a specific event or injury, while memories from before the event remain intact.

Question 40

Autobiographical Memory

Answer 40

A person’s memory for events and issues related to oneself.

Question 41

flashbulb memory

Answer 41

A vivid and detailed memory of a significant and emotionally charged event, often recalled with high confidence and accuracy.

Question 42

hippocampus

Answer 42

A brain structure located in the limbic system, involved in memory consolidation, spatial navigation, and learning.

Question 43

Infantile Amnesia

Answer 43

The inability to retrieve memories from much before age 3.

Question 44

maintenence rehearsal

Answer 44

repeating items over and over to maintain them in short-term memory, as in repeating a telephone number until it has been dialed.

Question 45

memory retention

Answer 45

refers to the ability to store and recall previously learned information or experiences. It involves holding onto memories over time.

Question 46

Rehearsal

Answer 46

The conscious repetition of information to encode it for storage.

Question 47

retrograde amnesia

Answer 47

Memory loss for events that occurred before a specific event, injury, or trauma.

Question 48

short-term memory

Answer 48

The temporary storage system responsible for holding and manipulating information for brief periods, typically lasting seconds to minutes.