Unit 5 - Cognitive Psychology Flashcards
Priming
The activation, often unconsciously of particular association in memory.
Context - Dependent Memory
Individuals remember information better when they are placed in the same place in which the information was learned or experienced.
State - Dependent Memory
Information is best recalled when an individual is in the same physical state as when the information was learned or experienced.
Example: If you have a class in the morning, and your final exam is in the afternoon, you may be in a different physical state than when you actually learned that information. It's best to test under the same physical conditions that you learned the information.
Mood - Congruent Memory
The tendency to recall experiences that are consistent with one’s current mood.
Example -
- Angry: Remembering the times you were angry in.
- Happy: Remembering the times you were enjoying yourself.
Serial Position Effect
Our tendency to recall the last and first items on a list, but find it hard to recall the things in the middle.
Retrieval Cue
A clue or prompt that is used to trigger the retrieval of long-term memory.
Small things that help you remember a certain memory.
What is the capacity of long-term memory?
Our long-term memory capacity is essentially unlimited.
Are our long-term memories processed and stored in specific locations in our brain?
No, memories are not stored intact in the brain in single spots. Many parts of the brain interact as we form and retrieve memories.
Explicit Memory
Involves the recall of previously learned information that requires conscious effort to receive.
What parts of the brain help form explicit memories?
The -frontal lobes- and -hippocampus- are parts of the brain network dedicated to explicit memory formation.
Implicit Memory
Implicit memory is referred to as unconscious memory or automatic memory.
What parts of the brain help form implicit memories?
The -cerebellum- and -basal ganglia- are parts of the brain network dedicated to implicit memory formation.
Hippocampus
The hippocampus, with the help of surrounding areas of cortex, registers and temporarily holds elements of explicit memories before moving them to other brain regions for long-term storage (memory consolidation).
Cerebellum
The cerebellum is important for storing classically conditioned memories.
Basal Ganglia
The basal ganglia are involved in responsible primarily formotor control, as well as other roles such as motor learning, executive functions and behaviors, and emotions.
Long-term potentiation (LTP)
The neural basis for learning and memory.
In LTP, neurons become more efficient at releasing and sensing the presence of neurotransmitters, and more connections develop between neurons.
External cues
Activate associations that help us retrieve memories; this process may occur without our awareness, as it does in priming.
Sensory memory
Sensory memories are stored for a few seconds at most.
They are then reprocessed and associated with a memory that may store in your short-term memory.
Short-term memory
Short-term memory is the capacity to store a small amount of information in mind and keep it readily available for a short period of time.
Long-term memory
Long-term memory refers to the storage of information over an extended period.
Long-term memory can be further subdivided into two different types: explicit (conscious) and implicit (unconscious) memory.
Shallow Processing
Little elaboration with focus on superficial and/or perceptual elements.
Ex: Remembering a word by its font style.
Deep Processing
Focus on the meaning with deeper elaboration.
Ex: Remembering (Encoding) a word by it’s meaning and connecting it pervious things that you’ve learned for easier recognition.
Visual Encoding
Remembering by visual elements.
Example: Remembering a word by it’s color or font.
Acoustic Encoding
Remembering with sound.
Ex: Remembering a word because it rhymed with another word.
Semantic Encoding
Remembering by it’s meaning.
Example: What category does this word belong word?
Which type of encoding would be used in deep processing?
Semantic Encoding
Massed Practice
When we try to encode information all at once.
Example: Cramming while the studying the night before a test.
Distributed practice
When we encode over multiple time periods; the longer the better!
Example: Daily review sessions.
Spacing Effect
Distributed practice –> long-term retention vs. massed practice
Testing Effect
Retrieving information for assessment > Restudying or rereading
