Unit 5 Memory Flashcards
encoding
the processing of information into the memory system—for example, by extracting meaning.
Info –> memory
storage
the retention of encoded
information over time
retrieval
the process of getting
information out of memory storage.
sensory memory
the immediate, very
brief recording of sensory information in
the memory system.
short-term memory
activated memory that holds a few items briefly, such as
the seven digits of a phone number
while dialing, before the information is
stored or forgotten.
long-term memory
the relatively permanent and limitless storehouse of the
memory system. Includes k
working memory
a newer understanding of short-term memory that focuses on conscious, active processing
of incoming auditory and visual-spatial
information, and of information retrieved
from long-term memory.
automatic processing
unconscious encoding of incidental information, such
as space, time, and frequency, and of
well-learned information, such as word
meanings.
effortful processing
encoding that
requires attention and conscious effort.
rehearsal
the conscious repetition of
information, either to maintain it in consciousness or to encode it for storage.
spacing effect
the tendency for distributed study or practice to yield better
long-term retention than is achieved
through massed study or practice.
serial position effect
our tendency to
recall best the last and first items in a list.
visual encoding
the encoding of picture images
acoustic encoding
the encoding of
sound, especially the sound of words
semantic encoding
the encoding of
meaning, including the meaning of
words
imagery
mental pictures; a powerful
aid to effortful processing, especially
when combined with semantic encoding
mnemonics
memory
aids, especially those techniques that
use vivid imagery and organizational
devices.
chunking
organizing items into familiar, manageable units; often occurs
automatically
iconic memory
a momentary sensory
memory of visual stimuli; a photographic
or picture-image memory lasting no
more than a few tenths of a second.
echoic memory
a momentary sensory
memory of auditory stimuli; if attention
is elsewhere, sounds and words can still
be recalled within 3 or 4 seconds.
long-term potentiation (LTP)
an increase in a synapse’s firing potential
after brief, rapid stimulation. Believed to
be a neural basis for learning and memory.
flashbulb memory
a clear memory of
an emotionally significant moment or
event.
amnesia
the loss of memory.
implicit memory
retention independent of conscious recollection. (Also
called nondeclarative memory.)
explicit memory
memory of facts
and experiences that one can consciously know and “declare.” (Also called
declarative memory.)
hippocampus
a neural center that is
located in the limbic system; helps
process explicit memories for storage.
recall
a measure of memory in which
the person must retrieve information
learned earlier, as on a fill-in-the-blank
test
recognition
a measure of memory in
which the person need only identify
items previously learned, as on a
multiple-choice test.
relearning
a measure of memory that
assesses the amount of time saved when
learning material for a second time.
priming
the activation, often
unconsciously, of particular associations
in memory.
déjà vu
that eerie sense that “I’ve
experienced this before.” Cues from the
current situation may subconsciously
trigger retrieval of an earlier experience.
mood-congruent memory
the
tendency to recall experiences that are
consistent with one’s current good or
bad mood.
proactive interference
the disruptive
effect of prior learning on the recall of
new information.
retroactive interference
e the disruptive effect of new learning on the recall of old information.
repression
in psychoanalytic theory,
the basic defense mechanism that
banishes from consciousness anxietyarousing thoughts, feelings, and
memories.
misinformation effect
incorporating
misleading information into one’s memory of an event
source amnesia
attributing to the
wrong source an event we have experienced, heard about, read about, or
imagined. (Also called source misattribution.) Source amnesia, along with the
misinformation effect, is at the heart of
many false memories.
