Human Memory and Encoding

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers the initial processes of memory, the nature of attention, and various levels and methods of encoding based on the lecture transcript.

Encoding

The process of getting information into memory.

Attention

Focused awareness on a narrow range of stimuli or events that acts as a filter to screen out stimulation.

Cocktail party phenomenon

Also known as the cocktail party effect, it occurs when an individual in a crowded room automatically attunes to specific information

e.g. Their own name.

Divided attention

The attempt to split attention across multiple tasks, which effectively divides $100\%$ attention into smaller segments, such as $50\%$ for each task.

Levels of protein

A term used in the transcript to refer to levels of processing, representing how much attention is devoted to stimuli to create shallow, intermediate, or deep memory codes.

Structural encoding

A shallow level of processing that emphasizes the physical structure of the stimuli, such as words written in capital letters.

Phonetic encoding

An intermediate level of processing that emphasizes what a word sounds like, often involving phonetic primes such as rhyming.

Semantic encoding

A deep level of processing that emphasizes the meaning of verbal input by placing it in a linguistic or meaningful context.

Elaboration

The process of enriching encoding by linking stimuli to other information at the time of encoding.

Visual imagery

The use of mental pictures as an aid for memory, providing a second type of memory code to enhance recall.

Dual-coding theory

A theory suggesting that memory is enhanced by forming both semantic (meaning) and visual codes for information.

Self-referent encoding

A method of elaborating or enriching the encoding process by determining how information is personally relevant to an individual.

ADHD

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, a condition involving attention problems that are often misidentified as memory problems in children such as Ethan, a bright $9\,\text{years of age}$ student.

Serial processing

The concept that human attention is designed to handle tasks one after another rather than in parallel.