Psychology - Memory Unit

Memory

the ability to take in info, store it, and recall it later

Encoding

the process of converting information into a form that can be stored in memory

Storage/Consolidation

the process of maintaining and stabilizing encoded information over time

Retrieval

the process of accessing stored information when needed

Sensory Memory - Masking

when new sensory input interferes with or replaces earlier sensory memory before it can be processed

STM (Short-Term Memory) (duration, capacity)

memory that lasts about 20–30 seconds with limited capacity (about 5-9 items, often closer to 4–5)

LTM (Long-Term Memory) (duration, capacity)

memory with potentially unlimited duration and capacity

Sensory Memory – Masking

when new sensory input interferes with or replaces earlier sensory memory before it can be processed

George Sperling

psychologist who studied sensory memory using partial report experiments

Iconic Memory

a brief visual sensory memory lasting a fraction of a second

Echoic Memory

a brief auditory sensory memory lasting a few seconds

Hermann Ebbinghaus

psychologist who studied memory and forgetting using nonsense syllables and discovered the forgetting curve

Rote Maintenance Rehearsal

repeating information over and over to keep it in short-term memory

Retrograde Amnesia

loss of memories formed before an injury or event

Anterograde Amnesia

inability to form new memories after an injury or event

Elaborative Rehearsal

linking new information to existing knowledge to store it in long-term memory

Existing Memory

prior knowledge already stored in long-term memory that helps encode new information

Explicit (Conscious) Memory

memory of facts and experiences that can be consciously recalled

Semantic Memory

memory of facts

Episodic Memory

memory of personal experiences and events

Implicit (Procedural) Memory

memory of skills and actions that are performed automatically without conscious awareness

Eyewitness Testimony

a person’s account of an event they witnessed

Memory = Malleable

memory can change over time and be influenced by new information or suggestions

Simple Memories vs Complex Memories

simple memories are basic and easier to recall while complex memories involve multiple details and are more prone to distortion

Context Effect

improved recall when the environment during retrieval matches the environment during encoding

Serial Position Effect

the tendency to remember the first (primacy effect) and last (recency effect) items in a list better than the middle items