Memory Concepts and Theories

These flashcards cover key concepts related to memory theories, types of memory, cognitive psychology terms, and significant psychological effects.

Prospective memory

remembering to do things in the future

Phonological loop

holds and retains verbal information. rehearsal. uniquely human characteristic. thought to evolve for learning of new languages.

Mental set

a tendency to approach a problem in one particular way, often a way that has been successful in the past

Proactive interference

the disruptive effect of prior learning on the recall of new information

Working memory model

describes short-term memory as a system with multiple components; suggests that short-term memory is dynamic and multifaceted

Availability heuristic

estimating the likelihood of events based on their availability in memory; if instances come readily to mind (perhaps because of their vividness), we presume such events are common

Functional fixedness

the tendency to perceive an item only in terms of its most common use

Prototypes

a mental image or best example of a category

Alzheimer’s disease

a progressive and irreversible brain disorder characterized by gradual deterioration of memory, reasoning, language, and, finally, physical functioning

Executive functions

higher order thinking processes that include planning, organizing, inhibition, and decision-making

Retrograde amnesia

an inability to retrieve information from one's past

Algorithms

very specific, step-by-step procedures for solving certain types of problems

Procedural memory

a type of implicit memory that involves motor skills and behavioral habits

Gambler’s fallacy

the belief that the odds of a chance event increase if the event hasn't occurred recently

Episodic memory

the collection of past personal experiences that occurred at a particular time and place

Metacognition

awareness and understanding of one's own thought processes

Method of loci

A mnemonic technique that involves associating items on a list with a sequence of familiar physical locations

g (general intelligence)

hypothetical factor that accounts for overall differences in intellect among people

Storage

the retention of encoded information over time

Memory consolidation

the gradual, physical process of converting new long-term memories to stable, enduring memory codes

Apparent movement

An illusion of movement perception that occurs when stimuli in different locations are flashed one after another with the proper timing

Relative size

a monocular cue for perceiving depth; the smaller retinal image is farther away

Working memory

a newer understanding of short-term memory involving conscious, active processing

Constructive memory

memory that utilizes knowledge and expectations to fill in missing details

Accommodation

adapting our current understandings (schemas) to incorporate new information

Gestalt psychology

a psychological approach that emphasizes that we often perceive the whole rather than the sum of the parts

Recency effect

tendency to remember recent information better than earlier information

Long-term potentiation

gradual strengthening of the connections among neurons from repetitive stimulation

Assimilation

interpreting our new experiences in terms of our existing schemas

an inability to form new memories a network of associated facts and concepts that make up general knowledge

Semantic memory

Creativity

the ability to produce novel and valuable ideas

Perceptual set

a mental predisposition to perceive one thing and not another

Aptitude tests

tests designed to predict future performance

Serial position effect

our tendency to recall best the last and first items in a list

Implicit memory

hippocampus

Bottom-up processing

analysis that begins with sensory receptors and works up to the brain

Explicit memory

memory of facts and experiences that can be consciously known

Shallow encoding

encoding based on sensory characteristics

Testing effect

enhanced memory after retrieving rather than rereading information