Psychology 101 - Memory Flashcards

Flashcards for Psychology 101, Chapter 8 - Memory, covering terms, concepts, theories, and topics for exam preparation based on lecture notes.

Confabulation

A memory disturbance where a person unknowingly creates or invents memories, either to fill in gaps in recall or to distort past events.

Implicit Memory

A type of memory that does not require conscious recall; it involves skills and habits (procedural memory) and is often demonstrated through performance.

Explicit Memory

A type of memory that requires conscious recall of facts (semantic memory) and personal experiences (episodic memory).

Recall

A method of memory retrieval where a person must produce information without cues or prompts, such as in a fill-in-the-blank test.

Recognition

A method of memory retrieval where a person identifies previously learned information from a set of options, such as in a multiple-choice test.

Priming

A phenomenon in which exposure to one stimulus influences a response to a subsequent stimulus, without conscious awareness.

Relearning Method

Assesses memory by measuring how much faster a person relearns material that has been previously learned.

Consolidation

The process by which memories become stable in the brain.

Long-Term Potentiation

A persistent strengthening of synapses based on recent patterns of activity; it's a neural mechanism for learning and memory.

Encoding

The process of transforming information into a form that can be stored in memory.

Elaborative Rehearsal

A memory technique that involves thinking about the meaning of the new information and relating it to information already stored in memory.

Maintenance Rehearsal

A memory technique that involves repeating information over and over to keep it active in short-term memory.

Mnemonics

Memory aids or techniques that use vivid imagery and organizational devices to improve encoding and recall.

Decay Theory

The theory that memories fade over time due to the passage of time and lack of use.

Replacement

A theory suggesting that new information overwrites or replaces old information in memory.

Proactive Interference

Occurs when prior learning disrupts the recall of new information.

Retroactive Interference

Occurs when new learning disrupts the recall of old information.

Cue-Dependent Forgetting

Forgetting that occurs when the appropriate retrieval cues are not available.

State-Dependent Forgetting

Forgetting that occurs when internal cues (e.g., mood, physical state) at the time of encoding do not match the internal cues present at the time of retrieval.

Mood-Congruent Memory

The tendency to recall experiences that are consistent with one's current mood, whether good or bad.

Childhood Amnesia

The inability of adults to recall autobiographical memories from early childhood, typically before the age of two.

Sensory Memory

The initial stage of memory that briefly holds a large amount of sensory information.

Short-Term Memory

A temporary storage system that holds a limited amount of information for a short period of time.

Long-Term Memory

The relatively permanent and limitless storehouse of the memory system.