AP Psych Unit 5 Vocab

Algorithm

A defined set of step by step procedures that provides the correct answer to a particular problem

Antegrade amnesia

a type of memory loss that occurs when you can't form new memories

Automatic processing

Any information processing that occurs involuntarily and without conscious intention or control

Availability heuristic

our tendency to think that whatever is easiest for us to recall should provide the best context for future predictions

Babbling stage

A very early stage of language development, in which children spontaneously produce all sorts of sounds

Chunking

the process by which the mind divides large pieces of information into smaller units (chunks) that are easier to retain in short-term memory

Concept

an understanding of a subject or object retained in the mind from experience, reasoning, or imagination

Conformation bias

the tendency of people to favor information that confirms their existing beliefs or hypotheses

Convergent Thinking

a form of deductive reasoning whereby a human can identify a singular solution after evaluating all available solutions

Deep processing

encodes semantically, based on actual meaning associated with the word

Divergent thinking

a thought process or method used to generate creative ideas by exploring many possible solutions

Echoic memory

a type of sensory memory that registers and temporarily holds auditory information (sounds)

Effortful processing

Active processing of information that requires sustained effort

Encoding

the conversion of a sensory input into a form capable of being processed and deposited in memory

Explicit memory

the conscious, intentional recollection of factual information, previous experiences, and concepts

Flashbulb memory

An accurate vivid long lasting memory for the circumstances surrounding learning about a dramatic event

Grammer

The set of rules a language obeys for creating words and sentences

Iconic memory

the storage for visual memory that allows people to visualize an image after the physical stimulus is no longer present

Implicit memory

a form of long-term memory that doesn't require any conscious retrieval

Linguistic deterinism

Concept that language and its structures limit and determine human knowledge or thought

Long-term memory

unlimited storage information to be maintained for long periods, even for life

Long-term potentiation

the ability of brain cells to retain how frequently they send signals to other brain cells

Memory

The faculty of encoding, storing, and retrieving information

Mental set

the tendency to stick to solutions that have worked for you in the past when trying to solve a problem

Misinformation effect

when our memory for past events is altered after exposure to misleading information

Mnemonics

a tool that helps you remember an idea or phrase with a pattern of letters, numbers, or relatable associations

Mood-congruent memory

when you can remember something that's happened to you if the memory is matching your current state

Morpheme

The smallest units of speech that convey meaning; meaningful units of sound

One-word stage

the growth period, between around 10 and 18 months or age, whenever kids employ one term at a time

Phoneme

the smallest units of sound that are recognizable as human speech and make words distinct from one another

Prototype

the BEST example or cognitive representation of something within a certain category

Representativeness Heuristic

a mental shortcut that we use when estimating probabilities

Retrieval

the process of recovering or locating information stored in memory

Retrograde amnesia

a loss of memory-access to events that occurred or information that was learned in the past

Serial position effect

the psychological tendency to remember the first and last items in a list better than those in the middle

Shallow processing

Encoding information on basic auditory or visual levels, based on the sound, structure or appearance of a word

Short-term memory

the memory systems in the brain involved in remembering pieces of information for a short period of time, often up to 30 seconds

Source amnesia

the inability to recall where, when, or how one has learned knowledge that has been acquired and retained

Spacing effect

demonstrates that learning is more effective when study sessions are spaced out

Storage

the state of an item that is retained in memory, after encoding and before retrieval

Two-word stage

between approximately 18 and 24 months of age, during which children use two words at a time when speaking

Working memory

a form of memory that allows a person to temporarily hold a limited amount of information at the ready for immediate mental use