AP Psych Unit 2.3-2.6

Explicit Memory

Information you can consciously recall and explain to someone else

Episodic Memory

Memories of personal experiences or specific events

Semantic Memory

Memories of facts, concepts, and general knowledge

Implicit Memory

Memories that are unconscious and harder to verbalize

Procedural Memory

Memories that help us remember how to perform skills and routines

Prospective Memory

remembering to do things in the future

Long-term Potentiation

Repeated activation of certain neural pathways makes those connections stronger over time.

Working Memory Model

An explanation of the memory used when working on a task. The brains primary system for holding and processing information while we use it.

Visuospatial Sketchpad

holds visual and spatial information

Phonological Loop

the part of working memory that holds and processes verbal and auditory information

Central Executive

the part of working memory that directs attention and processing

Episodic Buffer

a storage component of working memory that combines the images and sounds from the other two components into one meaningful piece.

Multi-store Model

Explanation of memory that sees information flowing through a series of storage systems

Sensory Memory

the immediate, very brief recording of sensory information in the memory system

Iconic Memory

visual sensory memory

Echoic Memory

auditory sensory memory

Automatic Processing

unconscious encoding of incidental information, such as space, time, and frequency, and of well-learned information, such as word meanings

Effortful Processing

encoding that requires attention and conscious effort

Levels of Processing Model

Encoding

The process of getting information into memory so it can be stored and retrieved later on

Mnemonic Device

Connecting new information to something familiar

Chunking

When information is organized into groups or categories to help reduce the load on your working memory

Distributed Practice

spacing the study of material to be remembered by including breaks between study periods

Memory Consolidation

Process where our brains convert short-term memory into long-term memory

Serial Position Effect

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

Storage

The creation of a permanent record of the encoded information.

Maintenance Rehearsal

Straight repeating of information in order to memorize it. Prolongs its presence in short term memory

Elaborative Rehearsal

Involves connecting new information to what you already know. Creates a memorable association between the new information and something you already know.

Autobiographical Memory

the memory for events and facts related to one's personal life story

Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory

Autobiographical memory capacity possessed by some people who can remember personal experiences that occurred very early in their lives

Anterograde Amnesia

an inability to form new memories after an amnesia-inducing event

Retrograde Amnesia

an inability to retrieve information that happened before an amnesia-inducing event

Alzheimer's Disease

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

Retrieval

The calling back of stored information on demand when it's needed

Recall

Being able to access the information without being cued

-Fill in the blank questions without word banks

-Free response questions

Recognition

Identifying information after experiencing it again

-Multiple choice tests

Context Effect

the tendency to recover information more easily when the retrieval occurs in the same setting as the original learning of the information

-Ex: Returning to the home you grew up in and remembering events that occurred there

State-Dependent Memory

The theory that information learned in a particular state of mind is more easily recalled when in that same state of mind.

-Ex: If you are caffeinated while learning the information, you will be able to recall it better if you are also caffeinated then.

Mood-Congruent Memory

Memories that are more easily recalled with a persons current mood

-Ex: More likely to recall memories made while you are upset when you're in an upset mood

Retrieval Practice

the strategy of recalling facts, concepts, or events from memory in order to enhance learning. The act of retrieving something from your memory actually strengthens the connections holding it there. (Long-term potentiation)

Testing Effect

The finding that long-term memory is increased when some of the learning period is devoted to retrieving the to-be-remembered information through testing with proper feedback.

Metacognition

"Thinking about thinking" or the ability to evaluate a cognitive task to determine how best to accomplish it, and then to monitor and adjust one's performance on that task.