Memory (Unit A) - Psychology 1101

Vocabulary flashcards covering key memory concepts and terms from Unit A: Memory, its processes, memory systems, encoding strategies, and forgetting/interference.

Memory

Active retention of information or experience over time, resulting from encoding, storage, and retrieval; learning that persists.

Encoding

Taking information in (requires attention) to be stored in memory.

Storage

Retaining information; keeping it active for later use.

Retrieval

Getting information out of memory storage, via recall or recognition.

Recall

Self-generated remembering with no cues (e.g., essay questions).

Recognition

Familiarity-based retrieval that uses retrieval cues (e.g., multiple-choice questions).

Relearning

Learning something more quickly the second time, showing time saved from prior encoding.

3-Stage Model of Memory

Atkinson–Shiffrin model: sensory memory → short-term/working memory → long-term memory.

Sensory Memory

Holding sensory information in its original form for a very brief moment; unlimited capacity; lasts a few milliseconds.

Iconic Memory

Visual sensory memory; a part of sensory memory.

Echoic Memory

Auditory sensory memory; a part of sensory memory.

Short-Term Memory

Temporary storage for immediate use; duration ~30–45 seconds; capacity about 7±2 items.

Working Memory

An updated view of STM that involves manipulating and integrating information with existing knowledge.

Long-Term Memory

Permanent storage with unlimited duration and capacity for knowledge and experiences.

Encoding Automatic Processing

Unconscious encoding that leads to implicit memory (without deliberate effort).

Implicit Memory

Memory without conscious recall, including procedural skills and conditioned responses.

Explicit Memory

Memory with conscious recall of facts and experiences (declarative).

Declarative Memory

Explicit memory for facts and events.

Procedural Memory

Implicit memory for how to perform tasks and skills.

Shallow Processing

Encoding at a basic level, focusing on surface features (e.g., appearance of a word).

Deep Processing

Encoding based on meaning and connections to other concepts; enhances retention.

Self-Reference Effect

Better memory when information is made personally relevant.

Chunking

Grouping information into meaningful units to reduce cognitive load.

Mnemonics

Encoding techniques using imagery or organization to improve memory.

ROYGBIV

A mnemonic for the colors of the rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet).

Spacing Effect

Distributing study sessions over time improves long-term retention.

Encoding Specificity Principle

Memory is encoded with its context; retrieval is easier when context matches encoding.

Context-Dependent Memory

Recall is better in the same environment where learning occurred.

Mood-Congruency / State-Dependence

Memory is enhanced when the internal state (mood or arousal) during recall matches learning.

Semantic Memory

Memory for general facts and knowledge.

Episodic Memory

Memory for personal events and experiences.

Flashbulb Memory

Vivid, confident memories of emotionally significant events; may be inaccurate.

Consolidation

Process of strengthening memories through practice and sleep (can be explicit or implicit).

Long-Term Potentiation

Neural mechanism: repeated activation strengthens synaptic connections.

Retrieval Practice Effect

Memory improves with retrieval practice (testing), not just re-reading.

Serial Position Effect

Enhanced recall for items at the beginning (primacy) and end (recency) of a list.

Primacy

Enhanced recall of items at the start of a list due to more attention and rehearsal.

Recency

Enhanced recall of items at the end of a list due to being in short-term memory.

Retroactive Interference

New information interferes with the recall of older information.

Proactive Interference

Old information interferes with the encoding of new information.

Encoding Failures

Not all information is encoded well in the first place, so it is not stored.

Decay Theory

Memories fade with disuse; “use it or lose it.”

Retrograde Amnesia

Inability to retrieve memories from before a traumatic event.

Anterograde Amnesia

Inability to form new long-term memories after an event.

Motivated Forgetting

Trauma or arousal can disrupt encoding; repression is a rare mechanism.

Repression

Blocking painful memories, often linked to stress hormones; rare occurrence.

Reconsolidation

Retrieved memories become re-stored and can be altered; not exact replicas of original encoding.

Misinformation Effect

Post-event information can distort memory of the original event.

Source Amnesia

Misattributing the source of a memory (where/when it was encoded).

Déjà vu

Feeling of having already experienced a situation; triggered by retrieval cues.

Schemas

Mental frameworks that organize knowledge and influence encoding and retrieval.

Retrieval Cues

Hints or signals that help trigger memory recall.