AP Psychology memory

Memory

the persistence of learning over time through the storage and retrieval of information

HIPPOCAMPUS

the part of the brain that creates and helps organize memories

Encoding

Taking the information into the memory system

Processing

how we encode information affects how well the information will be stored and be able to be retrieved at a later time.  There are several different types of processing. 

Automatic Processing

unconscious encoding of information such as space, time and well-learned information;  (Implicit)

Effortful Processing

Encoding that requires attention and conscious information; (Explicit)

Deep Processing

making an effort to make information meaningful so it can be easier to access = goal

Semantic Encoding

Encoding of meaning, including the meaning of words = method

Shallow Processing

trying to memorize the basic properties of information without meaning (Pronunciation, Spelling, Basic Order leads to Shorter memory)

Structural Processing

only paying attention to the spelling or the order of the words

Phonemic Processing

only paying attention to the sounds or pronunciations

Storage

The retention or holding onto encoded information over time

Retrieval

The process of getting information out of memory storage

Accessing the information

Recall

Retrieving the information from your memory

(fill in the blank test without a word bank)

Recognition

Identifying the target memory from possible choices

(multiple choice tests)

Elaborative Rehearsal

Giving new information meaning or context to remember it better

Maintenance Rehearsal

Simply repeating something to keep it in your mind for now, but not long term

Chunking

Organizing items into smaller, more manageable units

Hierarchies

grouping information into categories and subcategories in order of importance or amount

Animal ----> Mammal -----> Dog

Mnemonic Devices

tools that help and encode and retrieve information; Often using the first letter of each word to be remembered (Roy G Biv; PEMDAS; King Henry Died By Drinking Chocolate Milk)

Method of Loci

when learning new information, associate it with a familiar location or place; such as your house or a store or school (Picturing which aisle each item on your grocery list is located and then imaging the order in which you will get them)

Spacing Effect

shows that learning and memory are improved when study sessions are spread out

Massed Practice

Cramming everything you need to know into one study session

Distributed Practice

Repeatedly studying information over several sessions (This forces your neurons to actively search out the information in the brain)

Serial Position Effect

People tend to recall the first and last items in a list; and forget the middle

Primacy Effect

Remembering the FIRST items in a list or first experiences more clearly

Recency Effect

Remembering the LAST items in a list or the most recent experiences more clearly

Sensory Memory

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

Iconic memory

a momentary sensory memory of visual stimuli

Echoic memory

a momentary sensory memory of auditory stimuli

SHORT TERM MEMORY (STM)

holds about 7 items for about 20 seconds before it is stored or forgotten

Working Memory

a temporary workspace that allows your brain to hold onto information in order to use it in the moment

Visuospatial Sketchpad

holds visual and spatial information; allowing us to visualize in our mind

Central Executive

helps us to focus our attention and complete tasks

Phonological Loop

actively holds and manipulates verbal and auditory information

Long-term Memory (LTM)

relatively permanent and limitless storehouse of the memory system (Includes knowledge, skills, and experiences)

Long-Term Potentiation (LTP)

A long-lasting change in the structure or function of neuron to help form memories

Explicit memory

Memory for information we can intentionally recall; stored in frontal and temporal lobes

Episodic Memories

Memories for personal events in a specific time and place (your birthday party); stored in frontal and temporal lobes

Semantic Memories

Memory for general facts and concepts not linked to a specific time (trivia); stored in frontal and temporal lobes

Implicit memory

Automatic, subconscious memory; (Riding a bike, knowing the lyrics to a familiar song; dialing a phone; brushing your teeth)

Procedural memories

Motor skills and habits (skipping, typing, jumping, walking)

Cerebellum

coordinates muscle movements and is where procedural memories are stored

Prospective memory

Memory for something you will do in the future

Autobiographical memory

Personal memories; combines your episodic memories with facts about yourself

Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory (HSAM)

very rare; ability to remember dates and events of your own life in great detail

Retrieval Cues

stimuli that helps retrieve information from LTM (Mnemonic Devices, Method of Loci, etc.)

State Dependent Memory

being in the same state of mind may help memory retrieval (being drunk, stressed,sad/INTERNAL)

Context Dependent Memory

being in the same location or situation may help memory retrieval (chewing gum/EXTERNAL)

Mood Congruent Memory

recalling old experiences that happened when you were in a similar mood

Testing Effect

When you test yourself on information (flashcards, quizzes, free recall, practice tests) you strengthen the memory and make future retrieval easier

PROACTIVE INTERFERENCE

a NEW MEMORY IS BLOCKED (Remembering your Middle School Locker combo and not current one.)

RETROACTIVE INTERFERENCE

an OLD MEMORY IS BLOCKED(Remembering the remix of a song and not the original)

Infantile Amnesia

inability of adults to recall episodic memories from their first few years of life (typically before ages 3 to 4 due to underdeveloped hippocampus)

TIP OF THE TONGUE PHENOMENON

when you feel that you know a piece of information—like a word or a name—but you just can’t retrieve it

Ebbinghaus’s forgetting curve

shows that time is a significant factor in forgetting.Forgetting occurs rapidly after initial learning and levels off over time.

Amnesia

Severe memory loss

Anterograde Amnesia

An inability to form new memories (Forgetting things AFTER an accident)

Retrograde Amnesia

An inability to retrieve information from one’s past (Forgetting things BEFORE an accident)

Alzheimer’s Disease

a progressive disorder caused by neuron deteriation; resulting in severe memory loss, dementia, cognitive decline and behavioral changes

Misinformation Effect

When new information affects a previous memory

Source Amnesia

when you remember information but forget where you learned it

Constructive Memory

our memories can be influenced by external details such as pictures, stories and general knowledge which means that memories can be changed or rebuilt, rather than played back like a video.

Memory Consolidation

The process of converting short term memories into long term memories, but can be vulnerable to change in the process.

Imagination Inflation

imagining an event repeatedly increases the likelihood that a person will later believe the event actually happened, but it did not (Often begins in childhood; Mandela Effect)

Framing

The way a question is asked can effect a memory

Metacognition

the higher-order process of "thinking about your own thinking"