Unit 2.3: Introduction to Memory

Flashbulb Memory

a vivid and detailed memory of a highly emotional or significant event

Recall

the ability to retrieve information from memory without external cues or prompts

Sensory Memory

the very brief storage of sensory information (like sights and sounds) for a fraction of a second after the stimulus is gone

Short-Term memory

a memory system that temporarily holds a limited amount of information for about 15–30 seconds unless it is rehearsed or encoded into long-term memory

Long-Term memory

the system that stores information for a long period of time, from minutes to a lifetime, with virtually unlimited capacity

Encoding

The info gets into our brains in a way that allows it to be stored

Storage

the process of maintaining information in memory over time after it has been encoded

Retrieval

Reactivating & recalling the info, producing it in a form similar to how we encoded it

Infantile Amnesia

When the Hippocampus is not fully developed in infants

Working Memory

a memory system that actively holds and manipulates information for short-term cognitive tasks like reasoning, learning, and problem-solving

Long-Term Potentiation

a long-lasting strengthening of synaptic connections between neurons that improves communication and is believed to be a neural basis for learning and memory