LCB Exam 3

These flashcards cover the key concepts and details related to the types of long-term memory, memory processes, and factors affecting memory encoding as discussed in the lecture.

What are the two main types of declarative/explicit memory?

Episodic memory and semantic memory.

What does episodic memory involve?

Recall of personal experiences and events.

What does semantic memory refer to?

Knowledge of facts and information.

What is an example of procedural memory?

Knowing how to ride a bicycle.

What is the effect of spacing on memory encoding?

Spaced presentations lead to better long-term retention than massed presentations.

What is the generation effect in memory?

Material you can generate yourself is easier to remember.

What does the remember/know procedure help distinguish?

Between episodic and semantic memory.

What is the isolation effect?

Distinctive items are better remembered than non-distinctive ones.

What is the significance of the autobiographical interview?

It assesses the richness and detail of episodic memories.

What impact does aging have on episodic memory?

Older adults may lose vivid episodic details over time.

How does semantic memory differ from episodic memory?

Semantic memory is not tied to personal experience or specific timing.

What types of cues can trigger recollection?

Contextual cues, feelings, and facts.

What does the cued recall test require?

Participants to recall information based on given cues.

What does the term 'depth of processing' refer to?

The extent to which incoming information is processed deeply and meaningfully.

Why might younger adults report more episodic details than older adults?

Aging-related decline affects the richness of episodic memories.

What is the outcome of the recall test?

Participants report whatever they can retrieve from memory.

What is the central feature of autobiographical memory?

Involvement and personal recollection of past events.

What role do cues play in episodic memory?

Cues can trigger memories related to specific events.

What is a paired-associate test used to assess?

The strength of memory associations, aka episodic memory

What sort of memory is required for the free association test?

Semantic memory to quickly retrieve words based on associative networks.

Why is meaningfulness important in memory encoding?

More meaningful material is encoded better than less meaningful.

How does the serial position effect influence recall?

Early and late items in a list are remembered better than those in the middle.

What is the method of loci?

Creating a path through (usually) your house (or a memory palace) that involves visualizing items in specific locations.

How can imagery improve memory?

Visualizing material can enhance recall.

What is the significance of immediate versus delayed tests in learning?

Spaced practice shows advantages in retention over time.

What types of information can episodic memory be?

Personal and context-specific.

What defines procedural memory?

Memory for skills and tasks that are performed automatically.

What two factors greatly affect memory encoding?

Depth of processing and meaningfulness.

How does remembering the past relate to imagining the future?

Both may rely on similar episodic memory processes.

What type of memory is impaired in amnesia?

Declarative memories.

What is the role of conditioning in memory?

Learning associations between stimuli and responses.

What is priming in the context of memory?

Increased likelihood of recalling a word after recent exposure.

What is meant by 'consciously accessible' memory?

You are aware of what you know.

What are two tests used to assess memory retrieval?

Recall tests and recognition tests.

What does recognition testing assess?

Whether people can recognize a previously encountered stimulus.

What type of memory is tested by the autobiographical interview methodology?

Episodic memory.

What does a free recall test typically involve?

Participants report as much as they can remember without any cues.

How can memory details change over time?

Older declarative memories can become more semantic-like.

What is an important finding from autobiographical studies?

Vivid details may fade while the essence of the memory persists.

How is episodic memory characterized?

Linked to specific times and places of events.

What are the characteristics of context cues in memory?

They aid recall by providing situational reminders.

What does 'skill learning' refer to in memory psychology?

Acquiring procedural knowledge through practice.

In what ways can memory encoding be improved?

Using techniques like spacing, meaningfulness, and imagery.

What is the effect of the order of presented information on memory?

Items presented early (primacy effect) and late (recency effect) are more likely to be remembered.

Repeated testing was helpful, repeated studying was not helpful. 

According to the study from the lecture, once a word was correctly recalled during study and test, what further improved performance on a memory test a week later?

The hippocampus and is critical for forming new episodic memories, and structures of the medial temporal lobes other than the hippocampus can support formation of new semantic memories

Which of the following is suggested by the human amnesia studies discussed in the lecture?

What is fixation consolidation?

It occurs in the hours following new learning, and involves cellular processes to stabilize the new learning.

What is reconsolidation? 

Occurs in the hours following memory retrieval, involves cellular processes to re-stabilize the retrieved memory. 

What is proactive interference?

When older information learned interferes with remembering newly learned information.

What is retroactive interference?

When newly learned information interferes with remembering older information.

What is the encoding specificity principle?  

how information is encoded determines what is stored, which determines what kinds of cues will be effective at retrieval. 

What is a schema, or “gist”?

A mental framework that helps us organize and make sense of information. 

What role did reconstructive memory play in the War of Ghosts experiment? 

The participants incorporated new material in their own memory of the story, which surrounded their own schema of the story. 

What is flashbulb memory?

Vivid memory of surprising, emotional, or important event.   

What is the misinformation effect?

Misleading retrieval cues can alter memories due to confusion about the source of the memory.

Confidence vs accuracy in flashbulb memories

Flashbulb memories are often remembered with great confidence, but their accuracy can be questionable, as they may be influenced by personal beliefs and external information over time.

To improve memory, we often assume:

we need to strengthen encoding and consolidation. 

Transfer appropriate processing

Memory performance is better when the mental processes used during encoding match those required during retrieval. (ex: shallow, deep)

What is the difference between anterograde and retrograde amnesia? 

In anterograde, you can’t recall later events that occur after brain damage. Retrograde you can’t recall events before brain damage. 

What type of amnesia did H.M. have?

Both anterograde and retrograde amnesia.

What are the 3 types of non-declarative/implicit memories?

Conditioning, Procedural memories, and Priming

What is encoding?

Getting the information we experience in some way, shape or form. 

What were the 4 main errors in recalling “The War of Ghosts?”

Omissons, rationalization, Dominant detail, Transformation of detail.