Encoding Memories

mnemonic device

organizational structures that aid in encoding information into both working memory and long-term memory (e.g. acronyms, rhymes)

method of loci

a mnemonic technique that involves associating information with a particular location

chunking

a method of encoding that involves grouping related information rather than remembering each bit separately

categories

a method of encoding that involves sorting related information into groups based on shared characteristics

hierarchies

a method of encoding that involves organizing information into a multi-level structure, often moving from general to more specific

spacing effect

the concept of information becoming easier to recall if it is encoded through multiple sessions

serial position effect

the tendency for information at the beginning or end of a sequence to be easier to recall

distributed practice

rehearsing information in multiple sessions over time

massed practice

rehearsing information in one large session