Copy of AP Psych Memory Review Guide 23-24

Memory

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

Flashbulb Memory

a clear memory of an emotionally significant moment or event.

Encoding

the processing of information into the memory system (i.e., getting information into memory).

Storage

the retention of the encoded information over time.

Retrieval

the process of getting information out of memory storage.

Sensory Memory

the immediate, initial recording of sensory information in the memory system.

Short-term Memory

activated memory that holds a few items briefly before the information is stored or forgotten.

Long-term Memory

the relatively permanent and limitless storehouse of the memory system.

Automatic Processing

effortless, unconscious encoding of incidental information.

Effortful Processing

encoding that requires attention and conscious effort.

Rehearsal

the conscious repetition of information for storage.

Ebbinghaus' Retention Curve

the more time spent learning new information, the better it is retained.

Spacing Effect

distributed study yields better long-term retention than cramming.

Serial Position Effect

tendency to recall best the first and last items in a list.

Visual Encoding

encoding of picture images.

Acoustic Encoding

encoding of sounds, especially the sound of words.

Semantic Encoding

encoding of meaning, including the meaning of words.

Imagery

mental pictures aiding effortful processing.

Mnemonics

memory aids using vivid imagery and organizational devices.

Chunking

organizing items into familiar, manageable units.

Implicit Memory

recall of information that does not require conscious effort.

Explicit Memory

memory of facts and experiences that can be consciously known.

Prospective Memory

remembering to perform actions in the future.

Retrospective Memory

remembering events from the past or previously learned information.

Recall

retrieving information learned earlier.

Recognition

identifying items previously learned.

Relearning

assessing time saved when learning material for a second time.

Priming

activation of particular associations in memory.

Context Effects

memory is better for information retrieved in the same context it was learned.

Mood-congruent Memory

tendency to recall experiences consistent with one's current mood.

Decay

loss of information over time.

Proactive Interference

disruptive effect of prior learning on recall of new information.

Retroactive Interference

disruptive effect of new learning on recall of old information.

Repression

motivated forgetting banishing anxiety-arousing thoughts, feelings, and memories.

Ebbinghaus’s Forgetting Curve

forgetting half of learned information 30 minutes after learning it.

Misinformation Effect

incorporating misleading information into memory of an event.

Source Amnesia

attributing information to the wrong source.

False-memory Syndrome

high probability of false memories, especially through hypnosis.