Psychology: Long-Term Memories, Circadian Rhythms, and Sleep Cycles

Vocabulary flashcards covering types of long-term memory, circadian rhythm regulation via the SCNs, and sleep cycle stages from psychology lecture notes.

Explicit Memories

Memories stored at the conscious level (such as names, events, and new routines) that are easily retrieved yet can be unreliable.

Episodic Memory

A category of explicit memory that consists of facts about personal stories and events.

Semantic Memory

A category of explicit memory consisting of impersonal everyday facts or knowledge.

Explicit to Implicit Memory Transition

The process that occurs when explicit memories no longer need to be brought into consciousness to be remembered.

Circadian Rhythms

The "sleep-wake" cycle found in all mammals, which typically takes 24 hours to complete a full cycle.

SCNs (Suprachiasmatic Nuclei)

A small pair of nerve clusters situated directly above the optic chiasm that receive light input directly from the retinas and signal brain areas such as the hypothalamus and brain stem to induce sleep.

Melatonin

A substance released as part of the body's sleep induction process alongside signals from the SCNs to areas of the brain.

Sleep Cycles

Patterns of sleep where an average individual typically falls asleep within ten minutes and passes through 5 sleep stages: 4 non-REM stages and 1 REM stage.