Memory and Learning Vocab

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards related to memory and learning concepts for exam preparation.

Desirable difficulty

Learning conditions that feel difficult but improve long-term retention.

Expanding Retrieval technique

Increasing the time between retrieval attempts to boost retention.

Forgetting curve

Memory loss is rapid at first, then levels off over time.

Fragment completion tasks

An implicit test that requires filling in the missing letters of word fragments.

Stem completion tasks

An implicit test that requires completing the first letters of words.

Implicit Memory

Memory expressed without conscious awareness.

Intentional learning

Learning when aware you must remember information.

Incidental learning

Learning without intent to remember.

Latent inhibition

Harder to learn new meaning for a familiar stimulus.

Massed practice

Studying in one long session.

Spaced practice

Studying across multiple sessions.

Mere Exposure Effect

Repeated exposure increases liking.

Orienting task

Instruction directing how information is processed.

Paired associates

Learning word pairs for recall.

SVO sentences

Subject–Verb–Object sentence structure in experiments.

Priming

Earlier exposure influences later response without awareness.

Procedural memory

Memory for skills and actions.

Relearning

Faster learning the second time.

Overlearning

Studying beyond perfect recall.

Savings score

Percent of time saved relearning versus initial learning.

Serial recall

Recall items in original order.

Free recall

Recall items in any order.

Cued recall

Recall with hints or cues.

Study interval

Time between study sessions.

Retention interval

Time between study and test.

Generation Effect

Information remembered better when self-generated.

Spacing Effect

Distributed practice improves retention.

Total time hypothesis

More study time yields more learning, not always true.

Bartlett

Focused on schemas and real memory

Ebbinghaus

Focused on experimental forgetting curve.

Depth of Processing

Deep meaning-based processing is better than shallow processing.

Effort after meaning

People reshape memories to fit the meaning.

Elaborative rehearsal

Link new information to existing knowledge.

Encoding-Specificity Principle

Matching context aids retrieval.

Internal validity

Confidence manipulation caused results.

External validity

Generalizability of findings.

Maintenance rehearsal

Repetition without meaning leads to poor retention.

Dual-coding hypothesis

Verbal and visual encoding boosts memory.

Transfer-Appropriate Processing

Best retrieval occurs when processing matches study.

Semantic context

Meaning-based environment aids recall.

Mental set

Tendency to rely on the same strategy; may hinder retrieval.

State dependency

Matching internal state improves recall.

Context dependency

Matching environment improves recall.

Mood dependency

Matching mood at study and test improves recall.

Mood congruency

Mood biases recall toward similar mood information.

Remembering

Indicates detail

Knowing

Indicates familiarity

Signal Detection Theory

Decision-making under uncertainty in memory.

Hit

Correctly saying 'old' to an old item.

Miss

Saying 'new' to an old item.

False Alarm

Saying 'old' to a new item.

Correct Rejection

Saying 'new' to a new item.

Beta

Response criterion in recognition.

d’

Ability to distinguish old from new.

High Threshold Model

Items remembered perfectly or guessed.