Cognitive Psychology Unit (Memory Part 1) AP Psychology

Basics of the Cognitive Psychology unit

Memory

Memory

Learning that persists over time and can be retrieved.

Constructive Memory

Brain creates memories by molding information.

Schemas

Mental frameworks that help organize and interpret information.

Misinformation Effect

Incorporating misleading information into memory.

Source Amnesia

Memory faults associating events with wrong contexts.

Imagination Inflation

Imagining events can enhance belief in their occurrence.

Suggestibility

Memory distortion from deliberate or inadvertent suggestions.

Bias

Influence of personal beliefs on memory recall.

Explicit Memories

Memories requiring conscious attention to encode.

Implicit Memories

Memories formed without conscious effort.

Episodic Memory

Memory of personally experienced events.

Semantic Memory

Memory of meanings and concepts.

Procedural Memory

Memory for skills and actions.

Flashbulb Memory

Vivid memories of emotionally significant events.

Prospective Memory

Remembering to perform actions in the future.

Multi Store Model

Memory formation through sensory, short-term, long-term stores.

Sensory Memory

Information held for fractions of a second.

Working Memory

Temporary storage for processing information.

Central Executive

Component of working memory that directs attention.

Visuospatial Sketchpad

Stores visual and spatial information.

Phonological Loop

Processes spoken and written speech.

Long Term Memory

Unlimited duration and capacity for stored information.

Long Term Potentiation

Increased synaptic strength from repeated activation.

Decay

Loss of memory strength over time without use.

Levels of Processing Theory

Deeper processing leads to better memory retention.

Shallow Processing

Basic processing with low retention.

Deep Processing

Meaningful processing with high retention.

Semantic Encoding

Processing information by its meaning for better recall.

Testing Effect

Enhanced memory retention through retrieval practice.

Serial Position Effect

Influence of information order on memory recall.

Primacy Effect

Better recall of first presented information.

Recency Effect

Better recall of last presented information.

Spacing Effect

Greater retention from spaced learning sessions.

Chunking

Breaking information into manageable pieces.

Mnemonic Devices

Techniques to aid memory through shortcuts.

Method of Loci

Visualizing information in familiar locations.

Rehearsal

Repeating information to maintain memory.

Elaborative Rehearsal

Creating associations for deeper memory processing.

Autobiographical Memory

Memory of personal experiences and events.

Alzheimer's Disease

Condition causing inability to form new memories.

Amnesia

Memory loss due to brain damage.

Retrograde Amnesia

Inability to recall old memories.

Anterograde Amnesia

Inability to form new memories.

Infantile Amnesia

Inability to remember events from early childhood.

Recall

Retrieving information without cues.

Recognition

Retrieving information with cues.

Retrieval Cues

Hints that aid memory retrieval.

Context Dependent Memory

Easier recall in the same environment as encoding.

State Dependent Memory

Easier recall in the same physiological state.

Mood Congruence

Easier recall of memories matching current mood.

Metacognition

Awareness of one's own thinking processes.

Forgetting Curve

Rate of memory loss over time.

Repression

Forgetting to protect the ego from distress.

Decay Theory

Memory strength fades over time without use.

Interference

Old/new information disrupts memory retrieval.

Proactive Interference

Old information interferes with new learning.

Retroactive Interference

New information interferes with old memories.

Encoding Error

Failure to notice or pay attention to information.

Misattribution

Incorrectly recalling the source of a memory.