Cognition- CHAPTER 7

encoding

the process of acquiring information and transferring it to memory

retrieval

the process of remembering information that has been stored in long-term memory

maintenance rehearsal

rehearsal that involves repetition without any consideration of meaning or making connections to other information

elaborative rehearsal

rehearsal that involves thinking about the meaning of an item to be remembered or making connections between the item and prior knowledge

levels of processing theory

idea that memory depends on how information is encoded

depth of processing

the idea that the processing that occurs as an item is being encoded into memory can be deep or shallow

shallow processing

processing that involves repetition with little attention to meaning; associated with maintenance rehearsal

deep processing

processing that involves attention to meaning and relating an item to something else; associated with elaborative rehearsal

self-reference effect

memory for a word is improved by relating the word to the self

generation effect

memory for material is better when a person generates the material themselves, rather than passively receiving

retrieval cue

cues that help a person remember information that is stored in memory

retrieval practice effect

when practicing memory retrieval increases elaboration which increases performance on memory tasks

testing effect

enhanced performance on a memory test caused by being tested on the material to be remembered

spacing effect/distributing practice

the advantage in performance caused by short study sessions separated by breaks from studying

encoding specificity

the principle that we learn information together with its context

state-dependent learning

the principle that memory is best when a person is in the same state for encoding and retrieval

transfer-appropriate processing

when the type of task that occurs during encoding matches the type of task that occurs during retrieval

mnemonic

any memory strategy or technique that improves encoding retention and/or retrieval of information

verbatim memory

the ability to recall information precisely as it was presented

consolidation

the process that transforms new memories into a state in which they are more resistant to disruption

synaptic consolidation

involves structural changes at synapses that happen rapidly over a period of minutes

systematic consolidation

involves the gradual reorganization of circuits within brain regions and takes place on a long timescale

long-term potentiation

the increased firing that occurs in a neuron due to prior activity at the synapse

reactivation

process by which previously encoded memories are replayed or reactivated, reinforcing or stabilizing the memory for longterm storage

reconsolidation

when a memory is retrieved and so becomes reactivated