AP Psych - 2.6 & 2.7 Terms & Vocab

retrieval

the process of getting info out of memory storage

recall

a measure of memory in which the person must retrieve information learned earlier, as on a fill-in-the-blank test.

recognition

a measure of memory in which the person identifies items previously learned, as on a multiple-choice test

relearning

learning something more quickly when you learn it a second or later time

retrieval cues

stimuli that aid the recall or recognition of information stored in memory

priming

the activation, often unconsciously, of certain associations, thus predisposing one's perception, memory, or response

encoding specificity principle

the idea that any stimulus that is encoded along with an experience can later trigger a memory for the experience

context dependent memory

the theory that information learned in a particular situation or place is better remembered when in that same situation or place.

mood-congruent memory

the tendency to remember experiences that are consistent with one's current mood and overlook or forget experiences that are not

state-dependent memory

the phenomenon through which memory retrieval is most efficient when an individual is in the same physiological/chemical state they were in when the memory was formed

testing effect

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

metacognition

awareness and understanding of one's own thought processes.

interleaving

a practice strategy where mixing different topics or skills within a single study session promotes deeper understanding and transfer of knowledge

context effects in memory

context such as environment, mood, or influence of chemicals can impact how easily something is recalled from memory.

cued recall

a testing condition in which people are given an explicit retrieval cue to help them remember

memory consolidation

the gradual, physical process of converting new short-term memories to stable, enduring long-term memories

memory processes

encoding, storage, retrieval

recall vs recognition-research conclusion

Recognition is significantly easier and more effective than recall because recognition provides explicit retrieval cues (e.g., options on a multiple-choice test), whereas recall requires generating information from memory without cues.

forgetting curve

a graphic depiction of how recall declines rapidly at first then levels off over time

encoding failure

failure to process information into memory

proactive interference

the forward-acting disruptive effect of prior learning on the recall of new information

tip of the tongue phenomenon

the temporary inability to remember something you know, accompanied by a feeling that it's just out of reach

ego

the largely conscious, "executive" part of personality that, according to Freud, mediates among the demands of the id, superego, and reality. The ego operates on the reality principle, satisfying the id's desires in ways that will realistically bring pleasure rather than pain.

repression

in psychoanalytic theory, the basic defense mechanism that banishes from consciousness anxiety-arousing thoughts, feelings, and memories

reconsolidation

a process in which previously stored & stabilized memories, when retrieved, are potentially altered before being stored again

misinformation effect

when misleading information has corrupted one's memory of an event

source amnesia

attributing to the wrong source an event we have experienced, heard about, read about, or imagined

deja vu

that eerie sense that "I've experienced this before." Cues from the current situation may subconsciously trigger retrieval of an earlier experience.

constructive memory

a process by which we first recall a generalized schema and then add in specific details

imagination inflation

a memory phenomenon in which vividly imagining an event markedly increases confidence that the event actually occurred