Memory

Sensory Memory

The store that briefly retains sensory information without meaningful processing.

Visible Persistence

A phenomenon where visual information remains briefly visible after its physical presentation.

Primacy Effect

The tendency to better recall the first few items presented in a list due to rehearsal leading to transfer to long-term memory.

Recency Effect

The tendency to recall the last few items in a list better, as they are still available in working memory.

Retrieval Cue

A stimulus that aids in the recall of a memory.

Episodic Memory

A type of declarative memory concerned with personal past experiences, bound to context.

Semantic Memory

A type of declarative memory that involves general knowledge and facts not tied to specific experiences.

Depth of Processing

The principle that deeper levels of analysis lead to better memory retention.

Encoding Specificity Principle

The idea that memory retrieval is more effective when the conditions at retrieval match those present at encoding.

Childhood Amnesia

The phenomenon where individuals have little reliable memory for events occurring before the age of four.

Reminiscence Bump

The enhanced memory for significant events occurring during adolescence and young adulthood.

Spreading Activation

A model of memory retrieval where the activation of one concept activates related concepts in memory.

False Memory

A distorted recollection of an event or detail that never occurred.

Heuristic

A mental shortcut or rule of thumb that simplifies decision making and problem-solving.

Implicit Memory

A type of memory that influences behavior without conscious awareness.

Explicit Memory

Memory that involves conscious recollection of information.

Anterograde Amnesia

The inability to form new lasting memories after an injury.

Retrograde Amnesia

The inability to recall events that occurred prior to an injury.

Alzheimer's Disease

A neurodegenerative condition marked by memory decline due to plaques and tangles in the brain.

Flashbulb Memory

Vivid memories of important events that are recalled with high confidence, but may not be more accurate than ordinary memories.

Mood-Dependent Memory

The phenomenon where retrieval is better when in the same mood as when the information was encoded.