ap psych unit 2 quiz 2 vocab

storage

the process of retaining encoded information over time.

retrieval

the process of getting information out of memory storage.

explicit memory

retention of facts and experiences that we can consciously know and “declare” (also called declarative memory)

episodic memory

explicit memory of personally experienced events; one of our two conscious memory systems.

semantic memory

explicit memory of facts and general knowledge; one of our two conscious memory systems.

implicit memory

retention of learned skills or classically conditioned associations independent of conscious recollection.

procedural memory

the most basic and primitive form of memory. for example, the process or procedure for riding a bike. once you've learned this, it is stored as a _____ memory

prospective memory

when you remember to perform an action at the appropriate time that you previously intended to accomplish. “remembering to remember” is another way to describe this type of memory

long-term potentiation

an increase in a nerve cell’s firing potential after brief, rapid stimulation; a neural basis for learning and memory.

working memory model

a theory that describes the brain's system for temporarily storing and manipulating information

primary memory system

a short-term store that reflects the current contents of consciousness

working memory

a newer understanding of short-term memory; conscious, active processing of both (1) incoming sensory information and (2) information retrieved from long-term memory.

central executive

a memory component that coordinates the activities of the phonological loop and visuospatial sketchpad.

phonological loop

a memory component that briefly holds auditory information.

visuospatial sketchpad

a memory component that briefly holds information about objects’ appearance and location in space.

long-term memory

the relatively permanent and limitless archive of the memory system. includes knowledge, skills, and experiences.

multi-store model

human memory has three different modes, and a separate control process accompanies each mode

sensory memory

the immediate, very brief recording of sensory information in the memory system.

iconic memory

a momentary sensory memory of visual stimuli; a photographic or picture-image memory lasting no more than a few tenths of a second.

echoic memory

a momentary sensory memory of auditory stimuli; if attention is elsewhere, sounds and words can still be recalled within 3 or 4 seconds.

automatic processing

unconscious encoding of incidental information, such as space, time, and frequency, and of familiar or well-learned information, such as sounds, smells, and word meanings.

effortful processing

encoding that requires attention and conscious effort.

encoding

the process of getting information into the memory system — for example, by extracting meaning.

levels of processing model

a cognitive psychology theory that describes how well information is remembered based on the depth of how it is processed

shallow encoding

encoding on a basic level, based on the structure or appearance of words.

deep encoding

encoding semantically, based on the meaning of the words; tends to yield the best retention.

mnemonic devices

memory aids, especially those techniques that use vivid imagery and organizational devices.

method of loci

involves imagining moving through a familiar series of locations with items to be remembered

chunking

organizing items into familiar, manageable units; often occurs automatically.

spacing effect

the tendency for distributed study or practice to yield better long-term retention than is achieved through massed study or practice.

memory consolidation

the neural storage of a long-term memory.

massed practice

training or learning sessions that are long and intense

distributed practice

a strategy of learning that makes use of smaller increments of study and practice (aka spaced practice)

serial position effect

our tendency to recall best the last items in a list initially and the first items in a list after a delay.

primacy effect

recalling best the first items in a list after a delay

recency effect

recalling best the last items in a list initially

short-term memory

briefly activated memory of a few items (such as digits of a phone number while calling) that is later stored or forgotten.

maintenance rehearsal

the process of repeatedly verbalizing or thinking about a piece of information

elaborative rehearsal

a memory technique that involves thinking about the meaning of the term to be remembered, as opposed to simply repeating the word to yourself over and over

memory retention

the process by which learning experiences are stored and retained over time

autobiographical memory

the memory system of a person's life built from a combination of experiences and general knowledge collected over a lifetime

retrograde amnesia

an inability to remember information from one’s past.

anterograde amnesia

an inability to form new memories.

alzheimer’s disease

a form of dementia, or decreasing mental capacity, most often seen in people older than 65. some of the earliest signs include memory loss and confusion

infantile amnesia

the inability of human adults to remember episodic experiences that occurred during the first few years of life (generally 0–3 years) and the tendency to have sparse recollection of episodic experiences that occurred before age 10