Psych111 Midterm 2

working memory

form of memory we use to hold onto information temporarily

chunking

process of grouping info together using knowledge

habituation

response to stimulation decreases as exposure increases

sensitization

response to a stimulus increases with exposure

encoding

process of transforming info into a form that can be stored in memory

metacognition

describes knowledge and skills people have in monitoring and controlling their own learning and memory (self awareness)

distributed practice

space out learning

massed practice

cramming big chunks of learning at once (easily forgotten) and adds anxiety

interleaving

study multiple topics and disperse them rather than focusing on one topic

perceptual learning

we just learn as we experience things

implicit learning

when we acquire information without the intent to learn

nonassociative learning

single repeated exposure leads to change

incidental learning

learning without intention

unconditioned stimulus

elicits response before conditioning occurs

unconditioned response

innate response that just happens

neutral stimulus

stimulus that initially does not elicits a response but when paired with other stimulus it might

conditioned stimulus

elicits a conditioned response associated with an unconditional stimulus

conditioned response

learned response to a previously neutral stimulus

extinction

decrease in the strength of a learned behavior when a conditioned stimulus is without an unconditioned stimulus

spontaneous recovery

an extinguished response randomly shows up

operant

behavior controlled by environment and consequences

positive reinforcement

a positive consequence that strengthens behavior

negative reinforcement

when something negative is removed in order to strengthen behavior

primary reinforcers

consequences (needs based) that strengthens that behavior

secondary reinforcers

consequences (wants based) that strengthen a behavior

latent learning

learn something now and perform later

coercive cycle

negative reinforcement trap

habit

instrumental behavior that occurs automatically in presence of a stimulus

law of effect

operant responses are influences by their effects

John Watson

behaviorism, and conditioned responses

B.F. Skinner

the father of operant conditioning

Albert Bandura

originated the social cognitive theory

recall

retrieval pulled with a few external cues

recognition

match information to stored fact

engrams (memory traces)

a theoretical way that information and memory is stored in the brain

misinformation effect

when erroneous information that occurs after an event that causes a person to misremember the event

hindsight bias

overestimating the predictability of an event after the effect

encoding-specificity principle

hypothesis of retrieval cue will be effective to the extent that it matches the engram - basically if the cues present at encoding are also present at retrieval they will work better

echoic memory

auditory (2-4 seconds)

iconic memory

visual (part of a second)

eidetic memory

memory that lasts after a few exposures

working memory

system processes that use simple information for complex tasks

episodic memory

memory for events in a particular time and place (going “back in time”)

semantic memory

permanent store of knowledge that people have

long-term memory

information that is kept permanently

procedural memory

long-term memory that facilitates learning and storing often without conscious awareness

declarative memory

conscious recollection of facts

flashbulb memory

vivid memory of receiving news of some emotional event

primacy effect

remembering the first information

regency effect

remembering the last information

retrograde amnesia

loss of memory up to a certain point

anterograde amnesia

unable to make new memories

retroactive interference

phenomenon where events that occur after a particular event of interest will usually cause forgetting

proactive interference

when old knowledge interferes with the learning of new knowledge

photo spreads

selection of small photos used for identification

foils

any member of a lineup other than a subject

false memories

for an event that never actually occurred

schema or schemata

shortcut and framework that organizes and interprets information

consciousness

the awareness or deliberate perception of a stimulus (waking vs. altered)

circadian rhythms

physiological sleep-wake cycle

1. falling

2. light sleep and processing memories

3. greater muscle relaxation (rem)

mindfulness

state of heightened focus on the thoughts passing through one’s head as well as more control over evaluation

hypnotherapy

use of hypnotic techniques like relaxation and suggestion to help engineer desired change

hallucinogens

substances that altar a person’s perception

stimulants

speed-up body’s processes

depressants

slow down body’s physiological and mental processes

low awareness

priming: the activation of certain thoughts or feelings that make them easier to think of and act uponhig

lucid dream

a dream where a person is aware that they are dreaming

vivid dream

dream that is very clear

sleep-wake cycle

basically the circadian rhythm

sleep paralysis

normal paralysis but during REM actually shows up at different sleep stages, hallucinations of danger in room

sleep deprivation

sufficient lack of restorative sleep over a cumulative time that causes physical or psychiatric symptoms

dissociation

disruption in the usually integrated function of consciousness

dissociative fugue

unexpected and sudden loss of memory associated with travel and wandering

dissociative identity disorder

two or more distinct identities that recurrently take control

REM behavior disorder

when people physically act out their dreams during REM

night terrors

a person wakes up extremely startled and doesn’t know what’s going on

insomnia

persistent difficulty initiating, maintaining, and achieving good sleep

sleep apnea

stop breathing for a while during sleep

narcolepsy

excessive daytime sleepiness

conformity

changing attitudes/behaviors to match a perceived social norms

obedience

responding to an order or command from authority

descriptive norm

perception of what most people do

normative influence

conformity that results from a concern for what people think

informational social influence

results from concern to act in a socially approved manner

central persuasion

employs direct, relevant, logical messages

peripheral persuasion

relies on superficial cues that are illogical

trigger features

specific aspects of a situation that activate fixed action patterns

fixed action patterns

sequences of behavior that occur in the same fashion and in the same order

heuristics

mental shortcuts that enable quicker decision making

triad of trust

authority, likeability, and honesty

free gifts and reciprocity

normative pressure to repay what someone else has given`

social proof

mental shortcut on assumption that if everyone is doing it, it must be right

foot-in-the-door

small first commitment and then slowly increase them

door-in-the-face

reject and then compromise

“and that’s not all”

basically offering the better deal

sunk cost trap

basically forcing to throw good money at bad stuff

stereotype

belief that characterizes people based on their group membership

prejudice

evaluation/emotion toward people based on their group membership

discrimination

behavior that advantages or disadvantages people based on their group membership

blatant biases

biases people are willing to admit to