Chapter 6 - Long-Term Memory: Structure

division

refers to distinguishing between different types of memory

interaction

refers to the fact that the different types of memory can interact and share mechanisms

long-term memory

is the system that is responsible for storing information for long periods of time;

An “archive” of information about past events in our lives and knowledge we have learned

serial position curve

is created by presenting a list of words to a participant, one after another, then after the last word, the participant writes down all the words he or she remembers in any order

Primary effect

the finding that participants are more likely to to remember words presented at the beginning of a sequence

recency effect

the better memory for the stimuli presented at the end of a sequence

coding

refers to the form in which stimuli are presented

visual coding

coding in the mind in the form of a visual image

auditory coding

Coding in the mind in the form of a sound

semantic coding

coding in the mind in terms of meaning

The Wickens Experiment

an experiment that provides an example of semantic coding in STM

proactive interference

the decrease in memory that occurs when previously learned information interferes with learning new information

The Sachs Experiment

an experiment that demonstrated semantic coding in LTM

recognition memory

is the identification of a stimulus that was encountered before

hippocampus

Part of the brain responsible for forming new long-term memories

Endel Tulving

who first proposed that episodic and semantic memories handled different types of information, also suggested that episodic and semantic memory can be distinguished based on the type of experience associated with each

mental time travel

the experience of traveling back in time to reconnect with events that happened in the past;

Tulving describes this experience as self-knowing or remembering

autobiographical memory

memory for specific experiences from our life, which can include both episodic and semantic components

Personal semantic memories

facts associated with personal experiences

semanticization of remote memories

loss of episodic detail for memories of long-ago events

Constructive episodic simulation hypothesis

states that episodic memories are extracted and recombined to construct simulations of future events

explicit memories

are memories we are aware of

implicit memories

Memories we aren’t aware of;

Occurs when learning from experience is not accompanied by conscious remembering

procedural memory or skill memory

memory for doing things that usually involve learned skills

expert-induced amnesia

an effect wherein well-learned procedural memories do not require attention

Priming

Occurs when the presentation of one stimulus (the priming stimulus) changes the way a person responds to another stimulus (the test stimulus)

Repetition priming

a type of priming that occurs when the test stimulus is the same as or resembles the priming stimulus

propaganda effect

Participants are more likely to rate statements they have read or heard before as being true simply because they have been exposed to them before

classical conditioning

occurs when the following two stimuli are paired: (1) a neutral stimulus that initially does not result in a response and (2) a conditioning stimulus that does result in a response