Unit 2 Ap psych review

Perception

How your brain understands what your senses detect.

Bottom-Up Processing

Understanding by starting with raw sensory input.

Top-Down Processing

Understanding based on what you already know or expect.

Perceptual Principles

Rules your brain uses to make sense of the world.

Gestalt Psychology

Seeing whole forms instead of just parts.

Closure

Your mind fills in gaps to complete a picture.

Figure & Ground

Seeing one part as the focus and the rest as background.

Proximity

Things close together seem like a group.

Similarity

Things that look alike are grouped together.

Attention (Interaction of Sensation & Perception)

What you focus on affects what you sense and understand.

Cocktail Party Effect

Noticing your name in a loud room, even when distracted.

Inattention

Failing to notice something because your focus is elsewhere.

Change Blindness

Not noticing a change because you're not paying attention.

Binocular Depth Cues

Depth information that needs both eyes.

Retinal Disparity

Each eye sees slightly different views, which helps with depth.

Convergence

Your eyes turn inward more for close objects.

Monocular Depth Cues

Depth cues that need only one eye.

Relative Clarity

Clearer objects seem closer.

Relative Size

Smaller-looking objects seem farther away.

Texture Gradient

More detailed texture appears closer.

Linear Perspective

Parallel lines look like they meet in the distance.

Interposition

If one object blocks another, it's closer.

Visual Perceptual Constancy

Knowing an object is the same, even if it looks different.

Apparent Movement

Seeing movement even when nothing moves.

Schema

A mental framework or shortcut for understanding things.

Prototypes

The best example of a category in your mind.

Concept

A group or category for similar things.

Assimilation

Fitting new info into what you already know.

Accommodation

Changing what you know to fit new info.

Algorithms

Step-by-step methods that guarantee a solution.

Heuristics

Mental shortcuts for quick decisions.

Representativeness Heuristics

Judging based on how typical something seems.

Availability Heuristics

Judging based on what comes to mind easily.

Priming

Earlier experiences influence how you respond now.

Framing

How something is worded affects your decision.

Gambler’s Fallacy

Thinking past chances affect future outcomes.

Sunk-Cost Fallacy

Sticking with something because you've already invested in it.

Executive Functions

Mental skills for planning, focus, and self-control.

Goal-Directed Behaviors

Actions done with a purpose or aim.

Creativity

Coming up with new and useful ideas.

Divergent Thinking

Generating many possible answers or ideas.

Convergent Thinking

Finding the one best answer.

Functional Fixedness

Only seeing an object’s usual use.

Memory

The ability to store and retrieve information.

Explicit Memory

Memory you can clearly describe.

Episodic Memory

Memory of personal events.

Semantic Memory

Memory of facts and meanings.

Implicit Memory

Memory you use without thinking about it.

Procedural Memory

Memory of how to do things, like riding a bike.

Prospective Memory

Remembering to do something in the future.

Long-Term Potentiation

Strengthening of brain connections when you learn.

The Working Memory Model

A system that holds and works with information.

Central Executive

Part of working memory that controls attention.

Phonological Loop

Part of working memory for words and sounds.

Visuospatial Sketchpad

Part of working memory for visual and spatial info.

Long Term Memory

Where information is stored for a long time.

Multi-Store Model

A model of memory with sensory, short-term, and long-term stores.

Sensory Memory

Quick, brief memory from your senses.

Iconic Memory

Brief memory of what you see.

Echoic Memory

Brief memory of what you hear.

Short-Term Memory

Memory that holds a few items briefly.

Automatic Processing

Taking in information without trying.

Effortful Processing

Learning with focus and effort.

Encoding

Turning information into memory.

Storage

Keeping information in your brain.

Retrieval

Getting stored information out.

Levels of Processing Model

The deeper you process info, the better you remember it.

Structural Processing

Focusing on how something looks.

Phonemic Processing

Focusing on how something sounds.

Semantic Processing

Focusing on the meaning of something.

Mnemonic Device

Memory trick or shortcut.

Method of Loci

Using places to remember things.

Working Memory

Short-term system for managing information.

Chunking

Grouping info to remember it better.

Hierarchies & Categories (Encoding)

Organizing info into groups.

Spacing Effect

Learning better when spread out over time.

Massed Practice

Studying a lot at once (cramming).

Distributed Practice

Studying a little over time.

Serial Position Effect

Remembering the first and last items best.

Recency Effect

Remembering the last items best.

Primacy Effect

Remembering the first items best.

Memory Consolidation

Strengthening memories over time.

Maintenance Rehearsal

Repeating info to keep it in memory.

Elaborative Rehearsal

Connecting info to what you already know.

Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory

Exceptionally detailed personal memory.

Autobiographical Memory

Memory of your life events.

Memory Retention

How well you keep info over time.

Retrograde Amnesia

Can’t remember old memories.

Anterograde Amnesia

Can’t form new memories.

Alzheimer’s Disease

Memory loss caused by brain disease.

Infantile Amnesia

Not remembering things from early childhood.

Recall

Bringing up info without help.

Recognition

Picking the right answer when you see it.

Context-Dependent Memory

Remembering better where you learned it.

Mood-Congruent Memory

Remembering things that match your mood.

State-Dependent Memory

Remembering better when in the same state (like tired, sad).

Testing Effect

You remember more by testing yourself.

Metacognition

Thinking about your own thinking.

Retrieval Cues

Hints that help you remember.

Forgetting Curve

Memory fades quickly, then levels off.