EDPSY 014 Ch. 7: Human Memory and Cognition

Analogies

Comparisons between two things that help illustrate a concept or idea.

Attention

The process of selectively focusing on one stimulus in the environment while ignoring other stimuli.

Automaticity

The ability to perform tasks with little conscious effort, allowing more cognitive resources for complex tasks.

Central Executive

A supervisory component of working memory that controls the flow of information and directs attention.

Chuncking

The process of grouping separate pieces of information into larger, meaningful units to enhance memory retention.

Cognitive Activity

The process of engaging in thinking, reasoning, and problem-solving.

Cognitive Learning Theories

Theories that describe learning as changes in the mental structures and processes involved in acquiring knowledge.

Cognitive Load

The amount of mental effort being used in the working memory at any given time.

Declarative Knowledge

Knowledge of facts and concepts that can be stated verbally.

Distributed Practice

The process of spreading out learning sessions over time to enhance long-term retention.

Elaboration

The process of adding meaning to new information by linking it to existing knowledge.

Encoding

The process of converting information into a form that can be stored in memory.

Episodic Knowledge

Knowledge of personal experiences and events.

Executive Functioning

Higher-order cognitive processes, such as planning, organizing, and decision-making.

Expert

A person who is highly skilled or knowledgeable in a specific domain.

Forgetting

The inability to retrieve previously learned information from memory.

Imagery

The use of mental pictures to aid in memory and learning.

Information Processing Theory

A model that describes how people, process, and store information.

Interference

The phenomenon where new or old information disrupts the retrieval of other information.

Long-Term Memory

The memory system responsible for storing information over extended periods of time.

Meaningfulness

The extent to which information is perceived as relevant and connected to prior knowledge.

Memory Systems

The different structures of memory, including sensory memory, working memory, and long-term memory.

Meta-Attention

Awareness and control of one’s attention processes.

Metacognition

Thinking about one’s own thinking processes and regulating them for better learning.

Metamemory

Awareness of one’s own memory abilities and strategies.

Mnemonics

Memory aids that use associations and patterns to help recall information.

Model

A conceptual framework used to explain cognitive processes.

Multitasking

The ability to engage in multiple tasks simultaneously, often at the cost of reduced performance.

Organization

The structuring of information to make it more meaningful and easier to remember.

Perception

The process of interpreting sensory information.

Phonological Loop

A component of working memory that processes and retains verbal and auditory information.

Procedural Knowledge

Knowledge of how to perform tasks, often acquiring through practice.

Rehearsal

The process of repeating information to enhance memory retention.

Retrieval

The process of accessing stored information from memory.

Schema Activation

The process of activating prior knowledge structures to aid in understanding new information.

Schemas (Schemata)

Mental frameworks that help organize and interpret information.

Semantic Knowledge

Knowledge of meanings, facts, and general information.

Sensory Memory

A memory system that briefly holds incoming sensory information before processing.

Short-Term Memory

A memory system that temporarily holds information for immediate use.

Visual-Spatial Sketchpad

A component of working memory that processes and retains visual and spatial information.

Working Memory

A limited-capacity memory system where information is actively processed and manipulated.