Study Guide - Memory & Problem Solving

Flashcards covering key concepts and definitions related to memory and problem solving.

Atkinson & Shiffrin’s Model

A model explaining the flow of memory from sensory input to sensory memory, short-term memory (STM), and long-term memory (LTM).

Iconic Memory

A type of sensory memory that holds visual information for approximately 250–1000 milliseconds.

Echoic Memory

A type of sensory memory that retains auditory information for about 2–4 seconds.

Short-Term Memory (STM)

Holds active information for roughly 12–20 seconds without rehearsal.

Memory Span & Chunking

The capacity of STM is about 7 \pm 2 chunks, and chunking helps increase this capacity.

Primacy Effect

The tendency to remember items presented at the beginning of a list, linked to long-term memory (LTM).

Recency Effect

The tendency to remember items presented at the end of a list, associated with short-term memory (STM).

Levels of Processing Theory

Proposes that deeper, more meaningful processing leads to better memory retention.

Baddeley’s Working Memory

Includes components such as the phonological loop, visuospatial sketchpad, episodic buffer, and central executive.

Prefrontal Cortex

Brain area involved in processing and planning related to memory and problem solving.

Hippocampus

Brain structure crucial for the encoding of long-term memories.

Proactive Interference

When older memories interfere with the recall of newer information.

Retroactive Interference

When newer information interferes with the recall of older memories.

Fan Effect

A phenomenon where increased associations slow down the retrieval of information.

Context Effects

Improved recall when the environment or mood during retrieval matches that during encoding.

Encoding Specificity

A principle stating that retrieval is more effective when conditions match those present during encoding.

Explicit Memory

Memory that involves conscious recall of information.

Implicit Memory

Memory that involves unconscious skills or tasks.

Problem Space

Refers to the initial, intermediate, and goal states in problem solving.

Operator Selection

The process of choosing strategies such as backup avoidance and means-ends analysis in problem-solving contexts.

Functional Fixedness

A cognitive bias that limits a person to using an object only in the way it is traditionally used.

Incubation Effect

The phenomenon where taking a break allows solutions to surface after a period of time.

Insight

A sudden and often novel realization of the solution to a problem.

Episodic Memory

A type of explicit memory responsible for personal experiences and events linked to specific times and places.

Semantic Memory

A type of explicit memory that stores general knowledge, facts, and concepts independent of personal experience.

Procedural Memory

A type of implicit memory that stores information about how to perform particular tasks or skills, often without conscious awareness.

Algorithms

A step-by-step procedure or set of rules that guarantees a solution to a problem if followed correctly.

Heuristics

Mental shortcuts or rules of thumb that simplify problem-solving, but do not guarantee an optimal or correct solution.