AP Psychology Myers Chapter 8 (Memory)

memory

The ability to store and remember information over time.

recall

Remembering information without any help or cues.

recognition

Identifying something you’ve learned before, like answering a multiple-choice question.

relearning

Learning something again and taking less time than the first time.

encoding

The process of putting information into your memory.

storage

The retention of encoded information over time.

retrieval

The process of getting information out of memory storage.

sensory memory

A quick, temporary storage of sensory information, like sights or sounds.

short-term memory

Memory that holds a few pieces of information for a short time,

long-term memory

The storage of information for a long period, including knowledge, skills, and experiences.

working memory

A type of short-term memory that actively processes and organizes incoming information and info you recall from long-term memory.

explicit memory

Memory of facts and experiences that you can consciously remember and explain.

effortful processing

when you have to actively think about and work to remember something.

automatic processing

Unconscious encoding of things like time, space, frequency, and familiar information.

implicit memory

Memory for skills or routines you don’t have to think about, like riding a bike or typing. It happens automatically without conscious effort.

iconic memory

A brief visual memory, like a snapshot, that lasts only a fraction of a second.

echoic memory

A brief auditory memory that lasts for a few seconds, allowing you to recall sounds or words even if you weren’t paying full attention.

chunking

Breaking down information into smaller, easier-to-remember parts.

mnemonics

Memory aids that help you remember things, often using imagery or patterns.

spacing effect

The idea that spreading out study sessions over time leads to better long-term memory than cramming.

testing effect

Better memory after practicing retrieving information, like through testing, rather than just reading it.

shallow processing

Focusing on the appearance or basic features of information, like the look of a word, instead of its meaning.

deep processing

Focusing on the meaning of information, which helps you remember it better.

hippocampus

A part of the brain that helps store and process explicit memories.

flashbulb memory

A vivid memory of an important or emotional event.

long-term potentiation

A process where repeated stimulation makes brain cells respond more easily, which helps with learning and memory.

priming

Unconsciously activating certain memories or associations, making it easier to recall related information.

mood-congruent memory

The tendency to remember experiences that match your current mood, whether good or bad.

serial position effect

The tendency to remember the first and last items in a list better than the middle ones.

anterograde amnesia

the inability to form new memories

retrograde amnesia

An inability to retrieve memories of events or information that occurred before the onset of amnesia.

proactive interference

When old information makes it harder to remember new information.

retroactive interference

When new information makes it harder to remember olderr information.

repression

A defense mechanism that pushes uncomfortable thoughts, feelings, or memories out of conscious awareness.

misinformation effect

When misleading information gets mixed into your memory of an event, changing what you remember.

source amnesia

Forgetting where or how you learned something, which can lead to mixing up the source of the information.

deja vu

The feeling that you’ve experienced something before, even if it’s actually happening for the first time.

procedural memory

A type of long-term memory that helps you remember how to do things, like skills and actions.

we automatically process information about

space, time, frequency

distributed practice

A learning method where you spread out study sessions over time instead of cramming all at once

massed practice and what is the result of it?

A learning method where studying is done in long, often resulting in quicker initial learning but poorer long-term retention compared to distributed practice.

self-reference effect

The tendency to remember information better when it is personally relevant or connected to yourself.

left frontal lobe processes...memories

verbal, word-oriented (p. 309)

infantile amnesia

The inability to remember events from early childhood, usually before the age of 2-4, and fewer memories from around ages 2-10.

overlearning

Practicing something even after you’ve mastered it, to make sure you remember it well.

retrieval cues

Clues or hints that help you remember something by triggering related memories.

context-dependent memory

You remember things better when you're in the same place or situation where you learned them.

state-dependent memory

You remember things better when you're in the same emotional or physical state as when you learned them.

recency effect

The tendency to remember the latest info u have learned. (example: last words in a list because its in ur short term memory)

primacy effect

The tendency to remember the first things you learned more easily, especially over the long term.

why do we forget?

encoding failure, storage decay, retrieval failure (interference or motivated forgetting)

positive transfer

When something you've already learned helps you learn something new more easily.

imagination inflation

When imagining an event causes your memory of it to grow more detailed over time, even if some details are false.