psychology chapter 7 memory

memory

memory

mental system for receiving, encoding, storing, organizing, altering and retrieving information

encoding (in memory)

converting information into a form to be retaoned in memory

storage (in memory)

holding information in memory for later use

retrieval (in memory)

recovery of stored information

sensory memory

fleeting storage system for sensory impressions

iconic memory

a mental image or visual representation

echoic memory

a brief continuation of sensory activity in the auditory system after sound is heard

short-term memory (STM)

storage system used to hide small amounts of information in conscious awareness for about a dozen seconds

working memeory

another name for short-term memory, especially as it is used for thinking and solving problems

chuncking

process of grouping similar or meaningful information together

information bits

meaningful units of information, such as numbers, letters, words, or phrases

mainteneance rehersal

repeating information over and over to keep it active in short-term memory

rote rehearsal (rote-learning)

learning by simple repetition

elaborative rehearsal (elaborative encoding)

making memories more meaningful through processing that encodes links between new information and existing memories and knowledge, either at the tie of the original encoding or on subsequent retrievals

long-term memory (LTM)

unlimited capacity storeage system that can hold information over lengthy period of time

network model (of memory)

a model of memory that views it as an organized system of linked information

retrieval cue

any information that can prompt or trigger the retrival of particular memories. retrieval cues usually enhance memory

redintegration

process by which memories are reconstructed or expanded by starting with one memory and then following chains of association to other related memories

implicit memory

a recollection that a person does not know exisits and is retrieved unconsciously

priming

facilitating the retrieval of an implicit memory by using cues to activate hidden memories

explicit memory

recollection that a person is aware of having or is consciously retrived

semantic memory

a subpart declarative memory that records impersonal knowledge about the world

episodic memory

a subpart of declarative memory that records personal experiences that are linked with specific times and places

consolidation

process by which relatively permanent memories are formed in the brain

hippocampus

part of the limbic system associated with storing memories

flashbulb memory

especially vivid and detailed recollection of an emotion event

encoding failure

failure to store sufficient information to form a useful memory

tip-of-the-tongue (TOT) state

the feeling that a memory is available but not quite retrievable

recognition

ability to correctly identify previously learned information

relearning

learning again something that was previously learned. used to measure memory of prior learning

recall

retrieval of information with a minimum of external cues

serial position effect

when remembering an order list, the tendency to make the most errors with middle items

retrieval failure

failure to access memories even though they are available

amnesia

inability to form or retrieve memories of events due to an injury or trauma

retrograde amnesia

inability to retrieve memories of events that occured before an injury or trauma

anterograde amnesia

inability to form or retrieve memories of events that occur after an injury or trauma

state-dependent learning

memory influenced by ones physical state at the time of learning and at the time of retrieval. improved memory occurs when the physical states match.

interference

the tendency for new memories to impair retrieval of older memories and the reverse

retroactive interference

the tendency for new memories to interfere with the retrieval of old memories

proactive interference

the tendency for old memories to interfere with the retrieval of newer memories

repression

keeping distressing thoughts and feelings buried in the unconscious

suppression

a conscious effort to put something out of mind or to keep it from awareness

decay theory

proposition that the strength of memories weakens over time, making them harder to retrieve

memory traces

physical changes in neurons or brain activity that take place when memories are stored

law of disuse (in memeory)

proposition that memory traces weaken when memories are not periodically used or retirieved

false memory

a memory that can seem to be accurate, but is not

source confusion (in memory)

occurs when the origins of a memory are misremembered

cognitive interview

use of various cues and strategies to improve the memory of eyewitnesses

spaced practice

a practice schedule that alternates study periods with brief rests

massed practice

a practice schedule in which studying continues for long period without interruptions

mental images

mental pictures or visual depictions used in memory and thinking

mnemonic device

a strategy for enhancing memory

keyword method

as an aid to memory, using a familiar word or image to link 2 items

multimedia principle

the idea that people process words and mental images together better than they do words alone

4 characteristics of memory

vary in terms of Time

vary in terms of how automatic it is to retrieve them

vary in terms of episodic-ness (association with experiences or episodes)

vary in terms of modality

2 elements of the modal modal of memory

memory systems

types of memory

sensory memory

holding space for environmental experiences and infor from sense

how researchers describe sensory memory

large capacity

brief duration

not conscious

working memory

like a mental workbench, where we can manipulate information currently in our minds

active process

draws information from SM and LTM

small capacity

stays in memory for a brief duration

ex. going to get something, but not remembering what you were going to get

how to improve working memory

improve WM by chunking information

long-term memory

very large capacity
long duration

not conscious to subject awareness

2 types of long-term memory

1. implicit memory

2. explicit memory

implicit memory

• difficult to verbalize

• it is procedural knowledge, ex. tying a shoe

• any kind of action well established in your memory

• ex2. learned association (classical and operant conditioning)

• fear of dogs, learned association, leads to feelings of anxiety and fear near dogs

• ex3. priming (activating specific memory in the likelihood that other information will be activated

explicit memory

• easy to visualize

• alternate name is declared memory

• what people usually think of when they hear the term memory

• divided into 2 further categories

• semantic and episodic memory

semantic memory

• memory for facts and concepts

• ex. the 5 great lakes

• information is lodged in your memory

• cannot be linked to a particular source, time or place

episodic memory

• memories connected to a specific time and/or place

• remember when and where it took place

• alternative name: autobiographical memory

how long-term memory is organized

1. your memories are stored in a network

• the network is composed of links and nodes

2. some memories are stored in the network as pictures or sounds, but they are most often stored are based on meaning

• ex. what you know about your sister

• nodes connect based on their personal meanings to you

nodes

in long term memory for everything you know, represent everything you know

selective attention

moving information from the sensory memory into the working memory

maintenance rehearsal

• keeping information in working memory

• driven by system 2

• effort to keep something in your memory

• constant repetition keeps this in the working memory

• not an effective way to keep it in the LTM

encoding and storage

• moving information form WM into the LTM

• encoding is fundamental to process learning

2 factors that help encoding

1. emotion

2. deep processing

emotion

• emotions positive or negative will make it more likely that experiences will be encoded in the LTM

• these emotional memories are no more likely than other memories to be accurate

deep processing

deep processing strategies help us to integrate new material in WM with information previously stored in the LTM network

elaborative rehearsal

helps encoding

retrieval

moving information from LTM to WM