8.3 Summary

three types of long-term memory

episodic: memories of our past

semantic: memories of facts 

spatial: memories of our surroundings 

field perspective

when one remembers an episodic memory through one’s own eyes

observer perspective

watching memory play out like a scene from a movie with us as a player

flashbulb memories

are created by highly important events; people often overestimate the detail of the memory

false memories 

inaccurate recalls of events and can be created with false suggestions, creating the misinformation effect 

eyewitness memories are also modifiable through suggestions,

leading to problems in eyewitness testimonies

increased arousal can facilitate memories of central details at the expense of

peripheral details of the remembered event

cool memory system 

shows an inverted U-shape relationship with arousal, but the hot memory system improves with increased arousal 

semantic network model

assumes that memories are stored in interconnected nodes representing categorical concepts

a cognitive map

represents our memories of our surroundings and environment

method of loci uses episodic and spatial memory to 

help store and retrieve semantic memories 

people create a memory palace where they visualize storing items and navigate this area in their minds when they want to recall the items 

our memory is better facilitated by

spacing out practices or studying

hyperthymesia

extraordinarily accurate memory of one’s past

traumatic events can create overpowering intrusive memories 

of the event that can lead to PTSD