0HV60 Matlin Chapter 6 | Quizlet

memory strategy

Intentional, goal-oriented mental activities that a person performs, in order to improve

encoding and retrieval of information in memory.

levels of processing

The observation that recall is generally more accurate when people process information

at a deep, meaningful level, rather than a shallow sensory kind of processing

elaboration

In the levels-of-processing approach to memory, rich processing emphasizing the meaning

of a particular concept and relating the concept to prior knowledge and interconnected concepts already

mastered.

rehearsal

Silently repeating the information to be learned. Rehearsal is not considered to be an effective

memory strategy.

distinctiveness

In the levels-of-processing approach to memory, the situation in which one memory trace

is different from all other memory traces. People tend to forget information if it is not distinctly different

from the other memory traces in their long-term memory.

self-referene effect

The enhancement of long-term memory by relating the material to oneself

encoding-specificity principle

The observation that recall is often better if the context at the time of

encoding matches the context at the time of retrieval

foresight bias

The tendency, when studying for a future exam, to be overconfident about performance on

that exam

total-time hypothesis

The concept that the amount of information you learn depends on the total time

devoted to learning. This hypothesis is generally true, although the quality of study strategies used during

the time is also important

distributed-practice effect

The observation that memory is better when the learning trials are spread

over time (spaced learning), as compared with trying to learn the material all at once (massed learning).

The studies generally support this effect for both recall tasks and recognition tasks

spaced learning

When learning new material, the situation in which the learner distributes her or his

practice over time; this learning strategy is more effective than massed learning.

massed learning

When learning new material, the situation in which the learner practices the material all

at the same time, by "cramming"; this learning strategy is less effective than spaced learning

desirable difficulties

A learning situation that is somewhat challenging, but not too difficult; this situation

is helpful for increasing long-term recall

testing effect

The observation that the act of taking a test is actually an excellent way to boost long-term

recall for academic material

mnemonics

Mental strategies designed to improve memory

mental imagery

The mental representation of stimuli when those stimuli are not physically present. Sensory

receptors do not receive any input when a mental image is created

keyword method

A memory technique for learning vocabulary words or people's names. The learner

identifies an actual word (the keyword) that sounds similar to the new word. Then, she or he creates an

image that links the keyword with the meaning of this new word

organization

A mnemonic strategy in which a person applies a systematic order to the material that must

be learned

chunking

A memory strategy in which the learner combines several small units to create larger units

hierarchy

A memory strategy in which the learner arranges items in a series of classes, from the most

general classes to the most specific.

first-letter technique

A memory strategy in which a person is learning a list of items; he or she composes

a word or a sentence from the first letters of each word on the list to be remembered

narrative technique

In memory, making up stories that link a series of words together, in order to enhance

memory.

retrospective memory

Remembering information that was acquired in the past. In contrast, prospective

memory applies to remembering a task that needs to be done in the future

prospective memory

Remembering that one needs to do something in the future, such as buying an item

on the way home from classes. In contrast, retrospective memory refers to remembering things that happened

in the past.

ecological validity

A principle of research design in which the research uses conditions that are similar

to the natural setting where the results will be applied.

external memory aid

Any device, external to one's self, that facilitates memory in some way; this memory

aid is especially helpful on prospective-memory tasks.

metacognition

Knowledge and control of cognitive processes; metacognition helps to supervise the way

one selects and uses memory strategies. The general term, metacognition, includes metamemory, metacomprehension,

and metalinguistics. It is also related to both the tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon and the

feeling of knowing

self-knowledge

The information that people believe about themselves, including factual information, as

well as knowledge of one's own social behavior, personality, and attitudes

meta-memory

A kind of metacognition that refers to one's knowledge, monitoring, and control of memory.

tip-of-the-tongue effect

The subjective experience of knowing which word is being sought, but not being

able to retrieve the actual word. A person may know the word's first letter and the general sound of the

word—even though the word itself refuses to leap into memory

feeling-of-knowing effect

In memory, the subjective experience of knowing some information, but not

being able to recall it right now.

tip-of-the-finger effect

In the deaf community, the subjective experience of knowing a target sign, but not

being able to produce that sign because it is temporarily inaccessible

metacomprehension

A kind of metacognition, referring to a person's thoughts that specifically focus on

language comprehension. Most research about metacomprehension focuses on reading comprehension,

rather than on the comprehension of spoken speech or on other kinds of knowledge about language