Psychology: Memory Encoding, Storage, and Retrieval Flashcards

A complete set of vocabulary flashcards derived from the lecture notes covering memory processes, models, structures, enhancement strategies, and forgetting phenomena.

Ebbinghaus' forgetting curve

A graphic representation model showing that memory storage decay occurs rapidly at first and then levels off over time.

Multi-store (Atkinson-Shiffrin) model

A structural memory framework involving three key stages/processes: encoding (subject to encoding failure), storage, and retrieval.

Self-Reference Effect

A memory enhancement phenomenon where individuals recall information more effectively when it is related personally to themselves.

Testing Effect

Enhanced memory performance produced by practicing the retrieval of information rather than simply re-reading it.

Retrieval Cues

External or internal stimuli that help access stored information, including context-dependent memory (encoding specificity principle), state-dependent memory, and mood-congruent memory.

Schema

A cognitive framework or concept that helps organize and interpret information in memory.

Automatic Processing

Unconscious encoding of incidental information such as space, time, and frequency.

Recall

A measure of memory in which a person must retrieve information learned earlier without external prompts.

Recognition

A measure of memory in which a person need only identify items previously learned.

Relearning

A measure of memory efficiency that assesses the time saved when learning material for a second time.

Shallow processing

Encoding on a basic level based on the structure or appearance of words, encompassing structural encoding and phonemic encoding.

Structural encoding

A form of shallow processing that focuses on the physical structure or visual appearance of a stimulus.

Phonemic encoding

A form of shallow processing that emphasizes the sound of a word or verbal stimulus.

Deep processing

Encoding semantically based on the meaning of the words, which yields better retention.

Semantic encoding

A form of deep processing focused on encoding the meaning of information.

Spacing effect

The tendency for distributed study or practice to yield better long-term retention than massed practice.

Interleaving

A memory enhancement strategy that involves mixing different topics or subjects during study.

Metacognition

The awareness, monitoring, and understanding of one's own thought and memory processes.

Context-dependent memory

The improved recall of specific information when the context present at encoding and retrieval are same, reflecting the encoding specificity principle.

State-dependent memory

The phenomenon where information learned in a particular state of consciousness is most easily recalled in that same state.

Mood-congruent memory

The tendency to recall experiences that are consistent with one's current good or bad mood.

Serial position effect

The tendency to recall best the last items (recency effect) and first items (primacy effect) in a list.

Primacy effect

Enhanced recall of the first items presented in a list as part of the serial position effect.

Recency effect

Enhanced recall of the last or most recent items presented in a list as part of the serial position effect.

Anterograde amnesia

An inability to form new long-term memories following neurological trauma or disease.

Retrograde amnesia

An inability to retrieve information or memories stored prior to a specific traumatic event or onset of disease.

Source amnesia

Attributing an event, memory, or piece of information to the incorrect origin or source.

Infantile amnesia

The inability of adults to retrieve explicit memories formed during early childhood.

Proactive interference

A disruption in memory where older information interferes with the recall of newly learned information.

Retroactive interference

A disruption in memory where newly acquired information interferes with the recall of previously learned information.

Alzheimer's disease

A progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by severe memory failure and cognitive decline.

Repression

In psychoanalytic theory, a defense mechanism that banishes anxiety-arousing thoughts and memories from consciousness.

Storage decay

The loss of stored memory over time as depicted in Ebbinghaus' forgetting curve.

Constructive Memory

The process of rebuilding memories, subject to reconsolidation, the misinformation effect, framing (wording effect), imagination inflation, and déjà vu.

Reconsolidation

A process in which retrieved stored memories are rendered labile and must be consolidated again, potentially altering them.

Misinformation effect

The distortion of a memory by misleading post-event information.

Framing (wording effect)

The way an issue or question is posed, which can significantly affect memory reconstruction and decisions.

Imagination inflation

A phenomenon where vividly imagining an event increases confidence that the event actually occurred.

Déjà vu

The uncanny sense of having previously experienced a current situation, triggered by subconscious retrieval cues.

Retrieval Failure

An inability to access stored information, famously illustrated by the tip of the tongue phenomenon.

Sensory memory

The immediate, brief recording of sensory information, including iconic memory (visual) and echoic memory (auditory).

Iconic memory

A momentary sensory memory of visual stimuli lasting no more than a few tenths of a second.

Echoic memory

A momentary sensory memory of auditory stimuli that lasts a few seconds.

Short-term memory

Activated memory that holds a limited amount of information, possessing a capacity of $7 \times 2$ items.

Working memory

An active processing system composed of the central executive, visuospatial sketchpad, phonological loop, and episodic buffer.

Prospective memory

A type of memory responsible for remembering to execute intended actions in the future.

Retrospective memory

A type of memory that involves recalling information, events, or experiences from the past.

Explicit memory (declarative)

Memory of facts and experiences that one can consciously know, comprising semantic memory and episodic memory (such as flashbulb memory), supported by the Hippocampus, Frontal lobe, and Amygdala.

Semantic memory

A subcategory of explicit memory consisting of general knowledge and facts.

Episodic memory

A subcategory of explicit memory involving personally experienced events and episodes.

Flashbulb memory

A vivid, detailed episodic memory of an emotionally significant event.

Hippocampus

A neural structure in the limbic system that helps process explicit memories for storage.

Frontal lobe

A brain region involved in processing and managing explicit declarative memory storage.

Amygdala

A brain structure responsible for processing emotional memories within explicit memory.

Implicit memory (non-declarative)

Retention independent of conscious recollection, including procedural memory, priming, and classical conditioning associations, supported by the Cerebellum and Basal ganglia.

Procedural memory

A type of implicit memory responsible for motor skills and habits.

Priming

The implicit activation of particular associations in memory through unconscious exposure.

Cerebellum

A brain structure critical for forming and storing implicit memories created by classical conditioning.

Basal ganglia

Deep brain structures involved in forming procedural memories for skills and habits.

Effortful Processing techniques

Conscious encoding strategies used to store information, including chunking, mnemonics, method of loci, elaborative rehearsal, and maintenance rehearsal.

Chunking

Organizing items into familiar, manageable units to enhance effortful processing.

Mnemonics

Memory aids and effortful processing techniques that utilize vivid imagery and organizational structures.

Method of loci

A mnemonic technique relying on spatial locations to visualize and memorize ordered information.

Elaborative Rehearsal

An effortful processing technique involving meaningful analysis and linking of new material to existing knowledge.

Maintenance Rehearsal

The process of repeatedly verbalizing or thinking about information to maintain it in short-term memory.

Neurogenesis

The growth and development of new neurons involved in neural plasticity and memory.

Long-term potentiation (LTP)

An increase in a cell's firing potential after brief, rapid stimulation, providing a neural basis for learning and memory.

Memory consolidation

The neural storage process by which short-term memories are converted into stable long-term memories.

Autobiographical memory

A memory system consisting of episodes recollected from an individual's life.

HSAM

Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory, an exceptional ability to accurately recall vast amounts of detailed life experiences.