Memory Techniques and Retrieval Methods

Imagery

Mental pictures, a powerful aid to effortful processing, especially when combined with semantic encoding.

Mnemonics

Memory aids, especially those techniques that use vivid imagery and organizational devices.

Chunking

Organizing items into familiar, manageable units.

Acronym

A type of chunking in which a word is made out of the first letters of the to-be-remembered items. Ex. HOMES (the 5 Great Lakes: Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior)

Recall

A measure of memory in which the person must retrieve information learned earlier, as on a fill-in-the-blank test.

Recognition

A measure of memory in which the person need only identify items previously learned, as on a multiple-choice test.

Relearning

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

Priming

The activation, often unconsciously, of particular associations in memory.

Retrieval cues

Anchor points used to access the information you want to remember later.

Déjà vu

The eerie sense that 'I've experienced this before.' Cues from the current situation may subconsciously trigger retrieval of an earlier experience.

Mood-congruent memory

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

State-dependent memory

What we learn in one state may be more easily recalled when we are again in that state, such as being happy or sad.

Context-dependent memory

Putting yourself back in the context where you experienced something can prime your memory retrieval.