psych midterm 2

flashbulb memory

An exceptionally clear recollection of an important event is a(n . .)

absentmindedness

lapses in memory that are caused by breaks in attention or our focus being somewhere else

acoustic encoding

input of sounds, words, and music

Amnesia

Loss of long term memory as the result of disease, physical trauma, or psychological trauma

anterograde amnesia

loss of memory for events immediately following a trauma

Arousal theory

Strong emotions trigger the formation of strong memories and weaker emotional experiences form weaker memories

Atkinson-Shiffrin Model

Memory model that states we process information through three systems: sensory memory, short term (working) memory, and long term memory

automatic processing

encoding of informational details like time, space, frequency, and the meaning of words

Bias

how feelings and view of the world distort memory of past events

Blocking

memory error in which you cannot access stored information

Chunking

Organizing information into manageable bits or chunks

Construction

formulation of new memories

declarative memory

type of long-term memory of facts and events we personally experience

effortful processing

encoding of information that takes effort and attention

elaborative rehearsal

Thinking about the meaning of the new information and its relation to knowledge already stored in your memory

Encoding

input of information into the memory system

Engram

Physical trace of memory

episodic memory

Type of declarative memory that contains information about events we have personally experienced, also known as autobiographical memory

Equipotentiality hypothesis

Some parts of the brain can take over for damaged parts in forming and storing memories

Explicit memory

memories we consciously try to remember and recall

False memory syndrome

Recall of false autobiographical memories

flashbulb memory

exceptionally clear recollection of an important event example 911

Forgetting

loss of information from long-term memory

Implicit memory

memories that are not part of our consciousness

levels of processing

Information that is thought of more deeply becomes more meaningful and thus better committed to memory

Long Term Memory (LTM)

Continuous storage of information

Memory

system or process that stores what we learn for future use

memory consolidation

active rehearsal to move information from short-term memory into long-term memory

memory-enhancing strategy

technique to help make sure information goes from short-term memory to long-term memory

misattribution

memory error in which you confuse the source of your information

misinformation effect paradigm

after exposure to incorrect information, a person may misremember the original event

Mnemonic device

Memory aids that help organize information for encoding

persistence

Failure of the memory system that involves the involuntary recall of unwanted information for encoding

proactive interference

old information hinders the recall of newly learned information

procedural memory

Type of long term memory for making skilled actions, such as how to brush your teeth, how to drive a car, and how to swim

Recall

Accessing information without cues

recognition

identifying previously learned information after encountering it again, usually in response to a cue

Reconstruction

process of bringing up old memories that might be distorted by new information

Rehearsal

Conscious repetition of information to be remembered

Relearning

Learning information that was previously learned

Retrieval

Act of getting information out of long term memory storage and back into conscious awareness

retroactive interference

information learned more recently hinders the recall of older information

retrograde amnesia

Loss of memory for events that occurred prior to brain trauma

self-reference effect

Tendency for an individual to have better memory for information that relates to oneself in comparison to material that has less personal relevance

Semantic encoding

input of words and their meaning

Semantic memory

type of declarative memory about words, concepts, and language-based knowledge and facts

Sensory memory

Storage of brief sensory events, such as sights, sounds, and tastes

short-term memory (STM) (working memory)

Holds about seven bits of information before its forgotten or stored, as well as information that has been retrieved and is being used

Storage

Creation of a permanent record of information

suggestibility

effects of misinformation from external sources that leads to the creation of false memories

transcience

memory error in which unused memories fade with the passage of time

visual encoding

input of images

working memory

\_______ is another word for short term memory

Essentially limitless

The storage capacity of long term memory is

encoding, storage, and retrieval

The three functions of memory are

Engram

The physical trace of a memory is known as the

Egocentric bias

\_______ is when our recollections of the past are done in a self-enhancing manner

Egocentric bias

Involves enhancing memories of the past

Stereotypical bias

Involves racial and gender biases

hindsight bias

happens when we think an outcome was inevitable after the fact

Blocking

Tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon is also known as

accommodation

adjustment of a schema by changing a scheme to accommodate new information

adolescence

period of development that begins at puberty and ends at early adulthood

assimilation

adjustment of a schema by adding information similar to what is already known

attachment

long-standing connection or bond with others

authoritarian parenting style

parents place a high value on conformity and obedience, are often rigid, and express little warmth to the child (cold, strict)

authoritative parenting style

parents give children reasonable demands and consistent limits, express warmth and affection, and listen to the child's point of view (warm, strict)

avoidant attachment

characterized by child's unresponsiveness to parent, does not use the parent as a secure base, and does not care if parent leaves

cognitive development

domain of lifespan development that examines learning, attention, memory, language, thinking, reasoning, and creativity

cognitive empathy

ability to take the perspective of others and feel concern for others

concrete operational stage

third stage in Piaget's theory of cognitive development; from about 7 to 11 years old, children can think logically about real (concrete) events

conservation

idea that even if you change the appearance of something, it is still equal in size, volume, or number as long as nothing is added or removed

continuous development

view that development is a cumulative process; gradually improving on existing skills

critical (sensitive) period

time during fetal development when specific parts or organs develop

developmental milestone

approximate ages at which children reach specific normative events

discontinuous development

view that development takes place in unique stages, which happen at specific times or ages

disorganized attachment

characterized by the child's odd behavior when faced with the parent; type of attachment seen most often with kids that are abused

egocentrism

preoperational child's difficulty in taking the perspective of others

emerging adulthood

newly defined period of lifespan development from 18 yrs to the mid 20s; young people are taking longer to complete college, get a job, married, and start a family

fine motor skills

use of muscles in fingers, toes, and eyes to coordinate small actions

formal operational stage

final stage in Piaget's theory of cognitive development; from age 11 and up, children are able to deal with abstract ideas and hypothetical situations

gross motor skills

use of large muscle groups to control arms and legs for large body movements

hospice

service that provides a death with dignity; pain management in a humane and comfortable environment; usually outside of a hospital setting

motor skills

ability to move our body and manipulate objects

nature

genes and biology

normative approach

study of development using norms, or average ages, when most children reach specific developmental milestones

nurture

environment and culture

object permanence

idea that even if something is out of sight, it still exists

permissive parenting style

parents that make few demands and rarely use punishment (cold, nonstrict)

physical development

domain of lifespan development that examines growth and changes in the body and brain, the senses, motor skills, and health and wellness

preoperational stage

second stage in Piaget's theory of cognitive development from ages to 2 to 7; children learn to use symbols and language but do not understand mental operations and often think illogically

psychosexual development

process proposed by Freud in which pleasure-seeking urges focus on different erogenous zones of the body as humans move through five stages of life

psychosocial development

process proposed by Erikson in which social tasks are mastered as humans move through eight stages of life from infancy to adulthood

resistant attachment

characterized by child's tendency to show clingy behavior and rejection of the parent when she attempts to interact with the child

reversibility

principle that objects can be changed, but then returned back to their original form or condition

schema

concept (mental model) that is used to help us categorize and interpret information

secure attachment

characterized by the child using the parent as a secure base from which to explore his surroundings

sensorimotor stage

first stage in Piaget's theory of cognitive development; from birth to age 2, a child learns about the world through senses and motor behavior

socioemotional selectivity theory

social support/friendships dwindle in number, but remain as close, if not more close in earlier years

stage of moral reasoning

process proposed by Kohlberg; humans move through three stages of moral development