AP Psychology Topic 2.4 - Encoding Memories

Category

A group of related items or concepts that share common features, used to organize information mentally.

Chunking

Breaking down information into smaller, manageable units (chunks) to improve memory retention.

Distributed Practice

Spacing out study sessions over time, which leads to better long-term retention than cramming.

Encoding

The process of converting information into a form that can be stored in memory.

Hierarchy

Organizing information into levels or ranks, from broad concepts to specific details, to help memory and understanding.

Massed practice

Studying a lot of information in one session (cramming); often less effective for long-term retention.

Method of loci

A mnemonic strategy that involves visualizing items to be remembered in specific physical locations (a "memory palace").

Mnemonic devices

Memory aids or tricks that use imagery, organization, or rhymes to help recall information.

Primacy effect

The tendency to better remember items at the beginning of a list.

Recency effect

The tendency to better remember items at the end of a list

Serial Position Effect

The combined tendency to recall the first and last items in a list more easily than the middle items.

Spacing Effect

The phenomenon where learning is more effective when study sessions are spaced out over time