ap psych vocab 2.5-2.7

Semantic

Explicit memory of facts and general knowledge; one of conscious memory systems

Episodic

Explicit memory of personally experienced events; other conscious memory system

Hippocampus

Neural center located in the limbic system; helps process explicit/conscious memories for storage

Memory consolidation

The neural storage of long term memory; happens primarily during sleep

Flashbulb memories

Clear memory of an emotionally significant moment or event

Priming

Unconscious activation of certain associations, thus predisposing one’s perception, memory, or response

Encoding specificity principle

Idea that cues and contexts specific to particular memory will be most helpful in recalling it

Mood congruent

Tending to recall experiences that are consistent with one’s current good or bad mood

Serial position effect

Tendency to recall best last items in a list initially and the first items in list after a delay

Interleaving

Retrieval practice strategy that involves mixing study of different topics

Anterograde amnesia

An inability to form new memories

Retrograde amnesia

An inability to remember information from one’s past

Proactive (forward-acting) interference

The forward acting disruptive affect of older learning on the recall of new information

Retroactive (backward-acting) interference

The backward-acting disruptive effect of newer learning on the recall of old information

Repress

Basic defense mechanism that banishes from consciousness anxiety arousing thoughts, feelings, and memories

Reconsolidation

Process in which previously stored memories when retrieved, are potentially altered before being stored again

Misinformation effect

Occurs when a memory has been corrupted by misleading information

Source amnesia

Faulty memory of when or where information was learned or imagined

Deja Vu

Eerie sense that “I’ve experienced this before” cues from current situation may unconsciously trigger retrieval of an earlier experience