Semantic Memory

The type of long-term memory that stores general knowledge and facts, independent of personal experience.

Episodic Memory

The type of long-term memory that stores personal experiences and specific events, including the context of time and place.

Memory Consolidation

The process by which short-term memories are stabilized and transformed into long-term memories.

Infantile Amnesia

The inability to recall memories from early childhood, typically before the age of 3 or 4.

Flashbulb Memories

Vivid, detailed memories of emotionally significant events, often linked to the context in which you first learned about the event.

Retrieval Cues

Stimuli or hints that help you access stored memories, such as a specific environment or emotion.

Retrospective Memory

The memory of past events or experiences.

Prospective Memory

The ability to remember to perform a planned action in the future.

Priming

The process by which exposure to one stimulus influences the response to a subsequent stimulus, often unconsciously.

Context-Dependent Memory

The improved recall of information when the environment during retrieval matches the environment during encoding.

Encoding Specificity Principle

The idea that memory retrieval is more effective when the context at retrieval matches the context at encoding.

State-Dependent Memory

The phenomenon where memory retrieval is enhanced when an individual is in the same emotional or physiological state as during encoding.

Mood-Congruent Memory

The tendency to recall memories that are consistent with one's current mood.

Serial Position Effect

The tendency to recall the first and last items in a list better than the middle items.

Primacy Effect

The tendency to better recall the first items in a sequence due to increased rehearsal.

Recency Effect

The tendency to better recall the last items in a sequence because they are still fresh in short-term memory.

Interleaving

A learning technique where different topics or skills are mixed together, improving long-term retention and understanding.