Psychology

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mnemonics

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memory aids, espcially those techniques that use vivid imagery and organizational devices.

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imagery

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

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semantic encoding

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the encoding of meaning, including the meaning of words.

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acoustice encoding

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the encoding of sound, especially the sound of words.

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visual encoding

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the encoding of picture images.

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serial position effect

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our tendancy to recall best the last and first items in a list.

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spacing effect

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the tendancy for distributed study or practice to yield better long-term retention that is achieved through massed study or practice.

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rehearsal

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the conscious repetition of information, either to maintain it in consciousness or to encode it for storage.

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effortful processing

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encoding that requires attention and conscious effort.

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automatic processing

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unconscious encoiding of incidental information, such as space, time, and frequency, and of well-learned information, such as word meanings.

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long-term memory

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the relatively permanent and limitless storehouse of the memory system.

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short-term memory

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activated memory that holds a few items briefly, such as the seven digits of a phone number while dialing, before the information is stored or forgotten. Working memory is a similar concept that focuses more on the processing of briefly stored information.

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sensory memory

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the immediate, initial recording of sensory information in the memory system.

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retrieval

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the process of getting information out of memory storage.

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storage

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the rentention of encoded information over time.

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encoding

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the processing of information into the memory system--for example, by extracting meaning.

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flashbulb memory

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a clear memory of an emotionally significant moment or event.

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memory

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the persistence of learning over time through the storage and retrieval of information.

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source amnesia

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attributing to the wrong source an event that we have experienced, heard about, read about, or imagined. (Also called source misattribution.) Source amnesia, along with the misinformation effect, is at the heart of many false memories.

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misinformation effect

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incorporating misleading information into one's memory of an event.

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repression

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in psychoanalytic theory, the basic defense mechanisms that banishes anxiety-arousing thoughts, feelings, and memories from consciousness.

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retroactive interference

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the disruptive effect of new learning on the recall of old information.

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proactive interference

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the disruptive effect of prior learning on the recall of new information.

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mood-congruent memory

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

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deja vu

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

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priming

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

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relearning

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

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recognition

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

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recall

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

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hippocampus

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a neural center located in the limbic system that helps process explicit memories for storage.

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explicit memory

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memory of facts and experiences that one can consciously know and "declare." (Also called declarative memory.)

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implicit memory

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retention independent of conscious recollection; Also called prcedural memory.

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amnesia

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the loss of memory.

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long-term potentiation (LTP)

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an increase in a synapse's firing potential after brief, rapid stimulation. Believed to be a neutral basis for learning and memory.

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echoic memory

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a momentary sensory memory of auditory stimuli; if attention is elsewhere, sounds and words can still be recalled within 3 or 4 seconds.

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iconic memory

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a momentary sensory memory of visual stimuli; a photographic or picture-image memory lasting no more that a few tenths of a second.

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chunking

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organizing items into familiar, manageable units; often occurs automatically.