Psychology Exam 2 Study Guide Chapter 6 Terms Memory the ability to store and retrieve information over time Encoding The process by which we transform what we perceive think or feel into an enduring memory Retrieval The process of bringing to mind information that has been previously encoded and stored Elaborative encoding the process of actively relating new information to knowledge that is already in memory Visual Imagery Encoding the process of storing new information by converting it into mental pictures Organized Encoding the process of categorizing information according to the relationships among a series of items Sensory Memory a type of storage that holds sensory information for a few seconds or less Iconic Memory A fast decaying store of visual information Echoic Memory a fast decaying store of auditory information Short Term Memory a type of storage that holds nonsensory information for more than a few seconds but less than a minute Rehearsal the process of keeping information in short term memory by mentally repeating it Chunking combining small pieces of information into larger clusters or chunks that are more easily held in short term memory Working memory Active maintenance of information in short term storage Long term Memory a type of storage that holds information for hours days weeks or years Anterograde Amnesia The inability to transfer new information from the short term store into the long term store Retrograde Amnesia The inability to retrieve information that was acquired before a particular date usually the date of an injury or operation Consolidation the process by which memories become stable in the brain Reconsolidation Memories can become vulnerable to disruption when they are recalled requiring them to become consolidated again Long term potentiation LTP a process whereby communication across the synapse between neurons strengthens the connection making further communication easier NMDA receptor a receptor on the hippocampus that influences the flow of information between neurons by controlling the initiation of long term potentiation Retrieval Cue External information that helps bring stored information to mind Encoding specificity principle the idea that a retrieval cue can serve as an effective reminder when it helps re create the specific way in which information was initially encoded State Dependent Retrieval the tendency for information to be better recalled when the person is in the same state during encoding and retrieval Transfer Appropriate Processing the idea that memory is likely to transfer from one situation to another when the encoding context of the situations match Retrieval Induced forgetting a process by which retrieving an item from long term memory impairs subsequent recall of related items Explicit Memory the act of consciously or intentionally retrieving past experiences Implicit Memory The influence of past experiences on later behavior even without an effort to remember them or an awareness of the recollection Procedural Memory The gradual acquisition of skills as a result of practice or knowing how to do things Priming An enhanced ability to think of a stimulus such as a word or an object as a result of recent exposure to the stimulus Semantic Memory a network of associated facts and concepts that make up our general knowledge of the world Episodic memory the collection of past personal experiences that occurred at a particular time and place SEVEN SINS OF MEMORY 1 Transience forgetting what occurs with the passage of time Retroactive Interference situations in which information learned later impairs memory for information acquired earlier Proactive situations in which information learned earlier impairs memory for information acquired later 2 Absentmindedness a lapse in attention that results in memory failure Prospective Memory remembering to do things in the future 3 Blocking a failure to retrieve information that is available in memory even though you are trying to produce it 4 Memory Misattribution Assigning a recollection or an idea to the wrong source Source Memory recall of when where and how information was acquired False Recognition a feeling of familiarity about something that hasn t been encountered before 5 Suggestibility the tendency to incorporate misleading information from external sources into personal recollections 6 Bias the distorting influences of present knowledge beliefs and feelings on recollection of previous experiences 7 Persistance The intrusive recollection of events that we wish we could forget Flashbulb memories detailed recollections of when and where we heard about shocking events Chapter 6 Notes Memory FOUR MODELS OF MEMORY 1 Information Processing Approach memory is a process similar to a computer and has 3 basic processes encoding storage retrieval 2 Parallel Distributed Processing Model memory is distributed across a wide memory network of interconnected neurons located in various locations in the brain when activated the network works simultaneously to process information 3 Levels of Processing Approach memory depends on the degree of depth of processing occurring shallow processing leads to little memory deeper processing and greater memory 4 Three Stage Memory Model Sensory memory STM LTM memory requires three stages sensory memory holds very short period short term memory retains 30 seconds or less long term memory is relatively permanent information goes from LTM to STM to be used Leading model in memory research Model offers convenient way to organize the major memory processes We only remember stimulation that enters our sensory memory processes if it receives attention in conscious experiencing of one or more sensory modalities is held and maintained in STM is encoded and store in LTM and can be retrieved from LTM with appropriate cues Forgetting can occur at each level Sensory Memory stores a brief copy 3 seconds of stimuli that register during sensory processing product of transduction Iconic Memory is transduced encoded visual snapshot or icon and lasts 1 second Echoic Memory seems to last for at least several seconds Short Term Memory three part working memory visuospatial sketchpad phonological rehearsal loop central executive Working Memory of STM STM requires attention and has limited capacity and stores 7 2 noticed items for up to 30 seconds longer with rote or maintenance rehearsal Chunking increases STM capacity experts chunk bits of information facilitates encoding