AP Notes, Outlines, Study Guides, Vocabulary, Practice Exams and more!

AP Psychology - Cognition - Memory Flashcards

All terms from Myers Psychology for AP (BFW Worth, 2011)

Terms : Hide Images
9622063513memorythe persistence of learning over time through the storage and retrieval of information.0
9622063514encodingthe processing of information into the memory system—for example, by extracting meaning.1
9622063515storagethe retention of encoded information over time.2
9622063516retrievalthe process of getting information out of memory storage.3
9622063517sensory memorythe immediate, very brief recording of sensory information in the memory system.4
9622063518short-term memoryactivated 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.5
9622063519long-term memorythe relatively permanent and limitless storehouse of the memory system. Includes knowledge, skills, and experiences.6
9622063521parallel processingthe processing of many aspects of a problem simultaneously; the brain's natural mode of information processing for many functions, including vision. Contrasts with the step-by-step (serial) processing of most computers and of conscious problem solving.7
9622063522automatic processingunconscious encoding of incidental information, such as space, time, and frequency, and of well-learned information, such as word meanings.8
9622063523effortful processingencoding that requires attention and conscious effort.9
9622063524rehearsalthe conscious repetition of information, either to maintain it in consciousness or to encode it for storage.10
9622063525spacing effectthe tendency for distributed study or practice to yield better long-term retention than is achieved through massed study or practice.11
9622063526serial position effectour tendency to recall best the last and first items in a list.12
9622063527visual encodingthe encoding of picture images.13
9622063528acoustic encodingthe encoding of sound, especially the sound of words.14
9622063529semantic encodingthe encoding of meaning, including the meaning of words.15
9622063530imagerymental pictures; a powerful aid to effortful processing, especially when combined with semantic encoding.16
9622063531mnemonicsmemory aids, especially those techniques that use vivid imagery and organizational devices.17
9622063532chunkingorganizing items into familiar, manageable units; often occurs automatically.18
9622063533iconic memorya momentary sensory memory of visual stimuli; a photographic or picture-image memory lasting no more than a few tenths of a second.19
9622063534echoic memoryA momentary sensory memory of auditory stimuli; if attention is elsewhere, sounds and words can still be recalled within 3 or 4 seconds.20
9622063535long-term potentiation (LTP)an increase in a synapse's firing potential after brief, rapid stimulation. Believed to be a neural basis for learning and memory.21
9622063536flashbulb memorya clear memory of an emotionally significant moment or event.22
9622063537amnesiathe loss of memory.23
9622063538implicit memoryretention independent of conscious recollection. (Also called non-declarative or procedural memory.)24
9622063539explicit memorymemory of facts and experiences that one can consciously know and "declare." (Also called declarative memory.)25
9622063540hippocampusa neural center that is located in the limbic system; helps process explicit memories for storage.26
9622063541recalla measure of memory in which the person must retrieve information learned earlier, as on a fill-in-the-blank test.27
9622063542recognitiona measure of memory in which the person need only identify items previously learned, as on a multiple-choice test.28
9622063543relearninga measure of memory that assesses the amount of time saved when learning material for a second time.29
9622063544primingthe activation, often unconsciously, of certain associations, thus predisposing one's perception, memory, or response.30
9622063545déjà vuthat eerie sense that "I've experienced this before." Cues from the current situation may subconsciously trigger retrieval of an earlier experience.31
9622063546mood-congruent memorythe tendency to recall experiences that are consistent with one's current good or bad mood.32
9622063547proactive interferencethe disruptive effect of prior learning on the recall of new information.33
9622063548retroactive interferencethe disruptive effect of new learning on the recall of old information.34
9622063549repressionin psychoanalytic theory, the basic defense mechanism that banishes anxiety-arousing thoughts, feelings, and memories from consciousness.35
9622063550misinformation effectincorporating misleading information into one's memory of an event.36
9622063551source amnesiaattributing to the wrong source an event 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.37
9622147989working memorya newer understanding of short-term memory that focuses on conscious, active processing of incoming auditory and visual spatial information, and of information retrieved from long term memory38

Need Help?

We hope your visit has been a productive one. If you're having any problems, or would like to give some feedback, we'd love to hear from you.

For general help, questions, and suggestions, try our dedicated support forums.

If you need to contact the Course-Notes.Org web experience team, please use our contact form.

Need Notes?

While we strive to provide the most comprehensive notes for as many high school textbooks as possible, there are certainly going to be some that we miss. Drop us a note and let us know which textbooks you need. Be sure to include which edition of the textbook you are using! If we see enough demand, we'll do whatever we can to get those notes up on the site for you!