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Memory and Learning

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315133929MemoryThe persistence of learning over time through the storage and retrieval of information.
315133930Flashbulb MemoriesA clear memory of an emotionally significant moment or event
315133931EncodingThe processing of information into the memory system-for example, by extracting meaning
315133932StorageThe retention of encoded information.
315133933RetrievalThe process of getting information out of storage.
315133934Sensory MemoryThe immediate, very brief recording of sensory information in the memory system.
315133935Short-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.
315133936Long-Term MemoryThe relatively permanent and limitless storehouse of the memory system. Includes knowledge, skills, and experiences.
315133937Working MemoryA newer understanding of short-term memory that involves conscious, active processing of incoming auditory and visual-spatial information, and of information retrieved from long-term memory.
315133938Automatic ProcessingUnconscious encoding of incidental information, such as space, time, and frequency, and of well-learned information, such as word meanings.
315133939Effortful ProcessingEncoding that requires attention and conscious effort.
315133940RehearsalThe conscious repetition of information, either to maintain it in consciousness or to encode it for storage.
315133941Next-In-Line EffectWhen people go around a circle saying words or their names, and attempting to remember what was said by the others, their poorest memories are for what was said by the person just before them.
315133942Spacing EffectThe tendency for distributed study or practice to yield better long-term retention than is achieved through massed study or practice.
315133943Serial Position EffectOur tendency to recall best the last and first items in a list.
315133944Visual EncodingThe encoding of picture images.
315133945Acoustic EncodingThe encoding of sound, especially the sound of words.
315133946Semantic EncodingThe encoding of meaning, including the meaning of words.
315133947Self-Reference EffectWe have especially good recall for information we can relate to ourselves.
315133948ImageryMental pictures; a powerful aid to effortful processing, especially when combined with semantic encoding.
315133949Rosy RetrospectionPeople tend to recall events more positively than they evaluated at the time.
315133950MnemonicMemory aids, especially those techniques that use vivid imagery and organizational devices.
315133951ChunkingOrganizing items into familiar, manageable units; often occurs automatically.
315133952Iconic MemoryA momentary sensory memory of visual stimuli; a photographic or picture-image memory lasting no more than a few tenths of a second.
315133953Echoic MemoryA momentary sensory memory of auditory stimuli; if attention is elsewhere, sounds and words can still be recalled within 3 or 4 seconds.
315133954Long-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. (No LTP: No learning) (Extra LTP: Enhanced and faster learning)
315133955CREBA protein that switches genes off or on; helps us retain long-term memories.
315133956AmnesiaThe loss of memory
315133957Implicit MemoryRetention independent of conscious recollection (you can learn how to do something).
315133958Explicit MemoryMemory of facts and experiences that one can consciously know and declare.
315133959HippocampusA neural center that is located in the limbic system and helps process explicit memories for storage.
315133960RecallA measure of memory in which the person must retrieve information learned earlier, as on a fill-in-the-blank test.
315133961RecognizeA measure of memory in which the person need only identify items previously learned, as on a multiple choice test.
315133962RelearningA memory measure that assesses the amount of time saved when learning material for a second time.
315133963Retrieval CuesAnchor points you can use to access the target information when you want to retrieve it later.
315133964PrimingThe activation, often unconsciously, of particular associations in memory
315133965Deja VuThat eerie sense that, "I've experienced this before." Cues from the current situation may subconsciously trigger retrieval of an earlier experience.
315133966State-Dependent MemoryWhat we learn in one state-be it joyful or sad, drunk or sober-Memories are more easily recalled when we are in that state.
315133967Mood-CongruentThe tendency to recall experiences that are consistent with one's current good or bad mood.
315133968Absent-MindednessInattention to details produces encoding failure.
315133969TransienceStorage decay over time.
315133970BlockingInaccessibility of stored information.
315133971MisattributionConfusing the source of information
315133972SuggestibilityLingering effects of misinformation
315133973Biasbelief-colored recollections
315133974PersistenceUnwanted Memories
315133975Forgetting CurveThe course of forgetting is initially rapid, then levels off with time.
315133976Proactive InterferenceThe disruptive effect of prior learning on the recall of new information.
315133977Retroactive InterferenceThe disruptive effect of new learning on the recall of old information.
315133978RepressionIn psychoanalytic theory, the basic defense mechanism that banishes from consciousness anxiety-arousing thoughts, feelings, and memories.
315133979Misinformation EffectIncorporating misleading information into one's memory of an event
315133980Source AmnesiaAttributing to the wrong source of an event we have experienced, heard about, read about, or imagined.
315133981Infantile AmnesiaPeople do not reliably recall happenings of any sort from their first three years.
315133982Adapt-AbilityOur capacity to learn new behaviors that enable us to cope with changing circumstances.
315133983LearningA relatively permanent change in an organism's behavior due to experience.
315133984Associative LearningLearning that certain events occur together. The events may be two stimuli (as in classical conditioning) or a response and its consequences (as in operant conditioning).
315133985ConditioningThe process of learning associations
315133986Classical ConditioningA type of learning in which an organism comes to associate stimuli. A neutral stimulus that signals an unconditional stimulus (US) begins to produce a response that anticipates and prepares for the unconditional stimulus.
315133987Ivan PavlovThe psychologist whose work laid the foundation of classical conditioning. He used dogs to study learning.
315133988Operant ConditioningA type of learning in which behavior is strengthened if followed by a reinforcer or diminished if followed by a punisher.
315133989Observational LearningLearning by observing others
315133990BehaviorismThe view that psychology (1) should be an objective science that (2) studies behavior without reference to mental processes.
315133991John WatsonThe psychologist that studied and founded behaviorism.
315133992Unconditional Response (UR)In classical conditioning, the unlearned, naturally occurring response to the unconditioned stimulus (US), such as salivation when food is in the mouth.
315133993Unconditional Stimulus (US)In classical conditioning, a stimulus that unconditionally (naturally and automatically) triggers a response.
315133994Conditional Response (CR)In classical conditioning, the learned response to a previously neutral (but now conditioned) stimulus (CS).
315133995Conditional Stimulus (CS)In classical conditioning, an originally irrelevant stimulus that, after association with an unconditioned stimulus (US), comes to trigger a conditioned response.
315133996AcquisitionThe initial stage in classical conditioning; the phase associating a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus so that the neutral stimulus comes to illicit a conditioned response. In operant conditioning, the strengthening of a reinforced response
315133997ExtinctionThe diminishing of a conditioned response; occurs in classical conditioning when and unconditional stimulus does not follow a conditional stimulus; occurs in operant conditioning when a response is no longer reinforced.
315133998Spontaneous RecoveryThe reappearance, after a pause, of an extinguished conditional response
315133999GeneralizationThe tendency, once a response has been conditioned, for stimuli similar to the conditional stimulus to elicit similar responses.
315134000DiscriminationIn classical conditioning, the learned ability to distinguish between a conditioned stimulus and stimuli that do not signal an unconditional stimulus.
315134001ExpectancyAn awareness of how likely it is that the unconditioned stimulus (US) will occur
315134002Charles DarwinThe psychologist that believed that nature prepares the members of each species to learn those things crucial to their survival.
315134003Respondent BehaviorBehavior that occurs as an automatic response to some stimulus.
315134004Operant BehaviorBehavior that operates on the environment, producing consequences.
315134005BF SkinnerModern behaviorisms most influential and controversial figure.
315134006Law of EffectThorndike's principle that behaviors followed by favorable consequences become more likely, and that behaviors followed by unfavorable consequences become less likely.
315134007Operant ChamberA chamber, also known as a Skinner box, containing a bar or key that an animal can manipulate to obtain a food or water reinforcer, with attached devices to record the animals rate of bar pressing or key pecking.
315134008ShapingAn operant conditioning procedure in which reinforcers guide behavior toward closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior.
315134009Successive ApproximationsYou reward responses that are even closer to the final desired behavior.
315134010Discriminative StimulusLike a green traffic light, it signals that a response will be reinforced.
315134011ReinforcementIn operant conditioning, any even that strengthens the behavior it follows.
315134012Positive ReinforcementIncreasing behaviors by presenting positive stimuli, such as food; Any stimulus that when presented after a response, strengthens the response.
315134013Negative ReinforcementIncreasing behaviors by stopping or reducing negative stimuli, such as shock; Any stimulus that when removed after a response, strengthens the response.
315134014Primary ReinforcersAn innately reinforcing stimulus, such as one that satisfies a biological need.
315134015Conditioned ReinforcersA stimulus that gains it's reinforcing power through its association with a primary reinforcer.
315134016Continuous ReinforcementReinforcing the desired response every time it occurs.
315134017Partial ReinforcementReinforcing a response only part of the time; resulting in slower acquisition of a response but much greater resistance to extinction than does continuous reinforcement.
315134018Fixed-Ratio ScheduleIn operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified number of responses.
315134019Variable-Ratio ScheduleIn operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses.
315134020Fixed-Interval ScheduleIn operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified time has elapsed.
315134021Variable-Interval ScheduleIn operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals.
315134022PunishmentAn event that decreases the behavior that it follows.
315134023Cognitive MapA mental representation of the layout of one's environment
315134024Latent LearningLearning that occurs but is not apparent until there is an incentive to demonstrate it.
315134025Intrinsic MotivationA desire to perform a behavior for his own sake.
315134026Extrinsic MotivationA desire to perform a behavior due to promised rewards or threats of punishment.
315134027ModelingThe process of observing and imitating a specific behavior
315134028Mirror NeuronsFrontal lobe neurons that fire when performing certain actions or when observing another doing so. The brain's mirroring of another's action may enable imitation, language learning, and empathy.
315134029ProsocialPositive, constructive, helpful behavior. The opposite of antisocial behavior.
315134030AntisocialThe opposite of prosocial behavior
315361025Method of LociMatching each of a series of locations with a visual representation of to-be-remembered items.
315361026Peg-Word System"One is a bun, two is a show" mnemonic device.

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