The process of transforming sensory input into a form that can be stored in memory.
Encoding
The three steps of the information processing model.
Encoding, Storage, Retrieval
Memory for facts like historical dates.
Semantic memory
Failure to encode information results in:
Encoding failure
Retrieving information without cues, like on an essay test.
Recall
A student remembers words better when thinking about their meaning rather than their sound. According to levels of processing theory, _______ leads to stronger memory.
Deep (semantic) processing
A brief visual memory lasting less than a second.
Iconic memory
Memory of personal experiences tied to a specific time and place.
Episodic memory
Calling your new friend by your old friend’s name demonstrates:
Proactive interference
Multiple-choice tests rely primarily on:
Recognition
A student studies by focusing on whether words rhyme.
Phonemic (shallow) encoding
In an experiment, participants forgot trigrams like “CHJ” within seconds when prevented from rehearsing.
The Brown-Peterson study
A person improves at a video game over time but cannot explain what they learned.
Implicit (procedural) memory
Learning new material that makes it harder to remember old material demonstrates:
Retroactive interference
Exposure to one stimulus influences response to another, often unconsciously.
Priming effect
A student remembers where images appeared on a page without trying, but must study vocabulary intentionally.
Automatic vs. effortful processing
A student repeats a phone number over and over but does not connect it to meaning.
Maintenance rehearsal
A vivid memory of hearing about a shocking event, such as a major tragedy.
Flashbulb memory
Participants remembered false details after hearing misleading information about an event.
Misinformation effect
People recall information better when in the same environment they learned it.
Context-dependent memory
A student rereads notes multiple times but performs worse than another student who self-tests.
The testing effect (retrieval practice)
Which model suggests memory consists of central executive, phonological loop, and visuospatial sketchpad?
The working memory model (Baddeley & Hitch)

Remembering to submit an assignment later tonight relies on:
Prospective memory
A graph shows rapid forgetting soon after learning, then leveling off.

The Ebbinghaus forgetting curve
Participants estimated higher speeds when the word “smashed” was used instead of “hit.”
The Loftus & Palmer study (1974)