Food For Thought
This is a methodical, logical rule or procedure that guarantees solving a particular problem, unlike a quick mental shortcut.
What is an algorithm?
This very brief, initial stage of memory records exact sensory information of the environment for a fraction of a second.
What is sensory memory?
Encoding that requires attention and conscious effort, such as studying for an AP exam.
What is effortful processing?
A measure of memory in which the person must retrieve information learned earlier, as on a fill-in-the-blank test.
What is recall?
The forward-acting disruptive effect of older learning on the recall of new information (e.g., accidentally writing your old locker combination instead of your new one).
What is proactive interference?
This simple thinking strategy allows us to make judgments and solve problems efficiently, though it is prone to errors.
What is a heuristic?
This activated memory stage holds a few items briefly (like a 7-digit phone number) before the information is stored or forgotten.
What is short-term memory?
Organizing items into familiar, manageable units; often occurs automatically to help us expand our capacity to hold information.
What is chunking?
The activation, often unconsciously, of particular associations in memory, which can predispose a person's perception or response.
What is priming?
Freebie!!
This type of cognitive bias involves the inability to see an object for anything other than its traditional, intended use.
What is functional fixedness?
This relatively permanent and limitless storehouse of the memory system includes knowledge, skills, and experiences.
What is long-term memory?
Memory aids, especially those techniques that use vivid imagery and organizational devices (like acronyms or peg-words).
What are mnemonics?
The phenomenon where putting yourself back in the context where you experienced something (like returning to your childhood home) can prime your memory retrieval.
What is context-dependent memory?
A significant loss or disruption of memory, often resulting from brain trauma, disease, or psychological injury.
What is amnesia?
This cognitive phenomenon occurs when the way an issue or question is presented significantly alters decisions and judgments (e.g., "90% fat-free" vs. "10% fat").
What is framing?
An updated 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 memory.
What is working memory?
The tendency for distributed study or practice to yield better long-term retention than is achieved through massed study or cramming.
What is the spacing effect?
The tendency to recall events most easily when you are in the same physiological or psychological state (e.g., drunk or sober, happy or sad) as when you encoded them.
What is state-dependent memory?
A type of memory loss characterized by an inability to form new long-term memories, while older memories remain intact
What is anterograde amnesia?
Estimating the likelihood of events based on their availability in memory; if instances come readily to mind, we presume such events are common.
What is the availability heuristic?
Memory of facts and experiences that one can consciously know and "declare."
What is explicit memory?
The Daily Double! You may wager up to the number of points you have.
An encoding strategy that involves spreading study sessions out over time rather than cramming them together in one session.
Our tendency to recall best the last and first items in a list.
What is the serial position effect?
Occurs when misleading post-event information has corrupted one's memory of an episodic event.
What is the misinformation effect?
The Daily Double! You may wager up to the number of points you have.
The tendency to feel correct in your judgment, overestimating the accuracy of our beliefs and judgments.
Retention of learned skills or classically conditioned associations independent of conscious recollection.
What is implicit memory?
Encoding information semantically, based on the meaning of the words; tends to yield the best retention.
What is deep processing?
An increase in a synapse's firing potential after brief, rapid stimulation to increase the likelihood learning and memory retention.
What is long-term potentiation (LTP)?
The backward-acting disruptive effect of newer learning on the recall of old information (e.g., learning your new phone number makes you forget your old one).
What is retroactive interference?