Introduction to Memory - AP Psychology

A vivid, detailed memory of an emotionally significant event. Strong emotions during encoding create exceptionally clear memories.

Cognitive load is the total mental effort used in working memory. It measures how much mental capacity current tasks consume.

Sensory memory is the brief storage of sensory information. It acts as a temporary buffer for immediate sensory input.

Anterograde amnesia is the inability to form new memories. Brain damage prevents consolidation of new explicit memories.

Proactive: old interferes with new; retroactive: new interferes with old. These mechanisms describe how memories compete and interfere.

Implicit memory involves skills and conditioned responses. It operates automatically without conscious awareness or effort.

Distributed practice leads to better long-term retention. Spaced learning sessions outperform massed practice for retention.

The amygdala is involved in emotional memory formation. It strengthens memory consolidation for emotionally arousing events.

Retrieval is accessing stored information for use. It brings stored memories back into conscious awareness.

The hippocampus is crucial for forming new explicit memories. It consolidates new information into long-term storage systems.

Semantic memory is the storage of general world knowledge. It includes facts, concepts, and general knowledge about the world.

Memory is the process of encoding, storing, and retrieving information. It encompasses how we take in, retain, and access information.

Encoding, storage, retrieval. These three sequential stages form the complete memory system.

Encoding is transforming sensory input into a format for storage. It converts raw sensory data into memorable representations.

Storage is maintaining information over time. It preserves encoded information until needed for retrieval.

Retrieval is accessing stored information for use. It brings stored memories back into conscious awareness.

Sensory memory is the brief storage of sensory information. It acts as a temporary buffer for immediate sensory input.

Sensory memory lasts a few milliseconds to 2 seconds. This extremely brief duration requires quick attention to transfer information.

Short-term memory holds information temporarily for analysis. It serves as a workspace for conscious mental processing.

Approximately 7 ± 2 items. Miller's magic number describes typical working memory limitations.

Long-term memory is the storage of information over extended periods. It has virtually unlimited capacity and duration.

Explicit (declarative) and implicit (non-declarative). These categories distinguish conscious versus unconscious memory processes.

Explicit memory involves conscious recall of facts and events. It requires deliberate, effortful retrieval of specific information.

Implicit memory involves skills and conditioned responses. It operates automatically without conscious awareness or effort.

Episodic memory is the recall of personal experiences and events. It stores autobiographical memories tied to specific times and places.

Procedural memory is the memory of motor skills and actions. It enables automatic performance of learned physical skills.

The hippocampus is crucial for forming new explicit memories. It consolidates new information into long-term storage systems.

The basal ganglia is involved in procedural memory. This brain region specializes in motor learning and skill acquisition.

Tendency to recall first and last items in a list better. Position in a sequence affects memorability due to attention patterns.