All flashcards
Flashcard 1: Define retrograde amnesia.
Answer: Retrograde amnesia is the inability to recall past memories. Brain damage disrupts access to previously formed memories.
Flashcard 2: What is a flashbulb memory?
Answer: A vivid, detailed memory of an emotionally significant event. Strong emotions during encoding create exceptionally clear memories.
Flashcard 3: What is the concept of cognitive load?
Answer: Cognitive load is the total mental effort used in working memory. It measures how much mental capacity current tasks consume.
Flashcard 4: What is sensory memory?
Answer: Sensory memory is the brief storage of sensory information. It acts as a temporary buffer for immediate sensory input.
Flashcard 5: Define anterograde amnesia.
Answer: Anterograde amnesia is the inability to form new memories. Brain damage prevents consolidation of new explicit memories.
Flashcard 6: Differentiate proactive and retroactive interference.
Answer: Proactive: old interferes with new; retroactive: new interferes with old. These mechanisms describe how memories compete and interfere.
Flashcard 7: Define implicit memory.
Answer: Implicit memory involves skills and conditioned responses. It operates automatically without conscious awareness or effort.
Flashcard 8: What is the spacing effect?
Answer: Distributed practice leads to better long-term retention. Spaced learning sessions outperform massed practice for retention.
Flashcard 9: What is the function of the amygdala in memory?
Answer: The amygdala is involved in emotional memory formation. It strengthens memory consolidation for emotionally arousing events.
Flashcard 10: What does retrieval mean in the study of memory?
Answer: Retrieval is accessing stored information for use. It brings stored memories back into conscious awareness.
Flashcard 11: What is the role of the hippocampus in memory?
Answer: The hippocampus is crucial for forming new explicit memories. It consolidates new information into long-term storage systems.
Flashcard 12: What is semantic memory?
Answer: Semantic memory is the storage of general world knowledge. It includes facts, concepts, and general knowledge about the world.
Flashcard 13: What is the definition of memory in psychology?
Answer: Memory is the process of encoding, storing, and retrieving information. It encompasses how we take in, retain, and access information.
Flashcard 14: Identify the three main processes involved in memory.
Answer: Encoding, storage, retrieval. These three sequential stages form the complete memory system.
Flashcard 15: What is encoding in the context of memory?
Answer: Encoding is transforming sensory input into a format for storage. It converts raw sensory data into memorable representations.
Flashcard 16: Define storage as it relates to memory.
Answer: Storage is maintaining information over time. It preserves encoded information until needed for retrieval.
Flashcard 17: What does retrieval mean in the study of memory?
Answer: Retrieval is accessing stored information for use. It brings stored memories back into conscious awareness.
Flashcard 18: What is sensory memory?
Answer: Sensory memory is the brief storage of sensory information. It acts as a temporary buffer for immediate sensory input.
Flashcard 19: What is the duration of sensory memory?
Answer: Sensory memory lasts a few milliseconds to 2 seconds. This extremely brief duration requires quick attention to transfer information.
Flashcard 20: Describe short-term memory.
Answer: Short-term memory holds information temporarily for analysis. It serves as a workspace for conscious mental processing.
Flashcard 21: What is the capacity of short-term memory?
Answer: Approximately 7 ± 2 items. Miller's magic number describes typical working memory limitations.
Flashcard 22: Define long-term memory.
Answer: Long-term memory is the storage of information over extended periods. It has virtually unlimited capacity and duration.
Flashcard 23: What are the two main types of long-term memory?
Answer: Explicit (declarative) and implicit (non-declarative). These categories distinguish conscious versus unconscious memory processes.
Flashcard 24: What is explicit memory?
Answer: Explicit memory involves conscious recall of facts and events. It requires deliberate, effortful retrieval of specific information.
Flashcard 25: Define implicit memory.
Answer: Implicit memory involves skills and conditioned responses. It operates automatically without conscious awareness or effort.
Flashcard 26: What is episodic memory?
Answer: Episodic memory is the recall of personal experiences and events. It stores autobiographical memories tied to specific times and places.
Flashcard 27: Describe procedural memory.
Answer: Procedural memory is the memory of motor skills and actions. It enables automatic performance of learned physical skills.
Flashcard 28: What is the role of the hippocampus in memory?
Answer: The hippocampus is crucial for forming new explicit memories. It consolidates new information into long-term storage systems.
Flashcard 29: Which brain area is involved in procedural memory?
Answer: The basal ganglia is involved in procedural memory. This brain region specializes in motor learning and skill acquisition.
Flashcard 30: What is the serial position effect?
Answer: Tendency to recall first and last items in a list better. Position in a sequence affects memorability due to attention patterns.