General Psychology Chapter 6 Flashcards

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Questions and Answers

What is short-term memory?

Active stage of memory in which information is stored for up to about 20 seconds.

What is visual sensory memory?

Iconic memory; brief memory of an image holding image for one-quarter to one-half second.

What is auditory sensory memory?

Echoic memory; brief memory that is like an echo, lasting 3-4 seconds.

What is maintenance rehearsal?

Technique for keeping information in short-term memory by repeated rehearsal. Signup and view all the answers

What is chunking?

Grouping related items together into a single unit or chunk. Signup and view all the answers

What is long-term memory?

Memory that lasts longer than 20 seconds and can last a lifetime. Signup and view all the answers

What is the self-reference effect?

Applying information to yourself. Signup and view all the answers

What is elaborative rehearsal?

Focusing on the meaning of information to help encode it to long-term memory. Signup and view all the answers

What is visual imagery?

Using vivid images to enhance encoding. Signup and view all the answers

What is explicit memory?

Memory with awareness; information that can be consciously collected. Signup and view all the answers

What is implicit memory?

Memory without awareness; cannot be consciously recollected. Signup and view all the answers

What is a retrieval cue?

A clue, prompt, or hint that triggers recall of information stored in long-term memory. Signup and view all the answers

What is encoding failure?

Failure to encode information into long-term memory. Signup and view all the answers

What is decay theory?

We forget because we don't use memories, and they fade over time. Signup and view all the answers

What is interference theory?

Forgetting caused by one memory competing with or replacing another. Signup and view all the answers

What is motivated forgetting?

A deliberate attempt to not think about or remember specific information. Signup and view all the answers

What is the misinformation effect?

Memory distortion where existing memories are affected by misleading information. Signup and view all the answers

What is source confusion?

Memory distortion that occurs when the true source of the memory is forgotten. Signup and view all the answers

What is a false memory?

Distorted or fabricated recollection of something that did not actually occur. Signup and view all the answers

An organized cluster of information about a particular topic is called a ____________.

schema Signup and view all the answers

What is imagination inflation?

A memory phenomenon in which vividly imagining an event increases confidence that it actually occurred. Signup and view all the answers

Name and describe at least 4 ways to improve your memory.

Chunking, elaborative rehearsal, visual imagery, and self-reference effect. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Memory Types and Processes

Short-term Memory: Active storage for information lasting approximately 20 seconds; engaged in conscious thought, problem-solving, and recollection.
Visual Sensory Memory: Known as iconic memory; captures images for a duration of one-quarter to one-half second.
Auditory Sensory Memory: Referred to as echoic memory; retains sounds for 3 to 4 seconds.

Memory Maintenance and Improvement Techniques

Maintenance Rehearsal: Information fades without rehearsal; continual practice is necessary to retain data.
Chunking: Enhances capacity of short-term memory by grouping related information into manageable "chunks."
Elaborative Rehearsal: Involves contextualizing and connecting new information to existing knowledge to facilitate encoding into long-term memory.
Visual Imagery: Helpful strategy that employs vivid mental images to make encoding more effective.

Long-term Memory and Recall Mechanisms

Long-term Memory: Duration surpasses 20 seconds; can last a lifetime and has virtually limitless capacity.
Explicit Memory: Conscious awareness of information; can be actively recollected.
Implicit Memory: Unconscious retention; influences behavior without conscious recall.

Memory Retrieval and Forgetting

Retrieval Cue: Prompts or hints that aid in recalling information from long-term memory.
Encoding Failure: Information that never makes it into long-term memory due to lack of attention or focused effort.
Decay Theory: Suggests memories fade over time when not accessed; the rate of forgetting stabilizes once information is held in memory.
Interference Theory: Occurs when competing memories disrupt recall; similarity of information exacerbates this effect.

Memory Distortion Phenomena

Motivated Forgetting: Intentionally suppressing memories that are unsettling or distressing to avoid recall.
Misinformation Effect: Pre-existing memories can be skewed by exposure to misleading information.
Source Confusion: Arises when the origin of a memory is incorrectly attributed to a different source.
False Memory: A recollection of an event that did not actually take place; can be a byproduct of suggestion and imagination.

Schemas and Memory Frameworks

Schema: An organized framework of information about a specific topic; includes scripts that outline typical sequences of events; schemas can lead to memory errors by filling in absent details.
Imagination Inflation: The process whereby the vivid visualization of an event increases the belief that it occurred; source confusion plays a role in this phenomenon.

Strategies to Enhance Memory

Chunking: Grouping information for efficient memorization, especially beneficial for large volumes of data.
Elaborative Rehearsal: Relating new information to pre-existing knowledge which aids long-term retention.
Visual Imagery: Using images or representations to create clear mental associations with new information.
Self-reference Effect: Applying new information personally makes it more memorable and enhances retention.

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Description

Test your knowledge of concepts in short-term memory and visual sensory memory with these flashcards. This quiz covers essential definitions and functionalities of memory types addressed in Chapter 6 of General Psychology.