Sensory Memory Overview

A type of visual sensory memory that stores a detailed image for a very brief period, around 250-500 milliseconds. This allows the visual system to perceive a smooth visual world even during eye blinks and rapid eye movements.

The process of retrieving information from memory without any or minimal cues. It requires conscious effort, like recalling a fact you learned in class.

A type of memory retrieval where you identify previously learned information when it's presented again. It's easier than recall because the answer is already in front of you.

The ability to maintain information in memory over time, ranging from seconds to years. Retention depends on factors like rehearsal, meaningful encoding, and connections with existing knowledge.

The very short-term memory system that captures raw sensory information from the environment. It's like a snapshot of the world that quickly fades, lasting only a fraction of a second.

A phenomenon in selective attention where we can focus on one conversation while filtering out others, but still notice personally significant stimuli, like someone calling our name.

The ability to focus on one specific stimulus while ignoring other distractions.

The ability to process information even when it's not the primary focus of attention. This explains why we notice our name being called even when engrossed in a conversation.

The fading of a memory trace over time when it is not used, rehearsed, or reinforced.

A subtest in the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale that measures working memory capacity by asking a person to repeat sequences of digits forward, backward, and in sequence.

A more effective encoding process involving linking new information to existing knowledge or making it meaningful.

A part of working memory that blends information from different sources like sounds, images, and words and connects it with long-term memory.

A structure in the medial temporal lobe of the brain crucial for forming, organizing, and storing new long-term memories.

A process of repeatedly verbalizing or thinking about a piece of information to keep it in working memory for a short duration.

The process by which fragile, newly formed memories become stable and robust over time, often during sleep.

A component of working memory that handles verbal and auditory information.

Acquiring knowledge without conscious awareness. The learner may not be able to explain what they have learned, but their behavior shows they have absorbed patterns or rules.

Memory that influences thoughts or behaviors without conscious realization. It includes skills, habits, and conditioned responses.

An effect where exposure to a stimulus influences response to a subsequent stimulus without conscious guidance.

A type of implicit memory for how to perform tasks and skills, often involving motor or cognitive routines.

A type of explicit memory that stores general knowledge, concepts, and facts not tied to a specific personal experience.

A fast, automatic, and intuitive mode of thinking. It requires little effort and often relies on heuristics.

The slower, more deliberate, and analytical mode of thinking. It requires conscious effort, attention, and working memory.

This research technique investigates if the hidden patterns people pick up in one task can be applied to a new, related situation.

A short-term memory system that briefly holds spoken words and other auditory information in a sound-based form. It's like a mental tape recorder that plays back sounds.

Occurs when older memories interfere with the retrieval of newer information.

Occurs when newer information disrupts the retrieval of older memories.

A condition where an individual cannot recall events that occurred before the onset of the amnesia. It's like having a gap in your past.

A graph showing how the ability to recall information declines rapidly initially after learning and then levels off. This means we forget most of what we learn quickly.

Suggests that short-term memory can typically hold about 5 to 9 items at a time. This explains why phone numbers and other important sequences are often kept within this range.

A working memory subsystem that stores and manipulates visual and spatial information. It's like a mental easel where you can visualize objects and layouts.

A temporary storage and processing system that allows you to hold information in mind and manipulate it to accomplish complex cognitive tasks. It's more dynamic than simple short-term storage.

A cognitive model proposing two systems of thinking: System 1 (fast, intuitive, automatic) and System 2 (slow, analytical, effortful). System 1 handles quick decisions while System 2 handles complex tasks.

A method of studying implicit learning, where subjects are exposed to letter sequences generated by hidden rules. They learn the rules despite not being able to explain them explicitly.

This theory emphasizes the impact of early relationships with caregivers on a child's emotional well-being and later social development.

A bias where individuals undervalue general probabilities and focus on specific information. This leads to incorrect judgments.

A cognitive test designed to measure one's ability to override an initial intuitive response and engage in deliberate thinking.

A type of explicit memory that involves personal experiences, encompassing the time, place, and emotions associated with the event.

A type of memory that holds information for a brief period (about 20 seconds) before it is either transferred to long-term memory or forgotten. It is characterized by limited capacity (about 7 plus or minus 2 items or chunks) and rapid decay.

A memory system that stores information for extended periods, potentially indefinitely. Long-term memory is vast in capacity and is not limited by the same constraints as short-term memory.

A mental strategy used to increase the capacity of short-term memory by organizing information into meaningful groups. Instead of remembering individual items, we combine several items into larger, more manageable units.

A theory proposing that incoming sensory information undergoes initial processing and is then selectively filtered before reaching higher levels of cognitive processing. Unattended information is largely discarded.

A model that describes the workings of short-term memory as a multi-component system with three primary elements: the central executive, the phonological loop (for verbal information), and the visuospatial sketchpad (for visual and spatial information).

The central control unit of working memory, responsible for directing attention, allocating resources to other working memory components, and integrating information. It decides what to focus on, suppresses distractions, and coordinates the flow of cognitive operations.

A pioneering study by George Sperling in 1960 that demonstrated the existence of iconic memory, a type of sensory memory that holds visual information for a very brief time.