Psychology - Chapter 8: Memory

What is chunking?

A process in which individual pieces of a set are broken down and then grouped together

What is the difference between automatic and effortful processing?

Automatic processing is the encoding of details such as time, space, and location. Usually done without any conscious awareness. Effortful processing, on the other hand, requires a lot of work and attention to encode

What is the difference between proactive and retroactive interference?

Both are explanations for forgetting in long-term memory. However, proactive interference occurs when old information prevents the recollection of new information. Retroactive interference is vice versa.

What is the difference between explicit memories and implicit memories?

Explicit memories involve the conscious recollection of factual information and concepts; implicit memories are acquired unconsciously

Give one example of an explicit memory and one example of an implicit memory.

Explicit: recalling what you ate for dinner last night Implicit: the ability for you to ride a bicycle

Explicit and implicit memories belong to which stage of human memory?

Long-term

In order for a memory to go into storage, what are the three distinct, consecutive stages it must pass through?

Sensory Memory, Short-Term Memory, and then Long-Term Memory

Describe the misinformation effect.

When one's memory of particularly emotional events becomes less accurate over time

What is commonly processed in sensory memory?

brief sensory events, such as sights, sounds, and tastes

The input of information into the memory system is known as

encoding

Because semantic memory includes facts that are generally considered common knowledge, it is a type of

explicit memory

John remembers how emotional he was at his high school graduation, and how he had to say goodbye to all the great friends he made over the years. This is known as a

flashbulb memory

What is declarative memory, and what type of memory is it known as?

has to do with the storage of facts and events we personally experienced; explicit

Because procedural memory involves the completion of tasks unconsciously, it is a type of

implicit memory

What is the Serial-position effect?

our tendency to recall the first and last items in a list best, and the middle items worst

Cameron knows how to play the piano. This is a form of

procedural memory

What are the three main ways in which we can retrieve information?

recalling, recognizing, and relearning

What term best describes the conscious repetition of information to get it permanently stored as a memory?

rehearsal

The act of getting information out of memory storage and back into conscious awareness is known as

retrieval

On a test, Jamie recalls that Washington, D.C. is the capital of the U.S. Jamie is using

semantic memory

Once information has been encoded, our brains take that information and place it into

storage

What is procedural memory, and what type of memory is it known as?

stores information about how to do things; implicit

What is the definition of memory?

the persistence of learning over time through the encoding, storage, and retrieval of information

Short-term memory is also known as

working memory