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8.17: Key Terms

  • Page ID
    200420
    • Rose M. Spielman, William J. Jenkins, Marilyn D. Lovett, et al.
    • OpenStax

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    absentmindedness
    lapses in memory that are caused by breaks in attention or our focus being somewhere else
    acoustic encoding
    input of sounds, words, and music
    amnesia
    loss of long-term memory that occurs as the result of disease, physical trauma, or psychological trauma
    anterograde amnesia
    loss of memory for events that occur after the brain trauma
    arousal theory
    strong emotions trigger the formation of strong memories and weaker emotional experiences form weaker memories
    Atkinson-Shiffrin model
    memory model that states we process information through three systems: sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory
    automatic processing
    encoding of informational details like time, space, frequency, and the meaning of words
    bias
    how feelings and view of the world distort memory of past events
    blocking
    memory error in which you cannot access stored information
    chunking
    organizing information into manageable bits or chunks
    construction
    formulation of new memories
    declarative memory
    type of long-term memory of facts and events we personally experience
    effortful processing
    encoding of information that takes effort and attention
    elaborative rehearsal
    thinking about the meaning of new information and its relation to knowledge already stored in your memory
    encoding
    input of information into the memory system
    engram
    physical trace of memory
    episodic memory
    type of declarative memory that contains information about events we have personally experienced, also known as autobiographical memory
    equipotentiality hypothesis
    some parts of the brain can take over for damaged parts in forming and storing memories
    explicit memory
    memories we consciously try to remember and recall
    false memory syndrome
    recall of false autobiographical memories
    flashbulb memory
    exceptionally clear recollection of an important event
    forgetting
    loss of information from long-term memory
    implicit memory
    memories that are not part of our consciousness
    levels of processing
    information that is thought of more deeply becomes more meaningful and thus better committed to memory
    long-term memory (LTM)
    continuous storage of information
    memory
    set of processes used to encode, store, and retrieve information over different periods of time
    memory-enhancing strategy
    technique to help make sure information goes from short-term memory to long-term memory
    misattribution
    memory error in which you confuse the source of your information
    misinformation effect paradigm
    after exposure to additional and possibly inaccurate information, a person may misremember the original event
    mnemonic device
    memory aids that help organize information for encoding
    persistence
    failure of the memory system that involves the involuntary recall of unwanted memories, particularly unpleasant ones
    proactive interference
    old information hinders the recall of newly learned information
    procedural memory
    type of long-term memory for making skilled actions, such as how to brush your teeth, how to drive a car, and how to swim
    recall
    accessing information without cues
    recognition
    identifying previously learned information after encountering it again, usually in response to a cue
    reconstruction
    process of bringing up old memories that might be distorted by new information
    rehearsal
    repetition of information to be remembered
    relearning
    learning information that was previously learned
    retrieval
    act of getting information out of long-term memory storage and back into conscious awareness
    retroactive interference
    information learned more recently hinders the recall of older information
    retrograde amnesia
    loss of memory for events that occurred prior to brain trauma
    self-reference effect
    tendency for an individual to have better memory for information that relates to oneself in comparison to material that has less personal relevance
    semantic encoding
    input of words and their meaning
    semantic memory
    type of declarative memory about words, concepts, and language-based knowledge and facts
    sensory memory
    storage of brief sensory events, such as sights, sounds, and tastes
    short-term memory (STM)
    holds about seven bits of information before it is forgotten or stored, as well as information that has been retrieved and is being used
    storage
    creation of a permanent record of information
    suggestibility
    effects of misinformation from external sources that leads to the creation of false memories
    transience
    memory error in which unused memories fade with the passage of time
    visual encoding
    input of images

    This page titled 8.17: Key Terms is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Rose M. Spielman, William J. Jenkins, Marilyn D. Lovett, et al. (OpenStax) via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.