Chapter 1: Learning How to Learn: Insights from Studies of Human Memory Flashcards
(32 cards)
What is self-regulation of learning?
The way you manage learning, e.g., taking notes.
What are the stages of self-regulation of learning?
Acquisition, retention, retrieval.
What is required for successful learning?
Optimization of all three stages: acquisition, retention, retrieval.
What are key factors in acquisition?
Repetition and encoding variability.
What misguides self-regulation of learning?
Many popular study strategies create an illusion of knowing but lead to poor long-term retention.
What is the effect of spacing in learning?
Spacing benefits long-term retention, while cramming benefits short-term.
What is encoding variability?
High encoding variability boosts learning in academic realms.
What did the Kornell, Bjork study demonstrate?
Interleaving (mixing) paintings by different artists was more beneficial than blocking by artist.
What is the testing effect?
Retrieval practice allows for better encoding of new information.
What did the Karpicke & Roediger study find?
Study + recall is better than study + study for long-term retention.
What is the role of forgetting in learning?
Some forgetting is beneficial to prevent interference and improve long-term retention.
What is metacognition?
Thinking about one’s own thinking and knowledge.
What did Benjamin, Bjork, & Schwartz (1998) find about retrieval speed?
Slower responses were predicted to be less likely remembered, but results showed the opposite.
What are the central assumptions of the cognitive revolution?
1) Mental processes exist. 2) People are active information processors. 3) Mental processes can be studied scientifically.
How do we study mental processes scientifically?
Using an empirical approach to measure behavior and infer mental processes.
What is functionalism in psychology?
Emphasis on understanding the functions of the mind rather than its structure.
Who was Hermann von Ebbinghaus?
The first to study mental functioning empirically through experimentation.
What is the forgetting curve?
A graph that shows the decline of memory retention over time.
What was the behaviorist movement’s focus?
Only on observable behaviors, dismissing introspection.
What did Edward Tolman argue about learning?
Learning involves the acquisition of new knowledge, not just behavior change.
What was B.F. Skinner’s contribution to psychology?
Analyzed language learning in terms of behaviors and rewards.
What was Noam Chomsky’s rebuttal to Skinner?
Skinner’s view could not explain language creativity, which is rooted in abstract principles.
What is the computer metaphor in psychology?
The mind is viewed as an information processor.
What did Gestalt psychologists emphasize?
Behaviors and perceptions are organized as a whole, not through part-by-part analysis.
