Cognitive Psychology Flashcards
(11 cards)
What is the importance of encoding, storing, and retrieving in memory formation?
They are essential processes that allow for the creation and recall of memories.
Encoding involves transforming information into a format that can be stored, storing is maintaining that information over time, and retrieving is accessing the stored information when needed.
What is the modal model of memory?
A framework that describes memory in three stores: sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory, each with distinct characteristics.
Sensory memory has a large capacity but a very short duration, short-term memory has a limited capacity and duration, while long-term memory has a potentially unlimited capacity and duration.
What are the characteristics of sensory memory?
Large capacity and very short duration. Sensory memory captures information from the environment for a brief period.
What are the characteristics of short-term memory?
Limited capacity and duration. Short-term memory typically holds about 7±2 items for around 15-30 seconds.
What are the characteristics of long-term memory?
Potentially unlimited capacity and duration. Long-term memory can store information for extended periods, from minutes to a lifetime.
What are the differences between procedural, episodic, and semantic memory?
Procedural memory is for skills, episodic memory is for personal experiences, and semantic memory is for facts and knowledge. Procedural memory involves knowing how to do things, episodic memory is autobiographical, and semantic memory includes general world knowledge.
What theory explains forgetting information from short-term memory?
The theory of displacement. Displacement occurs when new information enters short-term memory and pushes out existing information.
What is retrieval failure in long-term memory?
A phenomenon where information cannot be accessed despite being stored. This can occur due to lack of appropriate cues.
Contrast context-dependent and state-dependent cues.
Context-dependent cues are related to the environment, while state-dependent cues relate to the individual’s internal state. Context-dependent cues depend on the physical environment, while state-dependent cues are influenced by mood or physiological state.
Describe 3 symptoms in people with Alzheimer’s disease.
Memory loss, confusion, and difficulty with language. Symptoms may progress from mild forgetfulness to severe cognitive impairment over time.
What are 3 mnemonic strategies to enhance memory?
Acronyms, visualization, and chunking. Acronyms create a memorable word from the first letters of items, visualization involves creating mental images, and chunking breaks information into manageable units.
