All Flashcards
Explain the concept of hierarchical organization in memory.
Creating a logical structure with main categories and subcategories to organize information.
What is the key principle behind mnemonic devices?
Creating associations to make information more memorable and easier to retrieve.
How does chunking improve memory encoding?
By reducing the amount of information that needs to be processed by grouping smaller units into larger, meaningful ones.
Why is distributed practice more effective than massed practice for long-term retention?
Distributed practice allows time for memory consolidation and strengthens neural connections, while massed practice hinders consolidation.
Explain the relationship between working memory and the recency effect.
Later items are still active in working memory, making them easily recalled, which contributes to the recency effect.
Why do middle items in a list suffer from poor recall according to the serial position effect?
Due to interference from earlier and later items, they don't get the benefit of primacy or recency.
What is the keyword method?
Linking new vocabulary to familiar words that sound similar to enhance memorization.
What is the peg-word system?
Associating list items with pre-memorized "pegs" (often rhyming words) to aid recall.
Explain categorization techniques.
Organizing items based on shared attributes or features to enhance memory and recall.
What is the importance of effective encoding?
Effective encoding determines how well you can retain and retrieve information later.
What is encoding?
Transforming information into a format the brain can store.
What are mnemonic devices?
Memory aids that create associations to help encode and retrieve information.
What is chunking?
Combining smaller pieces of information into larger, meaningful units.
What is the spacing effect?
Distributing learning over time leads to better long-term retention.
What is massed practice?
Learning a large amount of information in a single, concentrated session.
What is the serial position effect?
Items at the beginning and end of a list are more memorable than items in the middle.
What is the primacy effect?
Enhanced recall of items at the beginning of a list.
What is the recency effect?
Enhanced recall of items at the end of a list.
Define acronym.
Forming a word from the first letter of each item in a list.
Define acrostic.
Creating a sentence where the first letter of each word corresponds to an item on a list.
What is the effect of using mnemonic devices on memory?
Increased encoding and easier retrieval of information due to associations.
What is the effect of chunking on working memory capacity?
Increases the amount of information that can be held in working memory by grouping items into meaningful units.
What is the effect of massed practice on long-term retention?
Poorer long-term retention due to lack of memory consolidation.
What causes the primacy effect, and what is its effect on memory?
Cause: Early items get more rehearsal. Effect: Enhanced recall of items at the beginning of a list.
What causes the recency effect, and what is its effect on memory?
Cause: Later items are still active in working memory. Effect: Enhanced recall of items at the end of a list.
What is the effect of the spacing effect on neural connections?
Strengthens neural connections, leading to better long-term retention.
What is the cause of interference in the middle of a list, and what is its effect?
Cause: Interference from earlier and later items. Effect: Reduced recall of middle items.
What is the effect of using categorization on memory organization?
Improved memory organization, leading to easier recall and retrieval.
What is the effect of using the peg-word system on memory?
Improved recall of list items by associating them with pre-memorized pegs.
What is the effect of using the keyword method on vocabulary retention?
Enhanced vocabulary retention by linking new words to familiar, similar-sounding words.