Glossary

Acronyms

Criticality: 2

A type of mnemonic device where a word is formed from the first letter of each item in a list. This helps simplify complex information.

Example:

To remember the Big Five personality traits, you might use the acronym OCEAN (Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism).

Acrostics

Criticality: 2

A type of mnemonic device where a sentence or phrase is created, and the first letter of each word corresponds to an item on a list. It provides a structured way to recall ordered information.

Example:

To recall the order of operations in math, students often use the acrostic 'Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally' (Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, Subtraction).

Categorization

Criticality: 2

An encoding technique that involves organizing items based on shared attributes or features. This helps create a structured mental framework for information.

Example:

When studying different psychological disorders, grouping them by type (e.g., anxiety disorders, mood disorders, personality disorders) is an example of categorization.

Chunking

Criticality: 3

A memory strategy that involves organizing smaller pieces of information into larger, more meaningful units or 'chunks.' This expands the capacity of short-term memory.

Example:

Instead of remembering 12 individual digits for a credit card number, you remember them in groups of four (e.g., 1234-5678-9012), which is an effective use of chunking.

Encoding

Criticality: 3

The initial process of transforming sensory information into a format that can be stored in memory. It's the first step in creating a lasting memory trace.

Example:

When you first learn a new person's name, the act of repeating it to yourself to remember it is a form of encoding.

Hierarchical Organization

Criticality: 2

A method of organizing information into a logical structure with main categories and subcategories. This creates a clear, nested framework for complex topics.

Example:

A biology textbook often uses hierarchical organization, starting with broad topics like 'Life' and breaking it down into 'Kingdoms,' 'Phyla,' 'Classes,' and so on.

Keyword Method

Criticality: 2

A mnemonic device used for learning new vocabulary, especially in a foreign language, by linking the new word to a familiar word that sounds similar and creating an image connecting them.

Example:

To remember 'el perro' (Spanish for dog), you might imagine a perro (dog) sitting on a 'pear' (sounds similar) to use the keyword method.

Massed Practice

Criticality: 2

A study method involving learning a large amount of information in a single, concentrated session without breaks. While it may lead to quicker initial learning, it often results in poorer long-term retention.

Example:

Pulling an all-nighter to memorize an entire textbook chapter right before an exam is an example of massed practice.

Mnemonic Devices

Criticality: 3

Memory aids that use vivid imagery or organizational strategies to help encode and retrieve information. They create associations to make learning more memorable.

Example:

Using the phrase 'Never Eat Soggy Waffles' to remember the cardinal directions (North, East, South, West) is an example of a mnemonic device.

Peg-Word System

Criticality: 2

A mnemonic device that involves associating items to be remembered with a pre-memorized list of 'peg' words, often rhyming numbers. This creates a mental hook for each item.

Example:

If 'one is a bun,' you could visualize a giant bun wearing a hat to remember that the first item on your list is 'hat' using the peg-word system.

Primacy Effect

Criticality: 3

The tendency to remember items presented at the beginning of a list better than those in the middle or at the end. This is often attributed to more rehearsal and transfer to long-term memory.

Example:

In a job interview, the first few things you say about yourself are often remembered best by the interviewer due to the primacy effect.

Recency Effect

Criticality: 3

The tendency to remember items presented at the end of a list better than those in the middle or at the beginning. This occurs because these items are still active in working memory.

Example:

When someone tells you a phone number, you're most likely to remember the last few digits they said because of the recency effect.

Serial Position Effect

Criticality: 3

The tendency to remember items at the beginning and end of a list more accurately than items in the middle. This effect highlights how the position of information influences recall.

Example:

When trying to recall a list of chores, you're most likely to remember the first few tasks you wrote down and the last few, illustrating the serial position effect.

Spacing Effect

Criticality: 3

The phenomenon where distributing learning over time, with breaks between study sessions, leads to better long-term retention than studying all at once. It allows for memory consolidation.

Example:

Studying for your AP Psych exam for 30 minutes each day for two weeks before the test, rather than cramming for six hours the night before, demonstrates the benefit of the spacing effect.

Glossary

Acronyms

Criticality: 2

A type of mnemonic device where a word is formed from the first letter of each item in a list. This helps simplify complex information.

Example:

To remember the Big Five personality traits, you might use the acronym OCEAN (Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism).

Acrostics

Criticality: 2

A type of mnemonic device where a sentence or phrase is created, and the first letter of each word corresponds to an item on a list. It provides a structured way to recall ordered information.

Example:

To recall the order of operations in math, students often use the acrostic 'Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally' (Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, Subtraction).

Categorization

Criticality: 2

An encoding technique that involves organizing items based on shared attributes or features. This helps create a structured mental framework for information.

Example:

When studying different psychological disorders, grouping them by type (e.g., anxiety disorders, mood disorders, personality disorders) is an example of categorization.

Chunking

Criticality: 3

A memory strategy that involves organizing smaller pieces of information into larger, more meaningful units or 'chunks.' This expands the capacity of short-term memory.

Example:

Instead of remembering 12 individual digits for a credit card number, you remember them in groups of four (e.g., 1234-5678-9012), which is an effective use of chunking.

Encoding

Criticality: 3

The initial process of transforming sensory information into a format that can be stored in memory. It's the first step in creating a lasting memory trace.

Example:

When you first learn a new person's name, the act of repeating it to yourself to remember it is a form of encoding.

Hierarchical Organization

Criticality: 2

A method of organizing information into a logical structure with main categories and subcategories. This creates a clear, nested framework for complex topics.

Example:

A biology textbook often uses hierarchical organization, starting with broad topics like 'Life' and breaking it down into 'Kingdoms,' 'Phyla,' 'Classes,' and so on.

Keyword Method

Criticality: 2

A mnemonic device used for learning new vocabulary, especially in a foreign language, by linking the new word to a familiar word that sounds similar and creating an image connecting them.

Example:

To remember 'el perro' (Spanish for dog), you might imagine a perro (dog) sitting on a 'pear' (sounds similar) to use the keyword method.

Massed Practice

Criticality: 2

Example:

Pulling an all-nighter to memorize an entire textbook chapter right before an exam is an example of massed practice.

Mnemonic Devices

Criticality: 3

Memory aids that use vivid imagery or organizational strategies to help encode and retrieve information. They create associations to make learning more memorable.

Example:

Using the phrase 'Never Eat Soggy Waffles' to remember the cardinal directions (North, East, South, West) is an example of a mnemonic device.

Peg-Word System

Criticality: 2

A mnemonic device that involves associating items to be remembered with a pre-memorized list of 'peg' words, often rhyming numbers. This creates a mental hook for each item.

Example:

If 'one is a bun,' you could visualize a giant bun wearing a hat to remember that the first item on your list is 'hat' using the peg-word system.

Primacy Effect

Criticality: 3

The tendency to remember items presented at the beginning of a list better than those in the middle or at the end. This is often attributed to more rehearsal and transfer to long-term memory.

Example:

In a job interview, the first few things you say about yourself are often remembered best by the interviewer due to the primacy effect.

Recency Effect

Criticality: 3

The tendency to remember items presented at the end of a list better than those in the middle or at the beginning. This occurs because these items are still active in working memory.

Example:

When someone tells you a phone number, you're most likely to remember the last few digits they said because of the recency effect.

Serial Position Effect

Criticality: 3

The tendency to remember items at the beginning and end of a list more accurately than items in the middle. This effect highlights how the position of information influences recall.

Example:

When trying to recall a list of chores, you're most likely to remember the first few tasks you wrote down and the last few, illustrating the serial position effect.

Spacing Effect

Criticality: 3

The phenomenon where distributing learning over time, with breaks between study sessions, leads to better long-term retention than studying all at once. It allows for memory consolidation.

Example:

Studying for your AP Psych exam for 30 minutes each day for two weeks before the test, rather than cramming for six hours the night before, demonstrates the benefit of the spacing effect.