All Flashcards
Compare retroactive and proactive interference.
Retroactive interference is when new information blocks old, while proactive interference is when old information blocks new.
Compare retrograde and anterograde amnesia.
Retrograde amnesia involves the inability to recall past memories, while anterograde amnesia involves the inability to form new memories.
What is Ebbinghaus's forgetting curve?
The curve shows the rate at which information is forgotten over time if no attempt is made to retain it; forgetting is rapid initially, then levels off.
Explain motivated forgetting.
Forgetting that arises from a strong desire to forget, usually because the experience is too disturbing or traumatic to remember.
What is the key idea behind Freudian forgetting?
We sometimes forget things on purpose, mostly unconsciously, to protect ourselves from painful or unacceptable memories.
What is rehearsal?
Repeating information to improve memory.
What is the spacing effect?
Distributing study sessions over time for better retention.
What is overlearning?
Continuing to study material even after it is mastered.
What is the testing effect?
Enhanced memory after retrieving information, rather than rereading it.
What is retroactive interference?
New information blocks the recall of old information.
What is proactive interference?
Old information blocks the recall of new information.
What is retrograde amnesia?
Inability to recall past memories, especially recent ones.
What is anterograde amnesia?
Inability to form new memories after an event.
What is source amnesia?
Inability to remember how you learned something; also called misattribution error.
What is the misinformation effect?
Incorporating misleading information into one's memory of an event.
What is repression?
Unconsciously blocking unacceptable thoughts and feelings from conscious awareness.