Glossary
Constructive Memory
The idea that memories are not exact replicas of past events but are instead actively built and reconstructed, often incorporating new information or biases.
Example:
After hearing a friend's version of a shared event, your own memory of that event might subtly change to include details from their story, showing constructive memory.
Context-Dependent Memory
The improved recall of specific episodes or information when the context present at encoding and retrieval are the same.
Example:
Students often find they remember information better during an exam if they study in the same classroom where the test will be held, demonstrating context-dependent memory.
Method of Loci
A mnemonic device that involves associating items to be remembered with specific locations in a familiar mental journey or physical space.
Example:
To remember a grocery list, you might imagine milk spilling on your front porch and bread sitting on your couch, using the method of loci.
Mnemonic Devices
Memory aids, especially techniques that use vivid imagery and organizational devices to improve recall.
Example:
Using the acronym 'ROY G BIV' to remember the colors of the rainbow is a classic mnemonic device.
Mood-Congruent Memory
The tendency to recall experiences that are consistent with one's current good or bad mood.
Example:
When feeling happy, you are more likely to remember other joyful events from your past, which is an example of mood-congruent memory.
Peg Word Mnemonic
A mnemonic device that involves associating items with a pre-memorized list of rhyming 'peg' words (e.g., 'one is a bun, two is a shoe').
Example:
If 'one is a bun,' you might picture a hamburger bun on your first item to remember, utilizing the peg word mnemonic.
Primacy Effect
The tendency to remember the first items in a list especially well, often because they have had more time to be rehearsed and encoded into long-term memory.
Example:
When introduced to a group of new people, you might best remember the name of the very first person you met, illustrating the primacy effect.
Priming
The activation, often unconsciously, of particular associations in memory, predisposing one's perception, memory, or response.
Example:
If you see the word 'doctor,' you might be primed to think of 'nurse' even if the word 'nurse' isn't explicitly mentioned.
Recall
A measure of memory where the person must retrieve information learned earlier, without the help of cues.
Example:
Answering a fill-in-the-blank question on a test requires recall because you have to generate the answer from scratch.
Recency Effect
The tendency to remember the last items in a list especially well, often because they are still in short-term memory.
Example:
After hearing a list of names, you're more likely to remember the final name mentioned due to the recency effect.
Recognition
A measure of memory where the person needs only to identify items previously learned, often from a list of options.
Example:
Choosing the correct answer from multiple choices on an exam is an example of recognition, as the answer is provided for you to identify.
Recovered Memory Phenomenon
The sudden recall of long-repressed memories, often of traumatic events, which can sometimes be influenced by suggestion and may not always be accurate.
Example:
A person in therapy might suddenly remember a childhood event they had no prior recollection of, which could be an instance of the recovered memory phenomenon.
Relearning
A measure of memory that assesses the amount of time saved when learning material for a second time.
Example:
Even if you haven't played the piano in years, you might find that relearning a song takes significantly less time than it did initially.
Retrieval
The process of accessing stored information from memory, allowing it to be brought into conscious awareness or used in behavior.
Example:
When you take an exam, you are engaging in retrieval to pull facts and concepts from your long-term memory.
Retrieval Cues
Stimuli or hints that help us access stored memories, acting as pathways to information in our memory networks.
Example:
Seeing a familiar landmark can act as a retrieval cue for memories of a past vacation.
Serial Position Effect
The tendency to remember the first and last items in a list more accurately than the items in the middle.
Example:
When trying to remember a list of chores, you're most likely to recall the first few and the last few due to the serial position effect.
Spacing Effect
The tendency for distributed study or practice to yield better long-term retention than is achieved through massed study or practice (cramming).
Example:
Studying for 30 minutes every day for a week before a test will likely lead to better retention than cramming for 3.5 hours the night before, thanks to the spacing effect.
State-Dependent Memory
The improved recall of information when the internal physiological or psychological state at the time of retrieval matches the state at the time of encoding.
Example:
If you learn something while feeling anxious, you might recall it more easily when you are anxious again, illustrating state-dependent memory.
Testing Effect
The finding that actively retrieving information from memory (e.g., through practice tests or self-quizzing) enhances long-term retention more effectively than simply rereading material.
Example:
Using flashcards to quiz yourself on vocabulary words is more effective for memory retention than just rereading your notes, demonstrating the testing effect.
Tip-of-the-Tongue Phenomenon
The feeling that a memory is available but not quite retrievable, often accompanied by a sense of knowing what the word or information is.
Example:
When you know an actor's name but just can't quite say it out loud, you're experiencing the tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon.