Unit 7 AP Psychology : Cognition

the processing of information into the memory system—for example, by extracting meaning.

the retention of encoded information over time

the process of getting information out of memory storage

the immediate, very brief recording of sensory information in the memory system

activated memory that holds a few items briefly, such as the seven digits of a phone number while dialing, before the information is stored or forgotten

the relatively permanent and limitless storehouse of the memory system. Includes knowledge, skills, and experiences.

a newer understanding of short-term memory that focuses on conscious, active processing of incoming auditory and visual-spatial information, and of information retrieved from long-term memory

the processing of many aspects of a problem simultaneously; the brain's natural mode of information processing for many functions, including vision. Contrasts with the step-by-step (serial) processing of most computers and of conscious problem solving.

unconscious encoding of incidental information, such as space, time, and frequency, and of well-learned information, such as word meanings

encoding that requires attention and conscious effort

the conscious repetition of information, either to maintain it in consciousness or to encode it for storage

the tendency for distributed study or practice to yield better long-term retention than is achieved through massed study or practice

our tendency to recall best the last and first items in a list

the encoding of picture images

the encoding of sound, especially the sound of words

the encoding of meaning, including the meaning of words

mental pictures; a powerful aid to effortful processing, especially when combined with semantic encoding

memory aids, especially those techniques that use vivid imagery and organizational devices

organizing items into familiar, manageable units; often occurs automatically

a momentary sensory memory of visual stimuli; a photographic or picture-image memory lasting no more than a few tenths of a second

a momentary sensory memory of auditory stimuli; if attention is elsewhere, sounds and words can still be recalled within 3 or 4 seconds

an increase in a synapse's firing potential after brief, rapid stimulation. Believed to be a neural basis for learning and memory.

a clear memory of an emotionally significant moment or event

loss of memory

retention independent of conscious recollection

memory of facts and experiences that one can consciously know and "declare"

A neural center located in the limbic system that helps process explicit memories for storage.

A measure of memory in which the person must retrieve information learned earlier, as on a fill-in-the-blank test.

a measure of memory in which the person need only identify items previously learned, as on a multiple-choice test

a measure of memory that assesses the amount of time saved when learning material for a second time

the activation, often unconsciously, of certain associations, thus predisposing one's perception, memory, or response

that eerie sense that "I've experienced this before." Cues from the current situation may subconsciously trigger retrieval of an earlier experience.

the tendency to recall experiences that are consistent with one's current good or bad mood

the disruptive effect of prior learning on the recall of new information

the disruptive effect of new learning on the recall of old information

in psychoanalytic theory, the basic defense mechanism that banishes from consciousness anxiety-arousing thoughts, feelings, and memories

incorporating misleading information into one's memory of an event

attributing to the wrong source an event we have experienced, heard about, read about, or imagined

A methodical, logical rule or procedure that guarantees solving a particular problem.

a simple thinking strategy that often allows us to make judgments and solve problems efficiently; usually speedier but also more error-prone than algorithms

a sudden and often novel realization of the solution to a problem

the ability to produce novel and valuable ideas

a tendency to search for information that confirms one's preconceptions

the inability to see a problem from a new perspective, by employing a different mental set

a tendency to approach a problem in one particular way, often a way that has been successful in the past

the tendency to think of things only in terms of their usual functions; an impediment to problem solving

judging the likelihood of things in terms of how well they seem to represent, or match, particular prototypes; may lead us to ignore other relevant information

estimating the likelihood of events based on their availability in memory; if instances come readily to mind (perhaps because of their vividness), we presume such events are common

the tendency to be more confident than correct—to overestimate the accuracy of our beliefs and judgments.

clinging to one's initial conceptions after the basis on which they were formed has been discredited

an effortless, immediate, automatic feeling or thought, as contrasted with explicit, conscious reasoning

the way an issue is posed; how an issue is framed can significantly affect decisions and judgments.

our spoken, written, or signed words and the ways we combine them to communicate meaning

in language, the smallest distinctive sound unit

in a language, the smallest unit that carries meaning; may be a word or a part of a word (such as a prefix)

in a language, a system of rules that enables us to communicate with and understand others

the set of rules by which we derive meaning from morphemes, words, and sentences in a given language; also, the study of meaning

the rules for combining words into grammatically sensible sentences in a given language

beginning at about 4 months, the stage of speech development in which the infant spontaneously utters various sounds at first unrelated to the household language

the stage in speech development, from about age 1 to 2, during which a child speaks mostly in single words

beginning about age 2, the stage in speech development during which a child speaks mostly two-word statements

early speech stage in which a child speaks like a telegram—"go car"—using mostly nouns and verbs.

Whorf's hypothesis that language determines the way we think