Memory

• What is a stimulus in the context of sensation?

  Anything that influences an organism
• How do stimuli interact with the body?

  Via sensory receptors
• What is sensation?

  Detection of environmental stimuli
• What do sensory organs do?

  Convert sensory information to electrochemical energy
• What are sensory organs?

  Specialized organs containing sensory neurons
• What are sensory receptors?

  Specialized cells that detect sensory information
• What are the three main steps of sensation?

  1. Reception: Detection of sensory information
  2. Transduction: Changing sensory info into electrochemical energy
  3. Transmission: Movement of energy to the brain
• What is perception?

  Mental representation created by the brain
• How does perception vary among individuals?

  Influenced by context, culture, and experiences
• What is selection in the perception process?

  Selecting crucial features for processing
• What is organization in perception?

  Categorizing selected information into patterns
• What is interpretation in perception?

  Assigning meanings to grouped patterns
• What is attention?

  Mental capacity to concentrate on stimuli
• What are the two types of attention?

  Selective and divided attention
• What is selective attention?

  Concentrating on chosen stimuli
• What is divided attention?

  Concentrating on multiple stimuli simultaneously
• What does the Cocktail Party Effect demonstrate?

  • Ability to focus on one conversation
  • Awareness of simultaneous conversations
  • Use of selective and divided attention
• What is storage in memory processes?

  Retention of information within memory stores
• What is retrieval in memory processes?

  Movement of information to conscious awareness
• What is encoding in memory processes?

  Form in which information is stored
• What are the types of encoding?

  Acoustic, visual, and semantic encoding
• What is the Multi-Store Model of Memory?

  • Memory compared to a computer
  • Information flows through three storage systems
  • Components: sensory register, short-term memory, long-term memory
• What is the sensory register?

  Memory store for briefly held sensory information
• What is the capacity of the sensory register?

  Unlimited capacity
• How long is visual information held in the iconic store?

  0.2-0.4 seconds
• How long is auditory information held in the echoic store?

  3-4 seconds
• What is short-term memory?

  • Temporary memory store for limited information
  • Receives information from sensory register and long-term store
  • Limited capacity of 5-9 pieces of information
• What happens to information in short-term memory?

  Decays after 15-30 seconds without rehearsal
• What is long-term memory?

  • Relatively permanent memory store
  • Limitless amount of information
  • Sends and receives information from short-term store
• What is procedural memory?

  Memory for skills or actions
• What is declarative memory?

  Memory for factual information expressed in words
• What is semantic memory?

  Impersonal factual knowledge
• What is episodic memory?

  Memory for personally significant events
• What is the Working Memory Model?

  • Dynamic storage system for short-term memory
  • Capable of holding multiple pieces of information
  • Consists of central executive, phonological loop, and visuospatial sketchpad
• What is the role of the central executive in the Working Memory Model?

  Coordinates slave systems and controls attention
• What is the phonological loop?

  Stores and processes auditory information
• What are the components of the phonological loop?

  Phonological store and articulatory process
• What is the visuospatial sketchpad?

  Stores and manipulates visual and spatial information
• What is the episodic buffer?

  Temporarily stores consolidated information
• What is the capacity of the episodic buffer?

  Limited capacity accessible by consciousness