5.1 Memory

• What is Metacognition?


  The ability to control and be aware of your own thoughts; awareness of your own thinking processes.

  
  

  Example: realizing you know the answer to a question on the quiz even though you cannot think of the answer at that moment, which prompts you to decide you should return to it later with a fresh perspective
• What is short term memory?


  Short-term memory is the type of memory that can only be stored for a brief period of time (about 30 seconds). The capacity of short-term memory is limited
• What is long term memory?


  The capacity for long-term memory is unlimited. Unlike short-term memory, long-term memory can be stored over sustained periods of time
• What is explicit memory?


  Explicit memory is the stored memory of facts.

  
  

  For example, explicit memory is knowing how many continents there are.
• Explicit memory is divided into what two categories?

  semantic and episodic
• What is semantic memory?


  the memory of facts, ideas, and concepts
• What is episodic memory?


  memories of personal experiences.

  
  

  An example would be telling a friend about what you ate for breakfast or the first time that you went swimming
• What is implicit memory?


  a type of long-term memory that is remembered unconsciously.

  
  

  example: procedural memory
• What is procedural memory?


  the memory of how to do repetitive everyday tasks.

  
  

  Examples of procedural memories include riding a bike, tying a shoe, and driving a car.
• What is sensory memory?


  involves the five senses: taste (gustation), smell (olfaction), hearing (audition), sight, and touch. It is the ability to retain information about sensory information long enough to be recognized after the original stimulus has ended

  
  

  An example would be recognizing the smell of baking cookies.
• What two categories can sensory memory be divide into?

  echoic and iconic
• What is echoic memory?


  the memory of sound; lasts about three to four seconds (remember that sounds can echo)
• What is iconic memory?


  the memory of visual stimuli (an image); lasts about one-quarter to one-half a second

  
  

  (think of this one as "eye"-conic)
• What is prospective memory?


  remembering to perform an action at a certain time.

  
  

  An example would be remembering to take medicine after breakfast.
• What is a flashbulb memory?


  a clear memory of an emotionally significant event. Like an exceptionally vivid 'snapshot' of a moment in time, flashbulb memories are believed to be highly detailed, clear, and accurate.

  
  

  An example of a flashbulb memory for many American citizens is the attacks on September 11th, 2001.