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Unit 3 Psychology Key Terms
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208
Psychology
12th Grade
11/28/2011

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Term
Psychology
Definition
The scientific study of behaviour and mental processes in humans.
Term
Behaviour
Definition
Any externally expressed action made by a living person (or animal) that can be directly observed.
Term
Mental Processes
Definition
Person (subjective) thoughts, feelings and ways of thinking and feeling that cannot be directly observed.
Term
Experiment
Definition
A research method used to test a hypothesis under controlled conditions in order to measure the effects. of an independent variable(s) on a dependent variable(s).
Term
Independent Variable (IV)
Definition
The variable in an experiment that is systematically, changed or varied by the experimenter in order to measure its effect on the dependent variable.
Term
Dependent Variable (DV)
Definition
A variable in an experiment that is observed and measured and is expected to change as a result of the manipulation of the independent variable. (Participant's response)
Term
Experimental Condition
Definition
The condition in an experiment in which the independent variable is present; may also be used to refer collectively to all the conditions of the experiment.
Term
Control Condition
Definition
The condition in an experiment in which the independent variable is absent or the Participants are treated differently to those in the experimental group/condition; it is a standard of comparison for the experimental condition.
Term
Operational Hypothesis
Definition
A research hypothesis that states how the variables being studied will be observed, manipulated and measured; also refers to the population from which the sample has been selected.
Term
Extraneous Variable
Definition
Any variable other than the independent variable that can cause a change in the dependent variable and therefore affect the results of the experiment in an unwanted way.
Term
Confounding Variable
Definition
A variable other than the independent variable that has an unwanted effect on the dependent variable, making it impossible to determine which of the variables produce the change in the dependent variable.
Term
Individual Participant Differences
Definition
The differences in personal characteristics and experiences of the individual participants in an experiment; also called participant variables.
Term
Placebo Effect
Definition
When a participant's response is changed by their belief that they are receiving some kind of experimental treatment.
Term
Experimenter Effect
Definition
The change in a participant's response because of the researcher's expectations, biases or actions, rather than the effect of the independent variable.
Term
Order Effect
Definition
When performance in an investigation is influenced by the specific order in which the conditions, treatments or tasks are presented to or experienced by participants.
Term
Carry-over Effects
Definition
The influence that an experimental treatment or task has on performance in a treatment or task that follows it.
Term
Artificiality
Definition
In laboratory-based research, the lack of realism and differences to real-life settings.
Term
Sampling
Definition
The process of selecting participants for a research study.
Term
Sample
Definition
A group that is a subset or portion of a larger group chosen to be studied for research purposes.
Term
Population
Definition
The larger group from which a sample is drawn for a research study.
Term
Convenience Sampling
Definition
Selecting participants who are readily available without any attempt to make the sample representative of a population (i.e. opportunity sampling)
Term
Random Sampling
Definition
A procedure for selecting a group of participants from the population of research interest that ensures each member of the targeted population has an equal chance of being chosen to be part of the sample.
Term
Biased Sample
Definition
A research sample in which everyone in the target population does not have an equal chance of being selected.
Term
Stratified Sampling
Definition
A sampling procedure that involves dividing the population to be sampled into distinct groups (strata) then selecting a separate sample from each stratum in the same proportions that they occur in the population of research interest.
Term
Stratified-random Sampling
Definition
A sampling procedure that involves identifying all the people with each subgroup (stratum) of research interest, then randomly selecting samples of proportionate size from within each subgroup.
Term
Experimental Group
Definition
The group of participants in an experiment who are exposed to the independent variable.
Term
Control Group
Definition
The group of participants in an experiment who are not exposed to the independent variable; it provides a standard against which the performance of the experimental group can be compared in order to determine the effects of the independent variable on the dependent variable.
Term
Random Allocation
Definition
A procedure for assigning participants to various groups in an experiment which ensures that each person has an equal chance of being selected for any of the groups and that different groups are equivalent in important characteristics of participants.
Term
Counterbalancing
Definition
Arranging the order that the conditions of a repeated-measures experiment are experienced by participants so that each condition occurs equally often in each position; commonly used to control order effects.
Term
Single-blind Procedure
Definition
A procedure in an experiment to ensure participants are not aware of the group (or condition) to which they have been allocated and therefore the experimental treatment (the IV).
Term
Double-blind Procedure
Definition
A procedure in an experiment to ensure that the participants and the researcher directly involved with the participants are unaware of the conditions to which the participants have been allocated.
Term
Standardised Instructions
Definition
Identical instructions (directions) given to participants, as relevant to the specific group (condition) to which they have been assigned.
Term
Standardised Procedures
Definition
Use and administration of the same procedures for participants, as relevant to the specific group (condition) to which they have been assigned.
Term
Repeated-measures Design
Definition
An experimental research design that uses the same participants in both the experimental and control groups (or conditions); (aka within-participants or within-subjects design).
Term
Matched-participants Design
Definition
An experimental research design in which pairs of participants who are very similar in a characteristic(s) that can influence the dependent variable, are selected and then allocating to a different group (the experimental or control group); aka matched subjects or matched groups design.
Term
Independent-groups Design
Definition
An experimental research design in which each participant is randomly allocated to one of two or more entirely separate (independent) groups; aka between-participants or between-subjects design.
Term
Qualitative Data
Definition
Information about the qualities or characteristics of what is being studied.
Term
Quantitative Data
Definition
Information about the quantities or amounts of what is being studied.
Term
Case Study
Definition
An in-depth investigation of behaviour or event in an individual, a small group or a situation.
Term
Observation
Definition
Any means by which a phenomenon, such as spoken or written responses, test scores and brain wave recordings.
Term
Observational Study
Definition
A research method involving collection of data by carefully watching and recording behaviour as it occurs.
Term
Naturalistic Observation
Definition
An observational study in which a researcher views a natural occurring behaviour in an inconspicuous manner so that their presence (or procedures) does not influence the behaviour being observed.
Term
Non-participant Observation
Definition
When a researcher does not participate in or tries to conceal their presence during an observational study.
Term
Participant Observation
Definition
When a researcher participates in an observational study and attempts to be mistaken by the participants as being part of the group or situation being observed.
Term
Self-report
Definition
A participant's written or spoken responses to questions, statements or instructions presented by the researcher.
Term
Questionnaire
Definition
A set of written questions designed to draw out self-report information from participants on a research topic.
Term
Interview
Definition
A data-collection procedure used to obtain self-report information on a research topic.
Term
Descriptive Statistics
Definition
Statistics used to analyse, organise, summarise and describe important features of data so that they can be more easily interpreted and communicated.
Term
Inferential Statistics
Definition
Mathematical procedures used to judge whether the results of a sample would also occur in the population form which the sample was drawn; also used to estimate how likely it is that the results obtained for a study occurred by chance.
Term
Measure of Central Tendency
Definition
A score which indicated the 'central' or 'average' value in a set of scores.
Term
Mean
Definition
A score that is the arithmetical average of all the individual scores (or measures) in a set of scores.
Term
Median
Definition
The middle score (or mid-point) in a set of scores.
Term
Mode
Definition
The most frequently occurring score in a set of scores.
Term
Statistical Significance
Definition
An indication of how likely it is that the results obtained from research could have occurred by chance.
Term
Conclusion
Definition
A decision or judgment about the meaning of the results of a research investigation.
Term
Generalisation
Definition
A decision or judgment about how widely the findings of a study can be applied.
Term
Reliability
Definition
In research, the consistency, dependability and stability of results obtained from the study.
Term
Internal Consistency
Definition
The interrelatedness of items in a psychological test for measuring the same ability or trait.
Term
Construct Validity
Definition
The extent to which a characteristic or behaviour relates to that being assessed or investigated.
Term
Internal Validity
Definition
The soundness of the research design and procedures used to conduct the study.
Term
External Validity
Definition
How well research findings can be generalised or applied beyond the specific participants and settings used in a study.
Term
Ethics
Definition
Standards that guide individuals to identify good, desirable or acceptable conduct.
Term
Brain Waves
Definition
Spontaneous electrical activity emitted by the brain; four types of brain waves associated with different states of consciousness or activities are alpha, beta theta and delta waves.
Term
Galvanic Skin Response (GSR)
Definition
A physiological response that indicates the change in the resistance of the skin to an electrical current (electrical conductivity of the skin)
Term
Altered State of Conscious (ASC)
Definition
A condition of awareness that is distinctly different from normal waking consciousness in terms of awareness and experience, and the quality or intensity of sensations, perceptions, thoughts, feelings and memories.
Term
Automatic Process
Definition
When information-processing involves little conscious awareness and mental effort, and minimal attention, and does not interfere with the performance of other activities.
Term
Controlled Process
Definition
When information-processing involves conscious alert awareness and mental effort focuses on achieving a particular goal.
Term
Electroencephalograph (EEG)
Definition
A device that detects, amplifies, and records electrical activity of the brain.
Term
Daydreaming
Definition
An altered state of consciousness in which attention shifts from external stimuli to internal thoughts, feelings and imagined scenarios.
Term
Meditation
Definition
The internal attempt to bring about a deeply relaxed state.
Term
Psychological Construct
Definition
A concept used to describe specific psychological activity or pattern of activity that is believed to occur or exist but cannot be directly observed or measured.
Term
Attention
Definition
A concentration of mental activity that involves focusing on specific stimuli and ignoring other stimuli.
Term
Normal Waking Consciousness
Definition
State of consciousness associated with being awake or aware of one's thoughts, memories, feelings and sensations from the outside world.
Term
Consciousness
Definition
The awareness of objects and events in the external world and of our own existence and mental experiences at any given moment.
Term
Sleep
Definition
A regularly occurring altered state of
consciousness that typically occurs
spontaneously and is primarily
characterised by a loss of conscious
awareness.
Term
Sleep disorders
Definition
A sleep problem that disrupts the normal
NREM-REM sleep cycle; types of
disorder include insomnia, hypersomnia
and sleep apnea.
Term
Polysomnography
Definition
An intensive study of a sleeping person
involving simultaneous monitoring
and recoding of various physiological
responses during sleep.
Term
Electromyograph (EMG)
Definition
A device that detects, amplifies and
records the electrical activity of muscles.
Term
Electro-oculogram (EOG)
Definition
A device that measures eye movements
or eye positions by detecting, amplifying
and recording electrical activity in eye
muscles that control eye movements
Term
Sleep Diary
Definition
A record of an individual’s sleep and
waking time activities over a period of
time; also known as a sleep log.
Term
NREM Sleep
Definition
Non-rapid-eye-movement sleep; has
four stages that constitutes about 80%
our sleep and can be distinguished by
characteristic brain-wave patterns.
Term
Frequency
Definition
In relation to brain waves, the number of
brain waves per second.
Term
Amplitude
Definition
In relation to brain waves, the intensity
of brain waves as shown by the size of
the peaks and troughs of the brain-wave
pattern from a baseline of zero activity.
Term
REM sleep
Definition
Rapid-eye-movement sleep during which
the eyeballs rapidly move beneath closed
eyelids; constitutes about 20% of our
sleep and is the period in which most
dreaming occurs.
Term
Circadian Rhythm
Definition
Naturally occurring bodily processes and
functions that follow a predictable 24-
hour cycle of changes (e.g. the sleep-
wake cycle, core body temperature and
blood sugar level).
Term
Sleep-Wake Cycle Shift
Definition
In adolescence, a shift forward of the
normal onset time of the sleep period,
resulting in sleepiness at a later time.
Term
Sleep Debt
Definition
Accumulated nightly sleep loss that is
owed and needs to be made up.
Term
Restorative Theories
Definition
An explanation of the purpose of sleep
that proposes that sleep provides ‘time
out’ to recover from and repair the wear
and tear on the body caused during
waking time.
Term
REM Rebound
Definition
Following a period of lost REM sleep,
spending more time than usual in REM
sleep when next asleep.
Term
Survival Theory
Definition
An explanation of the purpose of
sleep that proposes that sleep evolved
to enhance survival by protecting an
organism, making it inactive during the
part of the day when it is most dangerous
to move about.
Term
Sleep Deprivation
Definition
Going without sleep.
Term
Microsleep
Definition
A very short period of drowsiness or
sleeping that occurs while a person
appears to be awake.
Term
Central Nervous System (CNS)
Definition
A major branch or subdivision of the human nervous system comprising the brain and spinal cord.
Term
Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
Definition
All parts of the nervous system that lie outside the central nervous system; links the central nervous system to all other parts of the body.
Term
Cerebral Cortex
Definition
The coiled outer layer of the brain’s cerebral hemispheres that is involved with information-processing activities such as perception, language, learning, memory, thinking and problem-solving, as well as the planning and control of voluntary bodily movements.
Term
Cerebral Hemispheres
Definition
The two almost-symmetrical ‘halves’ of the brain called the left and the right cerebral hemispheres; separated by a groove running from the front to the back of the brain, but connected at several points by the corpus callosum and other smaller nerve strands.
Term
Corpus Callosum
Definition
A band of nerve tissue that connects the left and right cerebral hemispheres enabling the exchange of information and coordination of their activities.
Term
Cortical Lobes
Definition
Four anatomical areas of the brain, or divisions of each cerebral hemisphere, called the frontal, parietal, occipital and temporal lobes; each lobe is associated with different sensory and motor functions and more complex mental functions.
Term
Association Cortex
Definition
A general term used to describe parts of the cerebral hemispheres other than those that have specialised functions.
Term
Sensory Areas
Definition
A part of the cerebral cortex that has a specialised sensory function; different sensory areas are located in different lobes (e.g. the primary visual cortex is located in the occipital lobe)
Term
Frontal Lobe
Definition
The largest of the four lobes in each cerebral hemisphere, which occupies the upper forward half of each hemisphere and it involved in her mental abilities.
Term
Primary Motor Cortex
Definition
A strip of neural tissue at the rear of the frontal lobe of each cerebral hemisphere that is specifically involved in controlling voluntary bodily movements through its control of skeletal muscles.
Term
Broca’s Area
Definition
A specialised area of the brain located in the left frontal lobe that coordinates movement of muscles involved in speech production and supplies this information to appropriate motor cortex areas.
Term
Broca’s Aphasia
Definition
A language disorder resulting from damage to Broca’s area and involving production of speech that consists of very short sentences comprising mostly verbs and nouns.
Term
Parietal Lobe
Definition
One of the four lobes in each cerebral hemisphere of the brain; receives and processes sensory information from the body and other sensory areas in the brain; also involved in spatial perception and memory.
Term
Primary Somatosensory Cortex
Definition
A strip of neural tissue in the parietal lobe of each cerebral hemisphere that receives and processes information from the skin and body, enabling perception of bodily sensations, including touch, pressure and temperature, and information about muscle movement and the position of limbs.
Term
Occipital Lobe
Definition
One of the four lobes in each cerebral hemisphere of the brain; primarily involved in vision.
Term
Primary Visual Cortex
Definition
Neural tissue in the occipital lobe that receives and processes visual information from the eyes.
Term
Temporal Lobe
Definition
One of the four lobes in each cerebral hemisphere of the brain; primarily involved with hearing, but also plays an important role in memory and other mental processes.
Term
Primary Auditory Cortex
Definition
A strip of neural tissue at the rear of the frontal lobe of each cerebral hemisphere that is specifically involved in controlling voluntary bodily movements through its control of skeletal muscles.
Term
Wernicke’s Area
Definition
A specialised area usually in the left temporal lobe that is involved with comprehending the sounds of human speech.
Term
Wernicke’s Aphasia
Definition
A speech impairment resulting from damage to Wernicke’s area and involving difficulties with speech comprehension and in producing fluent speech.
Term
Hemispheric Specialisation
Definition
The specialisation and dominance or greater control of certain functions by each the left and right cerebral hemisphere.
Term
Brain Stem
Definition
An area in the lowest part of the brain where the spinal cord enters the skull.
Term
Reticular Formation
Definition
Part of the reticular activating system in the brain that runs through the centre of the brainstem and upward through the midbrain to the forebrain; involved in sleep and arousal.
Term
Reticular Activating System (RAS)
Definition
A network of neurons that extends in many directions from the reticular formation to different parts of the brain and to the spinal cord; involved in maintaining and regulating cortical arousal.
Term
Thalamus
Definition
A brain structure that filters information from the sense and transmits the information to the cerebral cortex; receives inputs form all the major sense I
(except smell); it also receives information from the reticular formation about state arousal, therefore influencing wakefulness and level of alertness.
Term
Spinal Cord
Definition
A part of the central nervous system that connects the brain to other parts of the body through the peripheral nervous system; major functions are to transmit sensory information to and motor information from the brain.
Term
Axon
Definition
The part of a neuron that transmits information from the neuron to other neurons or to the cells in muscles or glands.
Term
Dendrites
Definition
Thin extension of a neuron that looks like a ‘branch’ and is specialised to receive information from other neurons.
Term
Sensory Neurons
Definition
A specialised nerve cell that detects and sends messages from sense organs and sense receptor sites to higher brain centres via the spinal cord.
Term
Interneuron
Definition
A neuron that transmits information within the CNS and interconnects messages from sensory and motor neurons
Term
Motor Neurons
Definition
A specialised neuron that carries messages away from the central nervous system towards the muscles, organs and glands, thereby enabling bodily movements, and activating internal organs and glandular secretions.
Term
Aphasia
Definition
A term that collectively describes language disorders, but often used more specifically to refer to a language disorder apparent in speech (comprehension or production), writing or reading produced by injury to brain areas specialised for these functions.
Term
Spatial Neglect
Definition
An attentional disorder caused by damage to areas of the parietal lobe, usually in the right hemisphere, and characterised by behaviour indicating a failure to notice anything either on the left or right side of the body and external environment.
Term
Split-brain Surgery
Definition
Surgical cutting of the corpus callosum and sometimes other connecting nerves to separate the two cerebral hemispheres.
Term
Perception
Definition
The mental process of organising and interpreting information from the sense into meaningful objects and events.
Term
Perceptual Anomaly
Definition
An irregularity in perception, usually involving an inconsistency between the perceptual experience and physical reality.
Term
Motion After-Effect
Definition
The perceptual illusion of movement of a physically stationary visual stimulus following exposure to visual motion; the stationary stimulus appears to move in the opposite direction to the original (physically moving) stimulus.
Term
Change Blindness
Definition
The difficulty observers have in noticing a large change in a visual scene.
Term
Inattentional Blindness
Definition
A failure to notice something in a scene when the same scene continually remains in sight and there is not reliance on memory.
Term
Synesthesia
Definition
A perceptual experience in which stimulation of one sense produces additional unusual experiences in another sense.
Term
Neuroimaging
Definition
A brain-scanning technique that captures detailed images of the brain.
Term
Functional Neuroimaging
Definition
A brain-scanning technique that captures images of the brain ‘at work’ (as well as brain structure).
Term
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
Definition
A direct brain-stimulation technique that delivers a magnetic pulse through the skull and temporarily activates or disrupts the activity of neurons in a specific area of the cerebral cortex
Term
Repetitive TMS (rTMS)
Definition
A direct brain-stimulation technique using the transcranial magnetic stimulation procedure for repeated delivery of a magnetic pulse; see transcranial magnetic stimulation.
Term
Computerised Axial Tomography (CAT)
Definition
A neuroimaging technique that produces a computer-enhanced image of a cross-section of the brain from X-rays taken from different angles that is primarily used to study brain structure; the image is called a computerised tomogram scan (CT scan) or computerised axial tomogram scan (CAT scan).
Term
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Definition
A neuroimaging technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to vibrate atoms in the brain’s neurons to produces a detailed image of the brain (or body)
Term
Positron Emission Tomography (PET)
Definition
A neuromimaging technique that provides computer-generated images of the ‘working’ brain (function) by tracking blood flow (through glucose used by active neurons); also provides images of structure.
Term
Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT)
Definition
A neuroimaging technique that provides computer-generated images of the ‘working’ brain (function) by tracking blood flow (through glucose use by active neurons); it is like PET but uses a longer-lasting radioactive tracer; also provides images of structure.
Term
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)
Definition
A neuroimaging technique that provides computer-generated images of the ‘working’ brain (function) by detecting changes in oxygen levels in the blood flowing through the brain; based on standard MRI.
Term
Memory
Definition
Storage and retrieval of information acquired through learning.
Term
Encoding
Definition
The process of converting information into a useable form that can be stored and represented in memory.
Term
Retrieval
Definition
The process of locating and recovering stored information from memory so that we are consciously aware of it.
Term
Atkinson-Shiffrin multi-store model
Definition
A model that represents memory as consisting of three separate components called the sensory register, the short-term store and the long-term store, and distinguishes between the structural features and control processes of memory.
Term
Structural Features
Definition
In the Atkinson-Shiffrin multi-store model, a built-in, fixed feature of memory that does not vary from one situation to another.
Term
Control Processes
Definition
In the Atkinson-Shiffrin multi-store model, an activity that is consciously performed to assist the memory process, such as attention and maintenance rehearsal.
Term
Sensory Memory
Definition
The entry point of memory in which the stimuli that bombard the senses are retained in their original sensory form for a very brief time.
Term
Iconic Memory
Definition
Visual sensory memory that stores visual images in their original sensory form for between 0.2 and 0.4 seconds.
Term
Echoic Memory
Definition
Auditory sensory memory that stores sounds in their original sensory form for up to three or four seconds.
Term
Short-term memory (STM)
Definition
A memory system or sub-system(s) with limited storage capacity and duration in which information is lost rapidly unless it is rehearsed; it is a mental ‘workbench’ that allows us to manipulate information entering from sensory memory or retrieved from long-term memory; also called working memory.
Term
Working Memory
Definition
A sub-system of memory in which information we are consciously aware of is actively ‘worked on’; information from sensory memory is processed here and information is retrieved from long-term memory to be used in working memory; also called short-term memory.
Term
Chunking
Definition
The grouping of bits of separate information into a larger unit that can be remembered as a single unit.
Term
Rehearsal
Definition
The process of actively manipulating information so that it can be retained in memory.
Term
Maintenance Rehearsal
Definition
Repetition of information so that it can be kept in short-term (or working) memory for longer than the usual maximum of about 18 seconds.
Term
Elaborative Rehearsal
Definition
The process of linking new information in a meaningful way with information already stored in memory or with other new information to aid its storage and retrieval form long-term memory.
Term
Self-reference effect
Definition
A form of elaborative rehearsal in which new information to be remembered is linked to personal experiences and situations to enhance encoding and aid retention.
Term
Craik and Lockhart’s levels of processing framework
Definition
A conceptual description of memory that emphasises that the depth at which information is processed during learning determines how well it is stored; levels of processing range from very shallow to very deep.
Term
Baddeley and Hitch’s model of working memory
Definition
A multi-component model of working memory that describes its structure and function in terms of three separate but interacting components called the phonological loop, the visuo-spatial sketchpad and the central executive; a fourth component called the episodic buffer was added later by Baddeley.
Term
Phonological loop
Definition
A component of Baddeley and Hitch’s model of working memory that stores a limited number of speed-like sounds for a short period of time.
Term
Visuo-spatial sketchpad
Definition
A component of Baddeley and Hitch’s model of working memory that temporarily stores a limited amount of visual and spatial information for a brief time.
Term
Central Executive
Definition
In Baddeley and Hitch’s model, the working component of working memory that controls attention, integrates information and coordinates the flow of information between the working memory system and long-term memory.
Term
Episodic Buffer
Definition
A component of Baddeley and Hitch’s model of working memory (added in 2000) that enables all its components to interact with long-term memory
Term
Long-term memory (LTM)
Definition
The relatively permanent memory system that holds vast amounts of information for a long period of time.
Term
Procedural memory
Definition
The long term memory of skills and thought processes for how to do something’ also called implicit memory.
Term
Declarative memory
Definition
The long-term memory system for specific facts and events that can be brought consciously to mind and explicitly ‘declared’; its two sub-types are called episodic memory and semantic memory.
Term
Episodic memory
Definition
A declarative long-term memory system that stores information about specific events or personal experiences.
Term
Semantic Memory
Definition
A declarative (explicit) long-term memory system that stores information about the world.
Term
Semantic network theory
Definition
A description of the organisation of information in long-term memory in terms of overlapping networks (grids) of interconnected concepts (nodes); activating one node during retrieval increases the likelihood that associated nodes become activated.
Term
Serial position effect
Definition
A research finding that the free recall of items in a list is best for items at the end of the list, then the beginning, and worst for items in the middle of the list.
Term
Primacy effect
Definition
The serial position effect of superior recall for items at the beginning of a list.
Term
Recency effect
Definition
The serial position effect of superior recall for items at the end of a list.
Term
Hippocampus
Definition
A tubular curved structure in the lower region of the temporal lobe of each hemisphere; believed to play an important role in memory.
Term
Medial temporal lobe
Definition
The inner surface area towards the middle of the temporal lobe that includes the hippocampus, the amygdale and other cortical tissue.
Term
Consolidation theory
Definition
The proposal that structural changes to neurons in the brain occur after learning takes place as information is encoded from short-term to long-term memory.
Term
Brain trauma
Definition
Any brain damage that impairs the normal functioning of the brain, either temporarily or permanently.
Term
Neurodegenerative disease
Definition
A disease characterised by a progressive decline in the structure, activity and function of brain tissue.
Term
Amnesia
Definition
Loss of memory, either partial or complete, temporary or permanent
Term
Anterograde amnesia
Definition
Loss of memory only for information or events occurring after the trauma that causes amnesia.
Term
Korsakoff’s syndrome
Definition
A neurodegenerative disease involving severe memory disorders associated with damage to brain structures and areas involved with memory; occurs mainly in individuals who are long-term alcoholics.
Term
Retrograde amnesia
Definition
Loss of memory only for information or events occurring before the trauma that caused the amnesia.
Term
Dementia
Definition
A general term for a variety of symptoms of a large group of illnesses or neurodegenerative diseases that cause a progressive decline in mental functioning.
Term
Alzheimer’s disease
Definition
A neurodegenerative disease involving the gradual widespread degeneration of brain neurons, causing increasingly severe memory loss and gradual deterioration of mental abilities, personal skills and behaviour.
Term
Forgetting
Definition
The inability to retrieve previously stored information.
Term
Forgetting Curve
Definition
A graph showing a characteristic pattern (rate and amount) of forgetting that occurs over time for a wide variety of materials under different conditions.
Term
Recall
Definition
A measure of memory that involves reproducing information that has been stored in memory with few cues to assist retrieval.
Term
Measure of Retention
Definition
A method of measuring the amount of information retained in memory; three measures are recall, recognition and relearning.
Term
Free Recall
Definition
Reproducing information from memory in any order, without the assistance of cues.
Term
Cued Recall
Definition
Reproducing information from memory by using a prompt to assist retrieval.
Term
Relearning
Definition
A measure of memory based on learning information again that has been previously learned and stored in LTM.
Term
Retrieval cue
Definition
A stimulus that assists the process of locating and retrieving information stored in memory.
Term
Retrieval Failure Theory
Definition
An explanation of forgetting due to the lack of or failure to use the right cue to retrieve information stored in memory; the information is not lost forever but it simply cannot be retrieved at that moment.
Term
Tip-of-the-tongue (TOT)
Definition
The feeling of being aware of knowing something and being confident that it will be remembered, but unable to retrieve the information at that point in time.
Term
Interference Theory
Definition
An explanation that proposes that forgetting in long-term memory occurs because other memories interfere with retrieval of what you are trying to recall, particularly if the other memories are similar to the one you are trying to remember.
Term
Retroactive Interference
Definition
When new information interferes with the ability to remember old information.
Term
Proactive Interference
Definition
When information learned previously interferes with the ability to remember new information.
Term
Motivated Forgetting
Definition
When forgetting in long-term memory arises from a strong motive or desire to forget, usually because the experience is too disturbing or upsetting to remember.
Term
Repression
Definition
An unconscious process (defence mechanism) through which an individual blocks a memory of an event or experience from entering conscious awareness because of the anxiety associated with recall; said to be a type of motivated forgetting.
Term
Suppression
Definition
A type of motivated forgetting in which individuals actively keep a memory out of conscious awareness by choosing not to attend to or think about it.
Term
Decay Theory
Definition
An explanation of forgetting based on the assumption that when something new is learned, a memory trace or neural imprint of the experience that contains the stored information is formed in the brain; the trace gradually fades over time through disuse unless it is reactivated by being used.
Term
Leading question
Definition
A question that is phrased in such a way as to suggest what answer is desired or to lead to the desired answer.
Term
Context-dependent cues
Definition
A cue for memory retrieval based on environmental factors in the specific situation in which a memory was formed.
Term
State-dependent cues
Definition
A cue for memory retrieval based on an individual’s internal physiological and/or psychological state at the time the memory was formed.
Term
Mnemonic devices
Definition
A technique for enhancing or improving memory.
Term
Acronyms
Definition
A mnemonic device that involves composing a pronounceable word from the first letters of a sequence of words to be remembered.
Term
Acrostic
Definition
A mnemonic device that involves making verbal associations for items to be remembered by constructing phrases containing words that begin with the first letters of the information to be remembered.
Term
Peg-word method
Definition
A mnemonic device that involves memorising a rhyme that includes mental pegs on which you ‘hang’ the material to be remembered.
Term
Method of loci
Definition
A mnemonic device that uses a well-learned sequence of locations as a series of cues for the information to be remembered.
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