Decay theory suggests that memories fade and disappear over the natural passage of time, especially if they are not accessed frequently. When an individual learns something new, a neurochemical memory trace is created. Decay theoryforgetting caused by learning similar materials proactiveinitially retroactivepreviously linguistic relativity hypothesispersons language determines and limits a persons experiences hulls drivereduction modelmotivation arises out of need cognitive consistency theorycognitive inconsistencies create tension and thus motivate the. According to this theory, short term memory stm can only retain information for a limited amount of time, around 15 to 30 seconds unless it is rehearsed. Occurs when the charge inside the neuron becomes more positive than the charge. Knowledge that can be consciously retrieved and declared. The notion that memories are lost as a result of a fading of the memory trace. Down and dirty study sheet for the ap psy exam source. All you need to know to teach language to ap psychology students. Decay theory assumes that memories deteriorate as time passes. A fiveunit lesson plan for high school psychology teachers.
The decay theory is a theory that proposes that memory fades due to the mere passage of time. The process of organising information into small, meaningful bits to aid memory. There is substantial evidence that forgetting is less rapid if you go to sleep immediately after a learningrelearning session. Actively rehearsing information is believed to be a major factor counteracting this temporal decline. Trace decay theory focuses on time and the limited duration of short term memory. Trace decay trace decay theory explains memories that are stored in both short term and long term memory system. Information is therefore less available for later retrieval as time passes and memory, as well as memory strength, wears away. Print myers psychology for ap vocabulary all 14 units quizlet. Getting needed rest is difficult in part because school and work. All royalties from the sale of this book are assigned to the david and. Ap psychology vocabulary ablation purposely disabling or destroying part of the brain in order to study the functions of different areas of the brain accommodation the creation of new cognitive schemas when objects, experiences, or other information does not fit with existing schemas. Be sure to begin by defining each concept in psychological terms. Rehearsal, or mentally going over a memory, can slow this process. Barrons ap psychology, 5th edition waterford union high school.
Proactive interference is when something we learned first interferes with. Ap psychology vocabulary the sultztonian institute. Some tests of the decay theory of immediate memory. However, over time this trace slowly disintegrates. This theory suggests short term memory can only hold information for between 15 and 30 seconds unless it is rehearsed. The theory that states unless we keep using something we have remembered it will eventually go away. Trace decay theory states that forgetting occurs as a result of the automatic decay or fading of the memory trace. Under this theory, you need to follow a certain pathway, or trace, to recall a memory. Ap psychology exam cram sheet cabarrus county schools. I wrote this book to help students organize their thinking about psychology at a conceptual level. Although there are other factors that are suspected to cause memory disappearance, decay theory encompasses the broad loss and decay of memories over time.
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