| Term | Definition |
| deep processing | encoding words based on their meaning (semantic encoding) |
| effortful processing | encoding that requires attention and conscious effort |
| automatic processing | refers to our unconscious encoding of incidental information such as space, time, and frequency and of well-learned information |
| long-term memory | the relatively permanent and unlimited capacity memory system into which information from short-term memory may pass |
| short-term memory | activated memory, which can hold about seven items for a short time |
| encoding | the first step in memory; information is translated into some form that enables it to enter our memory system |
| spacing effect | the tendency for distributed study or practice to yield better long-term retention than massed study or practice (i.e. cramming) |
| echoic memory | the momentary sensory memory of auditory stimuli, lasting about 3 or 4 seconds |
| shallow processing | encoding words on a basic level based on their appearance or some other superficial characteristic |
| recognition | a measure of memory in which one need only identify, rather than recall, previously learned information |
| implicit memory | procedural memory for automatic skills and classically conditioned associations among stimuli -- also called nondeclarative memories |
| explicit memory | the memory of facts, including names, images, and events -- also called declarative memory |
| memory | the persistence of learning over time through the storage and retrieval of information |
| chunking | the memory technique of organizing material into familiar, manageable units |
| iconic memory | the visual sensory memory consisting of a perfect photographic memory, which lasts no more than a few tenths of a second |
| storage | the process by which encoded information is maintained over time |
| relearning | a measure of memory that assesses the amount of time saved when learning material again |
| working memory | the newer way of conceptualizing short-term memory as a work site for the active processing of incoming information |
| testing effect | the phenomenon in which memory is enhanced more by retrieval of the information than simply reading it |
| sensory memory | the immediate, very brief recording of sensory information in the memory system |
| recall | a measure of memory in which the person must retrieve information learned earlier, with few retrieval cues |
| mnemonics | memory aids (acronyms, pegwords, etc.), which often use vivid imagery and organizational devices |
| retrieval | the process of getting information out of memory storage |
