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Cognitive Psychology & Memory Cheat Sheet
A printable reference covering cognitive processes, information processing, encoding, storage, retrieval, memory types, forgetting, and study strategies for grades 11-12.
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Cognitive psychology studies how people take in, process, store, and use information. Memory is a central topic because learning, decision making, problem solving, and identity all depend on it. This cheat sheet helps students organize key models, terms, and research findings for tests, essays, and review. It connects classroom vocabulary to real examples of remembering and forgetting. The core memory model describes information moving from sensory memory to short-term or working memory and then to long-term memory. Strong encoding, rehearsal, meaningful connections, and retrieval practice improve the chance that information will be stored and recalled. Forgetting can happen because of decay, interference, retrieval failure, or motivated processes. Cognitive psychology also emphasizes that memory is reconstructive, meaning people rebuild memories rather than replaying perfect recordings.
Key Facts
- The information processing model follows the sequence sensory input -> sensory memory -> short-term or working memory -> long-term memory.
- Short-term memory capacity is often described as 7 plus or minus 2 items, though working memory research suggests capacity is closer to about 4 chunks.
- Encoding is stronger when information is processed deeply, such as by meaning, personal connection, examples, or organization.
- The serial position effect states that people often remember the first items in a list because of primacy and the last items because of recency.
- Retrieval practice means actively recalling information, and it usually improves long-term retention more than rereading alone.
- The spacing effect states that study spread across multiple sessions is usually more effective than massed practice or cramming.
- Interference explains forgetting when old learning blocks new learning, called proactive interference, or new learning blocks old learning, called retroactive interference.
- The forgetting curve shows that memory loss is fastest soon after learning unless the information is reviewed or retrieved again.
Vocabulary
- Cognition
- Cognition is the mental process of acquiring, processing, storing, and using information.
- Working Memory
- Working memory is the active system that temporarily holds and manipulates information during thinking and problem solving.
- Encoding
- Encoding is the process of converting information into a form that can be stored in memory.
- Long-Term Memory
- Long-term memory is the relatively permanent storage system for knowledge, experiences, skills, and meanings.
- Retrieval
- Retrieval is the process of accessing stored information when it is needed.
- Schema
- A schema is a mental framework that organizes knowledge and helps people interpret new information.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Confusing short-term memory with long-term memory is wrong because short-term memory holds limited information briefly, while long-term memory can store information for years.
- Assuming memory works like a video recording is wrong because memories are reconstructed and can be changed by expectations, schemas, and later information.
- Using recognition as proof of mastery is misleading because recognizing an answer on a multiple-choice test is easier than recalling it without cues.
- Cramming the night before a test is ineffective for long-term learning because massed practice produces weaker retention than spaced review and retrieval practice.
- Mixing up proactive and retroactive interference causes errors because proactive interference means old learning disrupts new learning, while retroactive interference means new learning disrupts old learning.
Practice Questions
- 1 A student studies 20 vocabulary terms and immediately recalls 12. What percentage of the terms did the student recall?
- 2 A class learns a list of 15 words. Students most often remember words 1, 2, 14, and 15. Which memory effect does this pattern show, and which parts are primacy and recency?
- 3 A student reviews psychology notes for 30 minutes on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday instead of studying for 90 minutes on Friday. Which learning principle does this use?
- 4 Why can two people remember the same event differently even if both are trying to be honest?