PSYCH 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Von Restorff Effect

• School: UW
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYCH 101
• Professor: Mc Laughlin Judith

Document Summary

Serial position curve: we have a tendency to remember items that occur at the beginning and the end of a list, than the ones in the middle, provides distinction between stm and ltm. Refers to greater recall of items that were presented first in a list of items. Greater time to rehearse items since they are presented early. More likely to be transferred to ltm. More accurate recall of items presented last in a list. Items at the end are still available in stm. Distinctiveness (von restorff effect: refers to more accurate recall of items that are salient, distinctive, and unusual, flashbulb memories. Very vivid memory of an important event that caused an intense emotional reaction. Remembered with great confidence, but not always accurate. Constructive nature of memory: putting together an account of past events based partly on memories and partly on expectations of what must have happened, ex: loftus and palmer study: misinformation effect.