Final answer:
Making a grocery list and taking class notes are examples of effortful processing, a type of encoding needing intentional focus. Unlike automatic processing, this method requires significant cognitive effort. Encoding involves organizing and connecting new information with what we already know, and effortful processing is essential for learning complex information.
Step-by-step explanation:
Making a grocery list and taking notes for a class are both examples of effortful processing, which refers to encoding that is initiated intentionally and requires conscious attention. Effortful processing is when we actively focus our attention on the information we are trying to learn, as opposed to automatic processing which occurs without us being consciously aware of it.
Encoding is the process through which we get information into our memory system. It involves labeling or coding sensory information from the environment, organizing it with similar information, and connecting new concepts with existing ones. Encoding can occur through automatic processing and effortful processing.
When encoding information requires active attention and effort, such as learning how to drive or studying for a test, it is considered effortful. For instance, when first learning to drive, you exert effort and attention to encode the process and mechanics of driving. In contrast, once you are an experienced driver, much of this can be done automatically. Similarly, creating a grocery list or taking class notes requires active focus to encode the information onto the list or into your notes.
The act of retrieving this information from memory storage when needed is known as retrieval. Human cognition allows us to engage in complex tasks, and while not all cognitive processes require conscious thought, effortful encoding is a cognitively demanding process that we deliberately engage in when learning new or complex information.
Visual encoding and acoustic encoding are specific types of effortful processing. High-imagery words are more easily encoded and remembered because they can be visualized, as opposed to low-imagery words which are harder to recall. Similarly, elaborative rehearsal is a strategy used in effortful processing, where new information is connected to existing knowledge to help remember it better.