What concept describes the organization of information in long-term memory as nodes and links?

The concept that describes the organization of information in long-term memory as nodes and links is semantic networks. In a semantic network, information is represented as a network of interconnected nodes, where each node represents a concept or piece of knowledge. These nodes are linked to one another through associations or relationships, which helps in retrieving related information more efficiently.

For instance, if one node represents "dog," it may be linked to other nodes like "pet," "animal," "bark," and "fur." This interconnected structure allows individuals to retrieve associated information quickly because activating one concept can trigger the activation of related concepts through the links. The use of nodes and links also reflects how we store and access knowledge in a meaningful way, emphasizing both the relational and hierarchical nature of our memory.

Other concepts, such as memory hierarchies and associative networks, also deal with organization in memory but do not specifically emphasize the node-link structure as distinctly as semantic networks do. Cognitive maps refer more to spatial awareness and navigation rather than the general organization of semantic memory. Thus, the clarity and specificity of the node-link format in semantic networks make it the most accurate answer to the question posed.