1. Memory Flashcards
Atkinson-Shiffrin model
Three systems of memory:
- sensory memory
- short-term memory
- long-term memory
Short-Term memory
Memory store with limited capacity and duration (less than 1 minute).
STM is limited to about 7 pieces of information without losing (forgetting) any.
The amount of information remembered by STM can be increased by the use of chunking.
Sensory memory
A memory store that accurately holds perceptual information for a very brief amount of time.
Phonological Loop
- Is a storage component of working memory that relies on rehearsal and that stores information as sounds or an auditory code.
- Uses speech and hearing specific brain regions.
- The Word-length effect states that you can remember more one-syllable words than four or five-syllable words.
- The Brown-Peterson Test found that working memory can store as many syllables as can be rehearsed in about 2 seconds.
Working memory
An active short-term memory model consisting of:
- Phonological Loop
- Episodic Buffer
- Visuospatial Sketchpad
The Visuospatial Sketchpad
A storage component of working memory that maintains visual images and spatial layouts in a visuospatial code.
- Based on shapes, colours, and textures.
- Feature binding chunks these features into one image.
- you can keep track of about 3 or 4 images at any given time.
Episodic Buffer
Combines the images and sounds from the Phonological Loop and Visuospatial Sketchpad into coherent, story-like episodes.
- Holds 7 to 10 pieces of random information or 14 to 20 pieces of related prose information by connecting it to information found in Long-term memory.
Long-Term Memory
Potentially infinite storage.
Encoding
The process of transforming sensory and perceptual information into memory traces.
Retrieval
The process of accessing memorized information and returning it to short-term memory.
Declarative memory
The part of Long-Term memory which we are consciously aware of and that can be verbalised, including facts about the world and one’s own experiences.
Declarative memory distributed across the cortex.
Subgroups of Declarative memory:
- Semantic
- Episodic
Semantic memory
Declarative memories that include facts about the world.
Episodic Memory
Declarative memories for personal experiences that seem to be organised around “episodes”and are recalled from a first- person perspective.
Nondeclarative Memory
Include actions or behaviours that you can remember and perform without awareness.
Subgroups of Nondeclarative memory:
- Procedural
- Conditioning
Procedural Memory
Nondeclarative memories storage for patterns of muscle movements (motor memory).
Conditioning Memory
Nondeclarative memory for classical conditioning information.
Long-Term Potentiation
Demonstrated that there is an enduring increase in connectivity and transmission of neural signals between nerve cells that fire together.
Classical conditioning is possible because of long-term potential.
Hippocampus
Residing in the temporal lobe, it is critical for memory processes such as consolidation of information into long-term memory.
Consolidation
The process of converting short-term memories into long-term memories.
Amnesia
A profound loss of at least one form of memory.
Anterograde Amnesia
An inability to form new memories for events occurring after a brain injury.
Retrograde Amnesia
An inability to access memories for events occurring before a brain injury.
Rehearsal
Repeating
Not most efficient or productive way to memorise
Maintenance Rehearsal
Prolonging exposure to information by repeating it.
Elaborative Rehearsal
Prolonging exposure to information by thinking about its meaning.
Levels of Processing
Shallow: sound or spelling of a word. (Answer rhymes with ___).
Deep: meaning or function of a word.
(A synonym of the answer is ___).
Retrieval through Recognition
Identifying a stimulus when it is presented to you.
Retrieval through Recall
Recall involves retrieving information when asked, but without that information being present during the retrieval process.
Retrieval cues substantially help recall.
State Based Retrieval
Retrieval is most effective when it occurs during the same state (condition) as encoding did.
- Context-dependant (external conditions match)
- State-dependant (internal conditions match)
- Mood-dependant (mood matches. Intensity of mood is irrelevant)
Emotional Memories
Retrieval of memories from long-term memory is greatly improved when those memories were consolidated at the same time as strong emotions occurred (if the amygdala was active during consolidation).
Amygdala
Structure of brain involved in emotional processing and responding.
Flashbulb Memory
Extremely vivid and detailed memories. These memories were consolidated at the same time as extreme emotion felt (high amygdala activity).
Forgetting Curve
We forget the most in a short time after learning. As time goes on the amount we forget becomes less.
Mnemonics
Techniques to improve memory.
- Acronyms
- Dual coding
- Method of loci
- Practice tests
Schemas
An organized cluster of memories that constitutes knowledge about events, objects, and ideas.
When we encounter similar events, the schema helps us know what to expect, pay attention to, and remember.
Schemas are involved in all three stages of memory.
Affect our memories in two ways:
- Organisation
- Distinctiveness
Memory Reconstruction
- We often fill in details.
- Every time we revisit a memory, it may get reconstructed.
False Memory
Remembering events that did not occur.
DRM procedure:
Given a list of highly associated words with one key word left out, people how study the list will likely “remember” the missing word being on the list even though it was not.
Misinformation effect:
Information received after an event may become part of the memory.
People can be led to falsely “remember” things simply by asking leading questions.
