5 - main theories of memory lecture Flashcards
what is anterograde amnesia?
the loss of the ability to create new memories after the event that caused amnesia
what is memory?
the mental capacity to store and later recall or recognise events that were previously experienced
what are the 3 stages in the basic memory process?
- encoding
- storage
- retrieval
what are the 3 types of memory encoding?
acoustic, visual and semantic
what are the 2 types of memory storage?
short and long term memory
what are the 2 main types of memory retrieval?
recall and recognition
what is recall?
accessing information without cues
eg. can you name the words from before
what is recognition?
identifying information using cues
eg. were the words below on the list
describe the multi-store model of memory
- information is detected by the sense organs and enters the sensory memory
- if this information is attended to, it enters the short-term memory (around 20 seconds)
- if this information from the STM is rehearsed, then it is transferred to the long-term memory
- long term memory differs in capacity and duration
describe sensory memory in the multi-store model
- aka sensory information store (SIS)
- 0.1-0.5 seconds
- holds accurate, complete representation
- encoding is sense-specific — different sensory memory stores for the different sensory modalities
describe short term memory in the multi-store model
- lasts seconds to minutes
- frontal and parietal lobes involved
- capacity limited to 7 +/- 2 (rule of 7) = 7 pieces of information (+/-2) can be processed at one time
- chunking = bolting bits of info together - rule of 7 still applies
- has a limited capacity
describe long-term memory in the multi-store model of memory
- info transferred here if rehearsed
- duration potentially unlimited
- much greater capacity
- hippocampus essential to consolidation
- sleep important for consolidation
- encoding mainly semantic (by meaning)
what region of the brain is involved in the processing of emotional memories?
amygdala
what is the working memory theory?
- an elaboration of the idea of short-term memory
- different systems for different types of information
what are the 4 components of the working memory theory?
- central executive
- phonological loop
- visuo-spatial sketchpad
- episodic buffer
what is the central executive in working memory?
- allocates limited attention resources to the other components of working memory
- performs cognitive tasks such as problem solving
what is the phonological loop component of working memory?
- stores auditory information by silently rehearing sounds / words in a continuous loop : the articulatory process
eg. repeating a phone number over and over again
what is the visuo-spatial sketchpad component of working memory?
- stores visual and spatial information
- engaged when performing spatial tasks (such as judging distances) or visual ones (eg. counting windows on a house)
what is the episodic buffer component of working memory?
- dedicated to linking information across domains to form integrated units of visual, spatial, amd verbal information and chronological ordering (eg. the memory of a story/event. also has links to LTM and semantic meaning)
what is the levels of processing model?
- the depth of processing leads to stronger memories
- not a linear process
- the more information is elaborated or rehearsed, the stronger the memory is
- rehearsal of info by just repeating doesnt lead to info being transferred to LTM
- remember material much better if it is processed to a deeper level
- stronger memories have meaning and must be understood
what are the 2 types of processing in the levels of processing model?
superficial and deep
what is superficial processing?
2 components:
- structural processing (appearing) — we encode only the physical qualities of something eg. how the letters look or the typeface of a word
- phonemic processing (sound) — we encode the acoustic qualities of something
what is deep processing?
semantic processing — we encode the meaning of a word and relate it to similar words with similar meaning
semantic — longer deeper memory
deep processing involves elaboration rehearsal which involves a more meaningful analysis (eg. images, thinking, associations etc) of information and leads to better recall. for example, giving words a meaning or linking them with previous knowledge
what are the 2 types of long term memory?
explicit and implicit
what is explicit long term memory?
- declarative — consciously recalled
- episodic (a holiday/first kiss) or semantic (facts/general knowledge)
- affected by neurodegenerative diseases
what is implicit long term memory?
- non-declarative — knowledge without awareness (unconscious memory)
- procedural (skills, actions eg. driving) or priming (bread - butter : associated words)
what does the speed of forgetting depend on?
a number of factors:
- its representation
- difficulty learning the material eg. how meaningful it is
- other physiological factors eg. stress + sleep
what is the trace decay of forgetting theory?
- forgetting in STM
- memories leave a trace in the brain
- fading of trace after 15-30 seconds
- very little support for this theory — not possible to test
what is the displacement from STM theory?
- STM can only hold small amounts of information
- when STM is ‘full’ new information displaces old information and takes its place
- hard to test this theory
what is the interference theory of forgetting?
- theory of forgetting - LTM
- memory can be dispruted/interfered with what we have previously learned
- information in LTM may become confused with other information during encoding
what is source confusion in false memories?
the memory of information as being obtained from one source when it was in fact obtained from another
structures in what part of the brain are required for the retrieval of autobiographical memories?
medial temporal lobe — esp hippocampus
henry molaison — what are the effects of having no hippocampus but striatum left intact?
- no hippocampus — can’t make new memories, recall facts and events that happened during his life
- striatum left intact — ability to learn new motor skills remained
factual knowledge becomes independent of what with time?
the hippocampus
what does memory retrieval involve?
the reactivation of cellular ensembles in the medial temporal lobe and neocortex which constitutes a memory trace
what relies on the temporal lobe and what doesn’t?
- older childhood memories don’t
- recent LTM do
temporal lobe important for conservation of memories
