5 the psychobiological process of memory Flashcards
memory
the processing, storage and retrieval of information acquired through learning
the three fundamental processes required for human memory
- encoding: conversion of sensory info into a usable form so that it can be neurologically represented and stored in memory
- storage: retention of the encoded info over time
- retrieval: recovery of stored info for use when needed
Atkinson–Shiffrin multistore model of memory
a representation and explanation of memory as consisting of three separate stores (SM, STM and LTM, differing in function, capacity and duration)
sensory memory (define, function, capacity, duration, explain)
the entry point of memory where new incoming sensory info is stored for a very brief period
function: receives sensory info from the environment & enables perceptual continuity for the world around us
capacity: vast, potentially unlimited
duration: momentary — about 0.2–4 seconds
- if we pay attention to info in SM, then it is transferred to STM
- sensory info that is not attended to is lost from memory completely
iconic memory
visual sensory memory
- we retain visual images in iconic memory for about 1/3 of a second
- images last just long enough to recognise and process the information
echoic memory
auditory sensory memory
- we retain sounds in echoic memory for about 3–4 seconds
- important for understanding speech
- enables us to hold onto the start of a sentence to make sense of the end!
- enables the ‘Cocktail party’ effect (when you hear someone say your name from across the room)
short-term memory
function: receives info from SM and transfers info to and from LTM, maintains info in conscious awareness for immediate use
capacity: 7±2 pieces of info
duration: temporary — 18–20 seconds, possibly up to 30 seconds, longer if renewed
- transfer of info from STM involves a further level of processing (encoding) for storage in LTM
- maintains info in conscious awareness for immediate use
- info stored in STM is lost primarily through decay (not being used) and displacement (being pushed out) by new information
chunking
grouping of separate bits of information into one or more larger units, or ‘chunks’, of information
- numbers, words, abbreviations, acrostics
- increases capacity in STM
STM as working memory
enables us to maintain information in conscious awareness whilst we actively ‘work on’ and manipulate it as we undertake our everyday tasks
- e.g. interpretation of emotions and feelings, language comprehension, daydreaming, creativity problem solving, analysing, reasoning, planning, & decision-making
long-term memory
function: info storage for re-access and use at a later time
capacity: vast, potentially unlimited
duration: potentially permanent, some info may be lost or inaccessible over time, indefinite
- info may be retrieved from LTM and brought back to STM when needed
- inability to retrieve info from the LTM store is ‘forgetting’
explicit memory (declarative memory)
LTM that can be consciously retrieved and stated – ‘memory with awareness’
- involve general knowledge or information about personal experiences
- responses can be recalled and recognised (state)
- declarative memory
- subtypes: episodic and semantic
episodic memory (explicit)
LTM of personally experienced events (what) associated with a particular time (when) and place (where)
- always include self as the initiator or recipient of some action
- autobiographical memory: a person’s memory for events that occur in their life that can consist of info stored in episodic memory
semantic memory (explicit)
LTM of facts and knowledge about the world
- does NOT include time and place
- e.g. facts and knowledge, everyday facts and general knowledge, meaning of words, rules, concepts, & areas of expertise
implicit memory
LTM that does NOT require conscious or intentional retrieval – ‘memory without awareness’
- responses can be observed (behaviour)
- non-declarative
- subtypes: procedural memory and classically conditioned memory
procedural memory
LTM for skills involved in particular tasks
- involve motor and cognitive skills
- based on practice and demonstrated through performance
- require little to no intentional or conscious effort to retrieve
- often difficult to put into words
classically conditioned memory
- involve fear and anxiety
- taste aversion may be acquired involuntarily w/o conscious awareness thru classical conditioning
- simple conditioned reflex responses may involve implicit memory
brain areas involved in long-term implicit and explicit memories
- basal ganglia
- cerebellum
- hippocampus
- amygdala
- neocortex
brain areas involved in episodic and semantic memory (explicit)
- hippocampus
- amygdala
- neocortex
role of the hippocampus in episodic and semantic memory (explicit)
- encodes, consolidates, and transfers to the neocortex
- assists retrieval
interacts with amygdala - spatial memory formation & retrieval
role of the amygdala in episodic and semantic memory (explicit)
- strengthens encoding and consolidation of emotional memories
- signals to the hippocampus that an event is emotionally significant
role of the neocortex in episodic and semantic memory (explicit)
- stores memories
- interacts with the hippocampus in formation, consolidation, storage and retrieval
- mainly frontal and temporal lobes
role of the neocortex in procedural memory (implicit)
stores well-learned motor responses/sequences
role of the cerebellum in procedural memory (implicit)
- encoding, retrieval, temporary storage
- coordination and execution of movements of spatial memory
role of the basal ganglia in procedural memory (implicit)
- formation/encoding and retrieval of motor skills - involuntary, fluid movement connection with the cerebellum
- habituation
role of the amygdala in classically conditioned memory (implicit)
formation and consolidation of CC fear responses
role of the neocortex in classically conditioned memory (implicit)
stores complex CC responses (not conditioned reflexes)
role of the cerebellum in classically conditioned memory (implicit)
stores simple conditioned reflexes
role of the basal ganglia in classically conditioned memory (implicit)
- involved with encoding and storing CC memories
- habituation
autobiographical events
experiences that have occurred some time in your life
- stored in episodic memory
- to retrieve + be consciously aware of an autobiographical event, we have to ‘mentally time travel’ & place ourselves in the context of the event
- Tulving used ‘mental time travel’ to emphasise how episodic memory allows us to ‘relive’ the past & use past experiences to construct an imagined future
past and future
- researchers have found similarities b/w the processes of remembering the past & imagining the future
- e.g. studies of people with Alzheimer’s disease show that a common brain network underlies both memory & imagination + use of mental imagery to create & see a picture of an object/event in the future
Alzheimer’s disease
a neurodegenerative disorder characterised by gradual widespread degeneration of brain neurons, progressively causing memory decline, deterioration of cognitive and social skills & personality changes
- degeneration can occur in the neocortex or hippocampus first, causing either STM or LTM (explicit) problems respectively
- scans have shown that both episodic + semantic memory play key roles in imagining the future
Alzheimer’s disease vs dementia
ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE is a specific brain disease that accounts for about 70% of dementia cases
- Alzheimer’s disease is a type of dementia
DEMENTIA is a general term for symptoms like decline in memory, reasoning or other thinking skills
- Alzheimer’s disease is a cause of dementia
aphantasia
absence of visual imagery
- inability to use visual imagery to picture something in your mind’s eye
- 1-5% of population
- visual imagery is involved when we recognise faces, remember past events, plan future actions & navigate our way b/w locations
- visual imagery involves a network of brain activity from visual cortex to prefrontal cortex (attention & decision-making)
– people w aphantasia have a weaker connection b/w these two areas, therefore disrupting access to visual processing areas
mnemonic
any technique used to assist memory
- use information that is already stored in LTM
- more info is stored, not less
- tends to encode the material richly + make it easier to locate & retrieve because it has enhanced organisation in LTM
acronyms
pronounceable words formed from the first letters of a group of words
- formed using a type of ‘chunking’ or grouping procedure
acrostics
making verbal associations for items to be remembered by constructing sentences (or phrases) using the first letters of the information to be remembered
method of loci
a mnemonic device for which the items to be remembered are converted into mental images and associated with specific locations; also called memory palace or mind palace
Aboriginal peoples’s use of songlines
a navigational route comprising a sequence
of locations used by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples which may also serve as mnemonic; also called dreaming track
similarities between acrostics and songlines
- both act as retrieval cues for other content
- both rely on meaningful strings of words
- both use verbal communication
differences between acrostic and songlines
acrostics
- typically not sung
- do not increase over time
- typically a narrow band of content relating to one topic/subject
songlines
- typically sung but not always
- often increase in content over time
- may contain a broad volume of content from different topics/cultural significance/geography etc.
