6 – Memory 1 Flashcards
What model of memory dominated from the 1950s to the 1980s?
The computer metaphor: the mind is a symbol processing system, like a computer: uses symbols to represent things in the world. It is involved in information processing: acquisition, storage & manipulation of symbols to meet task demands.
What model of memory dominates from the 1980s to today?
Connectionist framework
• Neural metaphor: the mind is a network of inter- connected processing units (neurons)
• Processing consists of transmission of activation and inhibition within these networks
How does the satisfactoriness of good and bad explanations, with and without neuroscience underpinning, vary across samples?
Novices: rated the bad explanation as negative without neuroscience but positive with neuroscience.
Early cog science students: same, but also rated good explanations as better with neuroscience.
Cog science graduates: only rated the good explanation without neuroscience as positive.
What are the three levels at which we can analyse cognitive performance, according to Marr (1982)?
Computational
• What needs to be computed for the task to be carried out?
Representation & algorithm
• The form in which information is represented and the steps or procedures that occur to transform inputs into outputs
Hardware
• Physical means by which the representation and algorithm are realised (brain or computer?)
What is experimental cognitive psychology and what are its shortcomings?
Experimental cognitive psychology
- develops theories of cognitive processes underlying a task.
- uses behavioural evidence to test theories
e. g. face inversion effect
BUT theories often abstract, and tests rely on inferences
What is cognitive neuropsychology and what are its shortcomings?
Cognitive neuropsychology
- uses patterns of impairment after brain injury to infer the functional organisation of the brain
- dissociations between different tasks implies that they rely on different neural systems (especially if double dissociations)
BUT
- it has to rely on “single cases”
- and assumes “isomorphism” between physical/functional brain organisation
e.g. HM
What is computational modelling and what are its shortcomings?
Computational modelling
- creates a computer program based on model of task performance
- requires precise specification of all details of the model
BUT
- often have to specify details that are not part of theory
- the fact that the task can be done that way does not mean it’s how PEOPLE do it
What is cognitive neuroscience and what are its shortcomings?
Cognitive neuroscience
- takes “snapshots” of brain activity while people are performing cognitive tasks (e.g., PET, fMRI)
- seems to provide direct measure of brain regions underlying performance
BUT
- different measures reflect different aspects of brain function
- vary in how precise they are in temporal resolution – cog. processes happen v. quickly; these techniques can’t capture them
- and techniques require effective application of cognitive psychological methods
What does the face inversion effect suggest?
Recognition of faces relies on configural information about the shape of the face and position of the features within it, rather than on a detailed analysis of features. Processing is specific to upright faces.
Why are we so bad at recognising anomalies in inverted faces?
Very bad at recognising anomalies in inverted faces because we rely so heavily on configural processing, rather than processing of features.
How do prosopagnosics do on inverted face tests?
Same as normals. They have trouble with configural processing, so its absence when face is inverted normalises their results.
Cognitive psychology tests _______ using experimental techniques in order to develop and evaluate theories of ________ processes.
Cog psych tests behaviour using experimental techniques in order to develop and evaluate theories of cognitive processes.
Neuroscience uses ______ models in order to generate predictions about ______ activity, which allow us to interpret why we observe activity in certain _______ during certain _______.
Neuroscience uses cognitive models in order to generate predictions about brain activity, which allow us to interpret why we observe activity in certain regions during certain tasks.
Cognitive neuropsychology takes individuals with known brain _________ and uses that to draw inferences about the ________ system.
Cognitive neuropsychology takes individuals with known brain dysfunction and uses that to draw inferences about the neural system.
Computational modelling takes ________ models and implements them as _______ _________ to see if they can effectively predict ________.
Computational modelling takes cognitive models and implements them as computer programs to see if they can effectively predict behaviour.
