7.1 Memory Systems Flashcards
Memory
a collection of several systems that store info in different forms for differing amounts of time
Stores
retain information in memory without using it for any specific purpose [like a computer hard drive]
Short term memory (STM)
memory store with limited capacity and duration [30 seconds]
Long term memory (LTM)
holds info for extended periods of time, if not, permanently [no capacity limit]
control processes
shift information from one memory store to another
attention
selects which info will be passed from sensory memory to STM
encoding
narrowing down our STM through the process of stocking info in the LTM systems
retrieveal
brings info in from LTM back into STM- becoming aware of existing memories [what you ate last week]
sensory memory
a memory store that accurately holds perceptual info for a very brief amount of time
Sensory memory: iconic memory
the visual form of sensory memory (held 1/2 - 1 second)
Sensory memory: echoic memory
the auditory form of sensory memory (5-10 seconds) [longer]
chunking
organizing smaller units of info into longer, more meaningful units [CBCHBOCTVCNN] - (CBC HBO CTV CNN)
Tip-of–the-tounge (TOT)
phenomenon when you are able to retrieve smaller sounding words, or words that start with the same letter… but can’t quite retrieve the word you actually want
serial position effect
in general, most people will recall the first few items from a list and the last few items, but only 1 or 2 from the middle [super bowl ads]
proactive interference
process in which the first information learned (list of words) occupies memory, leaving fewer resources left to remember to newer information
Retroactive inerference
opposite of proactive: the most recently learned information overshadow some older memories that have not yet made it into long-term memory
rehearsal
repeating info until you do not need to remember it anymore
working memory
a model of short-term remembering that includes a combination of memory components that can temporarily store small amounts of info for a short period of time
word-length-effect
people remember more one-syllabus words (sum, pay, bar) than four or five syllabus words (helicopter, university, alligator)
the phonological loop
a storage component of working memory that relies on rehearsal and that stores info, or sounds, or as an auditory sound
visuospatial sketch pad
a storage component of working memory that maintains visual images and spatial layouts in a visuospatial code [where you intend to go]
feature binding
the process of combining visual features into a single unit
episodic buffer
a storage component of working memory that combines the images and sounds from the other two components into coherent, story-line episodes (ex: I was driving home when Taylor swift came on) [holds 7-10 pieces of info]
central experience
the control centre of working memory: it coordinates attention and the exchange of info among the three storage components
declarative (explicit) memories
memories that we are consciously aware of and that can be verbalized, including facts about the world and our own personal experiences (things we declare)
non-declarative (implicit) memories
include actions or behaviours that you can remember and perform without awareness (thinking of it) [cannot declare]
what are the two types of declarative memories?
1) episodic
2) senotic
episodic memories
for personal experience that seem to be organized around “episodes” (first person p.o.v) [first day @univeristy]
senotic memories
incudes facts about the world [what is university]
long term potentiation (LTP)
demonstrated that there is an enduring increase in connectivity and transmission of neural signals between nerve cells that fire together
consolidation
the process of converting short-term memories into long-term memories in the brain
amnesia
a profound loss of at least one form of memory
anterograde amnesia
the inability to form new memories for events occurring after a brain injury
memory [storage]
refers to the time and manner in which info is retained between encoding and retrieval [active process]
reconsolidation
the hippocampus functions to update, strengthen, or modify existing long-term memories [being reminded of info you learned as a kid]
cross-cortied storage
a phenomenon where long-term declarative memories are distributed throughout the cortex of the brain, rather than being localized in one brain
retrograde amnesia
a condition in which memory for the events proceeding prior trauma or injury is lost
