Biological Correlates of Psychology Flashcards
bottom up processing
–construct perceptions from individual pieces of information provided by sensory processing
top down processing
–use prior knowledge to make perceptions more efficient
Gestalt principles
–describe the top-down processing that organizes sensory information into distinct forms (objects)
Suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)
- -located in the hypothalamus
- -regulates the timing of many of the body’s circadian rhythms
- -maintains the drive for wakefulness by inhibiting release of melatonin by the pineal gland
- -later in the day, SCN firing decreases, which increases the release of melatonin
Stage 1 of sleep
–includes alpha waves
alpha waves
–are associated with a state of wakefulness, but one that is more relaxed than the fully alert state
Stage 2 of sleep
–full transition to sleep
Stage 3 of sleep
–delta waves are first seen, reflecting the transition to deep sleep
delta waves
–much longer than alpha waves and reflect deep sleep
Stage 4 of sleep
–deepest sleep. Dominated by delta waves.
REM sleep
- -rapid eye movement sleep
- -a sleep stage of high brain activity
- -makes up a significant portion of sleep in later sleep cycles
- -this is when the brain relives stimuli experienced in the day, consolidates information into memory, discards less important information
- -accompanied by dreaming
non-REM sleep
- -occupies the largest portion of sleep
- -brain activity is much lower than in REM sleep
- -lack of dreaming
stimulants
- -raise the level of activity in the central nervous system
- -often the result of increasing the amount of epinephrine and dopamine in the synapse
- -ex: Meth, Ritalin
depressants
- -cause a decrease of activity in the central nervous system
- -ex: Xanax, heroin
hallucinogens
- -characterized by an alteration of sensory and perceptual experience
- -ex: LSD, Ketamine
Memory
the representation and maintenance of information by the nervous system
Declarative memory
Involves information that is consciously known, such as the memory of specific lifetime events and the knowledge of facts
Non-declarative/procedural memory
The ability to remember how to perform a task. Ex; ride a bike
sensory memory
- -The first phase of memory formation
- -The temporary stage for incoming sensory stimuli
- -After sensory memory, information moves into short-term memory of is lost
- -Information that receives attention gains access to short-term memory and therefore consciousness, while information that is not the focus of attention is lost.
short-term memory
- -holds items in conscious awareness
- -Information held in short-term memory can be manipulated. ex: answering a test question.
- -encoded by physical transduction
- -unlimited storage for sensory memory
working memory
- -a type of short-term memory
- -The combination of memory storage and active use is working memory
- -Most people can only hold 5 to 9 pieces of information in working memory at a time
- -Encoded by rehearsal
How do we keep items active in working memory?
- Rehearsal
2. “Chunking”
long-term memory
- -This information is maintained outside of conscious awareness and can be called back into working memory when needed.
- -There is no limit to the amount of information that can be stored in long-term memory
- -Encoded through giving information meaning
long-term potentiation
- -the molecular process underlying the formation of long-term memories through the strengthening of synapses
- -describes the increase in likelihood that presynaptic input will trigger an action potential in the postsynaptic neuron
Retrieval
–the process of pulling memories from long-term memory back into working memory
Semantic networks
–system relating concepts together that allows us to organize memory in long-term storage
spreading activation
–When one memory gets triggered, related memories are brought to mind through spreading activation
recall
–the retrieval of memory “from scratch”
recognition
–the correct identification of information that is presented
retrieval cues
- -environmental stimuli or pieces of information that are associated with the memory being sought
- -aid in both recall and recognition
priming
- -a type of retrieval cue
- -occurs outside of conscious awareness and causes activation of semantic networks
- -Used extensively in marketing, where certain words or images are used to make consumers more likely to purchase certain products (without them really realizing they are being cued)
role of emotion in memory retrieval
- -emotion serves as a retrieval cue
- -memory retrieval is strongest when the emotional state during retrieval is similar to that of memory formation
Processes that aid in retrieval of memories
- Clustering/chunking
2. Mnemonics
relearning
–the fact that relearning material takes less time and effort than the first time implies that seemingly “lost” memories are stored somewhere
decay
- -the process of memory fading
- -occurs when information in working memory is not encoded into long-term memory
- -typically effects working memory and sensory memory, whereas the forgetting of information in long-term memory is often due to problems with retrieval
primacy effect
–recall of items at the beginning of a list is stronger than in the middle
recency effect
–recall of items at the end of a list is stronger than in the middle
retroactive interference
- -affects successful memory retrieval
- -when newly learned material prevents successful retrieval of related older memories
proactive interference
–when previously held knowledge prevents successful retrieval of more newly learned information
source monitoring
- -when a person attributes a memory to a particular source
- -This can affect memory construction. Ex: I believe a specific person told a story, and then I draw conclusions about that story based on the characteristics of the source.
two major brain areas involved in memory
- hippocampus
2. prefrontal cortex
