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MCAT > Brain and Memory (Psych/Soc) > Flashcards

Brain and Memory (Psych/Soc) Flashcards

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MCAT flashcards
1
Q

3 subunits of the brain

A

Hindbrain, Midbrain, Forebrain

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2
Q

Structures of the Forebrain

A 
Cerebral Cortex
Basal Ganglia
Limbic System
Thalamus
Hypothalamus
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3
Q

Structures of the Midbrain

A

inferior and superiorcolliculi

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4
Q

Structures of the Hindbrain

A

Cerebellum, Medulla Oblongata, Reticular Formation

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5
Q

Basic Functions of the Cerebral Cortex

A

Complex Perceptual, cognative and behavioral processes

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6
Q

Basic Functions of the basal ganglia

A

Movement

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7
Q

Basic Functions of the Limbic System

A

Emotion and memory

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8
Q

Basic Functions of the Thalamus

A

Sensory relay station

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9
Q

Basic Functions of the Hypothalamus

A

Hunger and thirst, emotion

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10
Q

Basic Functions of the Inferior and Superior Colliculi

A

Sensorimotor reflexes

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11
Q

Basic Functions of the Cerebellum

A

Refined motor movements

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12
Q

Basic Functions of the Medulla Oblongata

A

Vital functions (breathing, digestion)

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13
Q

Basic Functions of the Reticular Formation

A

Arousal and Alertness

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14
Q

Where are long term memories stored?

A

Hippocampus

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15
Q

Why do extremely long term memories survive hippocampus damage

A

They are eventually moved back to the cerebral cortex.

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16
Q

What type of memory stores conditioned responses

A

Implicit (Non-declarative/Procedural) Memory

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17
Q

What are the 2 types of Explicit memory and what do they store?

A

Episodic - Events, experiences

Semantic - Facts, concepts

18
Q

What are the Primacy Effects and Recency Effects? Which effect lasts longer?

A

It is easier to remember the first few and last few items in a list. The primacy effect outlasts the recency effect

19
Q

Negative Reinforcement

A

Taking away something unpleasant to reward a behavior

20
Q

Positive Punishment

A

Introducing something unpleasant in order to discourage a behavior

21
Q

Positive Reinforcement

A

introducing something pleasant in order to reward a behavior

22
Q

Negative punishment

A

Taking away something pleasant in order to discourage a behavior

23
Q

What is escape learning

A

Behavior learned in order to reduce or eliminate something perceived as unpleasant

24
Q

What is avoidance learning?

A

behavior learned in order to avoid something unpleasant that has yet to happen.

25
Q

What is an example of a conditioned reinforcer

A

clickers used to train animals

26
Q

What is a fixed ratio (FR) reinforcement schedule? Why is it called a Ratio?

A

Reinforcement introduced after a fixed number of performances. It is a ratio of Performances:Reward

27
Q

What is a Variable interval (VI) Reinforcement Schedule?

A

Reinforcement is introduced when the subject has performed the behavior once after a varying amount of time has passed since the last reinforcement was given

28
Q

What is a Variable Ratio (VR) reinforcement schedule? Why is it called a Ratio?

A

Reinforcement introduced after a varying number of performances with a relatively constant average. It is a ratio of Performances:Reward

29
Q

What is a Fixed Interval (FI) Reinforcement Schedule?

A

Reinforcement is introduced when the subject has performed the behavior once after a fixed amount of time.

30
Q

Which method of reinforcement is the fastest? The slowest?

A

Fastest: Variable Ratio
Slowest: Fixed Interval

31
Q

What is Shaping?

A

the process of awarding increasingly specific behavior

32
Q

What is Latent Learning?

A

Learning w/o a reward that is spontaneously demonstrated when an award is introduced

33
Q

Define Preparedness in the context of learning

A

the ability for an animal to learn more easily behaviors which coincide with their natural instincts

34
Q

What is Instinctive Drift?

A

The opposite of Preparedness. (Difficult to teach behavior that is counter-intuitive for the subject)

35
Q

What are Mirror Neurons? Where are they located?

A

They allow us to mimic movements and “feel” others’ emotions.

They are located in the frontal and parietal lobes

36
Q

What is modeling

A

learning what is or isn’t acceptable by observing others

37
Q

What are the methods of encoding from strongest to weakest?

A

Semantic (contextual)
Acoustic
Visual

38
Q

What is the Self-Reference effect?

A

The phenomenon that causes it to be easier to remember things when they are put in a context that is meaningful to the learner

39
Q

What type of memory works like RAM in a computer?

A

Working memory

40
Q

What is the method of loci

A

Associating items in a list to places in a specific route through a building that has already been memorized

41
Q

What is chunking/Clustering

A

Grouping larger lists into smaller, more meaningful chunks

42
Q

STOPPED AT PG 6 IN NOTABILITY AT SENSORY MEMORY

A

STOPPED AT PG 6 IN NOTABILITY AT SENSORY MEMORY

MCAT (3 decks)

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