Chapter 7-1

Question 1

Conscious and unconscious memories

Answer 1

H.M. received brain surgery to control epilepsy
Korsakoff’s syndrome patients are also profoundly amnesic
H.M. and Korsakoff’s patients have “unconscious” memories
“Which of these do you prefer” vs “Which of these do you remember?”
Must be different types of memory

Question 2

Conscious and unconscious memories

Answer 2

In mirror-drawing task, participants must draw precisely drawn shape
Performance is usually poor at first

Question 3

Learning as preparation for retrieval

Answer 3

slide 8

Question 4

Learning as preparation for retrieval

Answer 4

Different ways to retrieve information from memory
Learning connects new material with existing memory – discussed in Ch 6
These retrieval paths help us learn new material

Question 5

Godden and Baddeley

Answer 5

context-dependent learning is dependent on the state one is in during acquisition.

Question 6

Context-dependent learning

Answer 6

slide 11, 12, 13

Question 7

Context-dependent learning

Answer 7

Smith (1979)
Conditions:
Same room
Different room
imagine

Results:
Similar performance for the same room and imagine
Context reinstatement!

Question 8

Context-dependent learning

Answer 8

Context reinstatement, or re-creating the context present during learning, improves memory performance

Question 9

Encoding Specificity

Answer 9

refers to remembering something within a specific context
We learn the material and also a record of the connections established during learning
This affects the meaning
Barclay et al. (1974)
“The man ______ the piano”
Different cues will trigger “piano” – “something heavy” vs “something with a nice sound”

Question 10

Remembering

Answer 10

Re-creates an earlier experience

Question 11

Emotions and Encoding

Answer 11

Mood congruence
Mood-dependent memory principle

Question 12

Mood congruence

Answer 12

A person tends to remember information that is consistent with their particular mood

Question 13

Mood-dependent memory principle

Answer 13

Memory is better if retrieval mood matches encoding mood
Relates back to encoding specificity principle

Question 14

Memory Network

Answer 14

Spreading activation travels from one node to another in a network, via the associative links
Similar to neurons
Input sums to reach a threshold, causing firing.

Question 15

Spreading Activation

Answer 15

Spreading activation travels from one activated node to another in a network via the associative links
A node’s activation level increases with increasing input from neighboring nodes
The node fires if the response threshold is reached
Activates neighboring nodes
Draws attention to firing node

Question 16

Spreading activation

Answer 16

Activation levels below the response threshold (subthreshold activation) can play an important role
Can “add” subthreshold inputs (summation) and bring node to threshold
Recently partially fired node can fire with weak input
Neurons, a network of detectors in object recognition, feature nets, etc

Spreading activation - As each node becomes activated and fires, it activates further nodes

Question 17

Retrieval cues

Answer 17

Network suggests an explanation for why hints help us remember

Question 18

Recall

Answer 18

Individual generates the memory after being given a broad cue
Example: “What was the name of the restaurant that we went to?”
Requires memory search
Depends heavily on memory connections

Question 19

Another way to test memory
Recognition

Answer 19

Decide if an item is the right one
“Is this the name of the restaurant?”

Question 20

Source memory

Answer 20

refers to recalling source of learned info
“Yes, I saw this word at x place”
In other cases, recognition responses are based on feelings of familiarity
“This feels familiar, so I must have seen it recently.”

Question 21

Familiarity and source memory

Answer 21

are independent
“I know I’ve heard this song because it feels familiar and I remember where I heard it” <-familiarity AND SM
“The person seems familiar, but I don’t know from where…” <-just familiarity
Inverse example: Capgras syndrome, in which loved ones are recognized without a sense of familiarity

Question 22

So are these two kinds of memory different?

Answer 22

Source memory and familiarity are distinguishable neuroanatomically

Question 23

So are these two kinds of memory different?

Answer 23

Participants were asked to judge whether a particular item was encountered (“remember”) or if they had a broad feeling of familiarity (“know”).

Question 24

Activation during familiarity/source memory tasks

Question 25

Activation during familiarity/source memory tasks

Answer 25

The hippocampal cortex predicts “remember” responses (source memory)
Slide 32