Chapter 8: Everyday Memory and Error Flashcards
When does learning begin, what is an example of this?
shortly after birth
little albert and the implicit conditioning of fears
what is infantile amnesia?
the forgetting of all explicit memories from early years
when does recognition memory begin?
approx 3 to 4 years old
when does autobiographical memory begin?
5 to 6 years old
Alberini (2017)
explains infantile amnesia
infants have an underdeveloped hippocampus therefore they…
-have limited ability for system consolidation
-can form implicit memories because those have less hippocampal involvement
what are some ways that other senses are integrated with our lifespan autobiographical memory?
proust effect- taste/smell can incite memory
music enhanced memory-sound incited memory
expansion on music enhanced memory
(sound incites memory)
-listening to music from youth resulted in increased recall of memories from youth
-memories were more vivid as well
as we age we retrieve more memories from…..
recent events & younger years
specifically from the last 5 years and from ages 10 to 30
explain the reminiscence bump
the phenomenon where we are able to recall more memories from the ages of 10 to 30
3 theories to explain why this is:
1. self image hypothesis
2. cognitive hypothesis
3. cultural life script hypothesis
what is the self image hypothesis?
the hypothesis that events that impact our identity during mid lie is why we remember more from then
Rathbone (2008)
-the average age of identity defining events is 25.1 years old
(relationship events, educational events, career events)
what is the cognitive hypothesis?
the hypothesis that we remember more from choices that lead to life stability
Schrauf (1998)
-those who immigrate to a new country gain a bump right before that period
-move to a new country at age 35, then you get a bump for the early 30s
what is the cultural life script hypothesis?
the hypothesis that expectations for when important life events determine why we remember more from the 10-30 yo range
berntsen (2004)
when asked what age important life events occur participants said…
-first love (15)
-graduate college (22)
-marriage (26)
-start a family (30)
koppel (2014)
when asked to predict what the most important life moments were participants said…
4/5 of the most cited events occur during the reminiscence bump
what do all 3 theories of the reminiscence bump have in common?
strong emotions/stress
LaBar (1998)
participants were read a word list while measuring sweat
-neutral words (non-emotion) street, store, book lead to 25% recall
-explicit/sexual words lead to 55% recall
the limbic system
a connection of neural networks involved in emotional cognition
hippocampus (memory)
amygdala (emotional experience)
what is the HPA axis?
a neural network that coordinates hormones for the limbic system
epinephrine (act)
cortisol (alarm)
Cahill (2003)
participants shown photos
-neutral: person standing
-emotional: person injured
after, consolidation of stress (pressor task)
-warm water: comfortable
-ice water: stressful/painful
cortisol was measured before and after water to confirm stress
participants were then given a memory recall task one week later
-those in the ice water condition had 50% better free recall but only for the emotional photos
other 3 conditions were not impacted
what are flashbulb memories
rich (detailed) episodic memories surrounding shocking or highly emotional events
ex.) where were you when 9/11 happened
they feel exceptionally accurate, but they are not
Neisser (1992)
gave participants a questionnaire das after the challenger disaster
recent: “in class, some people walked in and gave the news”
followed up again 2 years later: the account of the event changed
distant: “in the dorm with roommate, came up on the TV”
what is the source monitoring error?
we misattribute where the information first came from (very common)
-where did I see that movie?
-must have been at nates, I always watch movies at nates
why do important/emotional memories tend to change the most?
memories are more vulnerable when they are recalled often
what is the narrative rehearsal hypothesis?
we recall thee memories so often that they are vulnerable to fragile STM reconsolidation
Talerico (2007)
flashbulb memories fade and become inconsistent just like any others BUT we believe they become better with time
explain the constructive nature of memory
memory=event+knowledge+assumptions+other memories
