Chapter 8: Memory Part 2 Flashcards
forgetting
the inability to recall information that was previously encoded into memory
decay theory
theory of forgetting suggesting that memories fade over time due to neglect or failure to access over long period of time
what disproves aspects of decay theory?
relearning shows faster speeds
describe the forgetting curve
rapid memory loss followed by stable retention of remaining info
interference theory
theory that forgetting is influenced by what happens to people before or after they take information in
proactive interference
competing information that is learned before the forgotten material, preventing its subsequent recall: OLD INFO INTERFERES WITH NEW
retroactive interference
learning of new information that disrupts access to previously recalled information: NEW INFO INTERFERES WITH OLD
interference occurs only when…
old and new information conflict with one another
motivated forgetting could be the cause of avoiding….
retrieval cues, rehearsing, elaborating, organizing, and ultimately storing the information in memory
repression
the most basic defence mechanism; the process of keeping unpleasant memories or thoughts buried deep within the unconscious mind
what are three common reasons why we distort or manufacture memories?
source misattributions, exposures to misinformation, effect of imagination
source misattributions
remembering information, but not the source it came from; can lead to remembering information from unreliable sources as true
exposures to misinformation
new information that is not accurate or misleading , can distort our recall or leads us to manufacture new memories
effect of imagination
our own imagination can lead us to recall events that never took place
generally, what is most involved in memory?
networks of neurons-however, certain brain areas are particularly important in the formation and retrieval of memories
prefrontal cortex
important brain structure located just behind the forehead and implicated in working memory
hippocampus
essential for storing info temporarily before sending to various areas of neocortex for long term storage, activated when people recall info about facts and events
long term potentiation (LTP)
phenomenon where repeated stimulation of certain nerve cells in the brain greatly increases the likelihood that the cells will respond strongly to future stimulation
long term potentiation helps memories form and makes for easier ______
retrieval
neural circuits that use ________ are more likely to display LTP
glutamate
how is acetylcholine involved in memory?
plays a role in separating the encoding of new and retrieval of old memories, controls sleep/wake cycle which consolidates declarative memory
infantile amnesia
inability to remember events from the early years of life
prospective memory
ability to remember content in the future (ex. remembering to perform a future action)-declines with age
retrospective memory
ability to remember content from the past
organic memory disorder
physical causes of memory impairment can be identified
amnestic disorder
organic disorders in which memory loss is the primary system
retrograde amnesia
inability to remember things that occurred before an organic event
anterograde amnesia
ongoing inability to form new memories after an amnesia-inducing event
what is a probable cause of anterograde amnesia?
damage to temporal lobes or mammillary bodies; the areas that play a role in transferring info from working to long-term memory
dementia
severe memory problems combined with losses in at least one other cognitive function, such as abstract thinking or language
dementia is most common in:
the elder population
Alzheimer’s disease
most common form of dementia, usually beginning with mild memory problems, lapses of attention, and problems in language, and progressing to difficulty with even simple tasks and recall of long-held memories
what is a possible cause of Alzheimer’s disease?
larger formation of neurofibrillary tangles, senile plaques and low levels of neurotransmitters such as acetylcholine and glutamate which also leads to cell death of neurons by plaque and tangle formation
neurofibrillary tangles
twisted protein fibres found within the cells of the hippocampus and certain other brain areas
senile plaques
sphere-shaped deposits of a protein known as beta-amyloid that form in the spaces between cells in the hippocampus, cerebral cortex, and certain other brain areas, as well as in some nearby blood vessels
what causes increase in risk of dementia?
stroke in men and depression in women
