CLPS 0020- Lectures - Big Ideas Flashcards
When is the brain most plastic?
During sleep! Yay sleep!
What is consolidation?
a process tha transofrms new and labile memories encoded in the awake state into more stable representations that become integrated into the network of pre-existing long-term memories
What are the two models of consolidation during sleep?
Synaptic homeostasis, and system consolidation
What is the synaptic homeostasis model?
as you learn, synaptic strenght increases, and durign sleep, weakly connected synapses are eliminated and stronger synapses are decreased in weight, enhacing the signal-to-noise ratio
What is the system consolidation model?
memory traces acquired when awake are reactivated during sleep, memories are redistributed
What is the yo heave ho theory of language acquisition?
early man grunted during manual labor, which began to have meaning and induce mapping of certain sounds to physical attributes and survival attributes
What is the main limitation to the gestures theory?
if you’re using your hands for signing, then you can’t eb using them for something else; also visual limitations
What is the use of tools theory of language acquisition?
needed fine motor movements often performed by right hand, so increased fine capabilities if the left hemisphere
What is unusual about the proposition of a natural language organ?
Very rarely is an organ created for somethin; usually adapts from something else
What is most striking about nonhuman primates that suggests they cannot speak like humans?
incorerctly shaped vocal tract for human speech sounds
What is ironic about the laryngeal adaptations that enable human speech?
they increase risk of choking
What is similar about human newborns and nonhuman primate infants?
poor laryngeal control, breathy crie, large tongues, lack variable pharynx
What does the theory of mind allow us to do?
predict actions of others, infer intentiaons of others
What is unity of objects?
if a stick with a bar over it moves unifiedly, we know it’s one long stick partially obscured
What is individuating objects?
one object can’t be in two places at the same time
