Cognition Flashcards
cognition
the study of mental processes such as reasoning, information processing, memory, and language
memory
what you use to record, save, and recover info
which brain scan is good for looking at memory?
fMRI
recognition vs. recall
harder to draw a penny from memory (recall) than choosing from diff pics it could be (recognition)-multiple choice easier than short answer
Where are memories stored?
we don’t know for sure-complicated memories are stored in diff places-memory broken up into pieces and stored in diff areas based on what sense they are-occipital lobe, somatosensory cortex, etc.
Where are memories processed?
hippocampus (process everyday memories), amygdala (emotional memories), cerebellum
(balance and coordination-muscle memory processed here-learn dance, how to play a sport), neural networks (in reticular formation-a whole series of neurons connected-when you practice something, the more you study/commit something to memory/repeat the activity, the more the neurons connect, know it better)
What are the important neurotransmitters in processing memories?
serotonin, acetylcholine (AcH-low levels in ppl w Alzheimer’s)
Models of Memory
theories to explain memory-1. Information Processing Model, 2. Atkinson-Shiffrin Model, 3. Levels of Processing/Dept of Processing Model
models of memory-information processing model
proposed in 1960s-based on the idea of the computer….memory= like a comp…3 steps
Step 1: encode, put memories in–>Step 2: put in file cabinet in head/storage–>Step 3: retrieval/use info on test, remember it
models of memory-atkinson-shiffrin model
proposed after the info processing model, in 1960s, then modified in 90s-3 parts to memory: sensory memory, working/short term memory, long term memory
atkinson-shiffrin model of memory: sensory memory
- everything that happens, all senses process-sight and hearing get the most info
- some pieces of info pass on, most discarded after a few seconds cuz not important
- iconic memory: vision
- echoic memory: hearing
atkinson-shiffrin model of memory: working/short term memory (WM or STM)
- what are you working on now? in your brain, what’s there
- list random things at someone, make them list them back at you
- Miller said short term memory can hold 7 plus/minus 2 items (items can each be a group of things or just a thing), but unless you keep working on it, will disappear after a few minutes
atkinson-shiffrin model of memory: long term memory (LTM)
- Ebbinghaus-good German who measured things-interested in memory-tested how long it took him and others to forget nonsense phrases
- his biggest contribution: long term memory seems to have an unlimited capacity-goes on for long period of time, some people can remember what they did 40 years ago
- 2 parts: declarative (explicit) and procedural (implicit)
models of memory-Levels of Processing/Dept of Processing Model
- focuses on encoding-how good your memory retrieval is is based on how good your encoding of it is/how much effort you put into the encoding
- 2 parts: shallow processing (don’t put a lot of effort in, things don’t stay in your head for very long) and deep processing (make more connections, make into song, study harder-put more effort in-remember better and longer)
iconic memory
vision (memory)
echoic memory
hearing (memory)
declarative (explicit) memory
- processed in hippocampus, things you know that you could state, “I know ___”, likely consciously put into memory
- 2 parts: semantic memory (general facts) and episodic memory (own personal memories)
procedural (implicit) memory
“I know how to…” (ride bike, dance), muscle memory-better to let body take over, automatic after learn it, don’t do step by step thinking about each one
encoding info
- ways we process info so that we can remember it-for both working memory and long-term memory, visual, auditory, or semantic info is saved
- how we encode info determines how well we will be able to recall it (encoding specificity)
LTM seems to mostly store info…
semantically (by words) but also stores info visually
encoding specificity
when the retrieval cue is very specific to the encoding
important strategies for encoding info
rehearsal, chunking, context, mnemonics, distributed learning, positive transfer
important strategies for encoding info-rehearsal
- repeating info over and over again
- sometimes keeps info in STM only long enough to be briefly useful, but sometimes works to transfer info into LTM
- 2 types: maintenance rehearsal (simple repetition) and elaborative rehearsal (adding some organization to the info so it can be efficiently stored and then retrieved from LTM)
maintenance rehearsal
simple repetition
elaborative rehearsal
adding some organization to the info so it can be efficiently stored and then retrieved from LTM
important strategies for encoding info-chunking
- can store approx 7 items in STM
- items, not single digits, so group things into meaningful units to increase memory
- pi and number squares guy from vid
important strategies for encoding info-context
something as simple as a heading can help enormously in how you encode info (and if you encode it in a sensible way, it’s easier to retrieve)
important strategies for encoding info-mnemonics
techniques to improve memorization of facts
there are a lot of mnemonic devices (categories, acronyms, acrostics, interactive images, methods of loci, pegwords)
mnemonic devices-categories
put things into useful categories (if you need to memorize your grocery list, do all fruits, then all dairy, then all bathroom stuff, etc.)
mnemonic devices-acronyms
first letter of what you need to remember forms a word (DSAT and FPOT from biopsych, Roy G Biv PEMDAS)
mnemonic devices-acrostics
make up a phrase where the 1st letter of each word is the first letter of the word you need to know (King Philip came over from Germany singing, Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally)
mnemonic devices-interactive images
- good for visual learners-visualize unrelated words with something you know (or together with methods of loci or pegwords)
- hippocampus for memory=picture hippo remembering something
mnemonic devices-methods of loci
-mind palace!!!-determining certain locations in home-first comes couch, table, TV-combine in a way can remember-something you know-have grocery list, associate each item w an item in home in some way
trigger memories of what need to know later by -associating things you need to remember with things you already know
-works best w list always in same order each time you study-list of presidents, periodic table
mnemonic devices-pegwords
same as methods of loci really (needs to be a specific ordered list), but instead of furniture and stuff like that, use a common list (nursery rhyme idea is most popular) and visualize the new item somehow associated with it
important strategies for encoding info-distributed learning
- cutting up work into small pieces-start early on studying, 1 part per day, not all night b4
- opposite: massed learning (cramming)-when try to shove everything into head at last minute, doesn’t work so well-maintenance rehearsal-opp of elaborative rehearsal
important strategies for encoding info-positive transfer
- scaffolding-you have a little bit of info but not all take the info you already know/skill you can do and build on it-easier to start from somewhere than from scratch-learn basic stuff then move up
- negative transfer=opp
negative transfer
sometimes info you have gets in the way of other info-harder to learn to snowboard if a big skiier than if don’t ski or snowboard-what works for one thing won’t work for another if too diff
explicit memory
(declarative)-consciously put into memory and consciously retrieve
implicit memory
(procedural)-unconscious, don’t realize learning it/not trying to learn it, can’t always explain how to do learned action, may not even know knowledge is there-Freud says has to do w sex and aggression, not aware of knowledge even if asked but still impacts your behavior
explicit vs implicit memory-Alheimer’s exp
did tests on ppl w early stages alzheimer’s-flash Xs, a word flashed long enough to read, 5 sec delay they couldn’t remember word-in some cases got “ca___” 5s after “camel” and could remember “camel” and didn’t guess “candy” or another word that fit-so implicit memory still working some
flashbulb memory
some memories that are so vivid you can picture them perfectly in your head-tend to be traumatic memories-may not be true/what actually happened exactly, even if seems like it-people are very confident in the truth of these memories-remember places a bit wrong based on more recent or just other memories-say something happened (heard about boston bombing) at starbucks in sharon junior year, this is wrong cuz starbucks already gone but remember it being starbucks not french memories cuz maybe spent a lot of time at starbucks earlier in your life so remember it being there-memories vivid but not necessarily true
eidetic (a.k.a. photgraphic) memory
- can remember everything all the time-whether relevant or irrelevant
- very rare-those who have it don’t like having it
state dependent memory
- has to do w brain’s state-memory does better if in same state as you were when thing you remember happened-drunk and put keys away, can’t remember where when sober, find them when drunk
- also includes mood congruent memory
mood congruent memory
same as state dependent memory but based on mood-if happy may remember happy memories-1 happy memory triggers cascade of other happy memories-also works other way, w/ depression
context-dependent memory
when you’re in same place memory happened, will remember it better-remember memories from elementary school better if there, visiting Cottage
prospective memory
remembering to do things int he future-plan ahead, remember Thanksgiving next week, remember stuff is coming up
memory retrieval
- recognition and recall
- schemas–>brain tries to fill in the blanks using stereotypes when forget parts of a story/event
memory retrieval-series and parallel processing
-how do we go through our working memory? do we go through them serially (sequentially-1 at a time-remember in order-most ppl do this-flash list of 10 states for 30s, then must remember them) or parallely (simultaneously-see as big group in mind, all at once-works better w pictures)
2 options for sequential/series processing
1) self terminating search: as soon as you find right answer, you stop
2) exhaustive search: must read all exhaust all options, good for multiple choice or short list w better alternative option-bad when lots of choices, like long menu, takes too much time-better to just choose first one you like sometimes
serial position effect
- interested in how well you remember a word in a list of words-easier to remember words at beginning and end, harder to remember stuff in middle-first and last day of school, 1st and last vocab word to memorize on list-easier to remember
- recency effect and primary effect
recency effect
remember the stuff at the end (most recent) the best
primary effect
remember the stuff at the beginning the best
tip of the tongue phenomenon
can almost retrieve the memory, a bunch of clues, some little pieces, but can’t quite get it-usually if stop working on it will have an insight later and suddenly remember
the 7 sins of memory
-Schater looked at diff ways your memory fails-not surprising, usually a strategy works but sometimes doesn’t
-transience, absentminded-ness, blocking, (just can’t retrieve a memory)
misattribution, suggestability, hindsight bias, (memory distortance)
persistence
the 7 sins of memory: transience
impermanence-unused info goes away
the 7 sins of memory: absent-mindedness
- temporarily lose track of one thing cuz something more important gets in the way-lost phone cuz concentrating on getting to school on time to pick up kid-usually good-but sometimes things that are important (even if other thing more important) get forgotten, like phone, so bad then
- gets worse if running late, tired, stressed
the 7 sins of memory: blocking
- some info blocks other info-sometimes info blocks other info-sometimes useful, old info not necessarily needed anymore, fine if blocked-but can be bad
- proactive and retroactive interference