EXAM 3 Flashcards
Be able to differentiate the three memory storage systems (proposed by Atkinson & Shiffrin, 1968): sensory memory, short-term / working memory, and long-term memory.
Sensory memory: brief type of memory where you just sense something
- Iconic memory: visual sensory memory
- Echoic memory: auditory sensory memory
Short term/working memory:
- Can use chunking and maintenance rehearsal to remember better
Long term memory: Retrieval and reconsolidation
- Elaborative rehearsal: elaborate the information in order to link it up with existing long-term memories
- Fit new memories into existing schemas (a cognitive structure)
- Easier when you have a narrative
- Mnemonics: focus attention on organizing incoming information
Be able to explain how the class examples demonstrated (or attempted to!) each of the types of memory.
a. the 12-letter display
Demonstrates sensory memory—don’t even know that you saw it but still can write down some of the numbers
Be able to explain how the class examples demonstrated (or attempted to!) each of the types of memory.
b. the license plate
Short term memory– use rehearsal to remember it
Be able to explain how the class examples demonstrated (or attempted to!) each of the types of memory.
c. long list of words
Serial position effect:
The words at the beginning are remembered (long term memory)
The words at the end are remembered (short term memory)
The words in the middle are forgotten
Understand generally how long each type of memory “lasts” for and what (strategies) maintains them there.
maintenance rehearsal
Repeating the phrase or thing to remember over and over
Understand generally how long each type of memory “lasts” for and what (strategies) maintains them there.
Chunking
Reorganize information into larger meaningful units (letters to form words, break up phone numbers into 3-3-4)
Understand generally how long each type of memory “lasts” for and what (strategies) maintains them there.
elaborative rehearsal
Elaborate the information in order to link it up with existing long-term memories
Fits new memories into existing schemas (a cognitive structure—don’t memorize info in a vacuum
Understand generally how long each type of memory “lasts” for and what (strategies) maintains them there.
Schemas
Cognitive structures
Understand generally how long each type of memory “lasts” for and what (strategies) maintains them there.
Mnemonics
Focus attention on organizing incoming information
Understand generally how long each type of memory “lasts” for and what (strategies) maintains them there.
memory palace technique
Finding a place for all information—long term memory storage
What was Lashley looking for?
He was looking for the area of the brain is required to maintain learning
lashley: What was his research method, what did he find, and what did that lead him to conclude about the location of memory in the brain?
His method was to train rats to run a maze, leisned various areas of their brain, then tested them on the maze again
He found that neither incisions disrupted the the learning of the maze for either group of rats
Memory must be controlled by lots of areas in the brain
What/where is the hippocampus?
Hippocampus: plays an important role in learning and memory
It is a subcortical structure
it projects into the cortex
there are 2
Be able to describe the role of the hippocampus in memory formation and storage according to the Standard Model of Systems Consolidation.
During perceptions and learning, various cortical regions are active
In memory formation, the medial temporal hippocampus maintains connections between various cortical regions that are active during perception and learning
Repeated activation allow for consolidation of the trace within the cortex that no longer requires the hippocampus
If a patient has damage to the hippocampus:
Do they have old memories?
Yes–they are instantiated somewhere else in the brain
If a patient has damage to the hippocampus:
Do they have recent memories?
Could be wiped out if they were still in the consolidation phase
If a patient has damage to the hippocampus:
Can they form new memories?
No! Hippocampus cannot consolidate
Be able to relate the results of the Smith & Squire (2009) study to the Standard Model of Systems Consolidation. Did their experimental results support the standard model? How so?
fMRI scans of healthy adults while they took the news event test
160 questions about events during the past 30 years
Measured brain activity associated with correctly answered questions
RESULTS: brain activity in medial temporal areas is lower for older memories (correct answers so not poorer memories)
Hippocampus areas are not needed anymore!
Know the structure of the taxonomy of memory.
Understand what amnesia is. What do the two different types of amnesia tell us about the formation of memories? What does H.M.’s pattern of ability/disability tell us about the memory system?
Amnesia: memory loss
Retrograde Amnesia: cannot remember older memories but can remember new memories
Anterograde Amnesia: cannot remember new memories but can remember old memories
H.M. has anterograde Amnesia; long term memory is good, working memory is good, implicit memory is good, explicit memory struggles with episodic memory but not semantic memory
Be able to define/differentiate the various types of memory.
Working vs Long term
Working: small amt of info and Temporarily stored and manipulated
Long term: vast amt of information and long term storage
Within long term – Explicit vs implicit (declarative vs nondeclarative)
Explicit: conscious recollection of facts and events and declaritive
Implicit: unconscious and nondeclaritive
Within implicit…
Procedural: Information necessary to perform learned skills or habits. Memory about doing things (moving, perceptual, reading)
Priming: Past experience with one stimulus w one stimulus produces a response to another. Occurs outside of awareness. Short presentation of stimulus activates a stored memory
Classical conditioning: Learn to associate 2 stimuli together that are not typically associated because they are often used together
Non-associative learning: We habituate (become less sensitive) to airplane noise after repeated exposure. Response slowly goes away with repeated exposure
Within explicit…
Semantic: facts (e.g railroad facts, school, memorization)
Episodic: specific events (what did you have for breakfast, how was your vacation)
Be able to explain how the class examples demonstrated each of the types of memory.
star mirror drawing task
Implicit procedural memories – learn over time
Be able to explain how the class examples demonstrated each of the types of memory.
priming effect (soup/soap)
Show a picture of soap (so fast you can’t really know you’ve seen it consciously) and then people will spell it soap not soup
Be able to explain how the class examples demonstrated each of the types of memory.
the video clip from The Office (Jim and Dwight)
Classical conditioning
Be able to explain how the class examples demonstrated each of the types of memory.
the airplane noise example
Nonassociative learning: become less sensitive to airplane noise after repeated exposure