Human Memory Systems Flashcards
define memory
- the ability to store and retrieve information over time
-There are different types of memory that are stored differently in the brain.
brain plasticity
from age 0 to 12 years
Types of Memory:
- iconic memory
- any modality - touch, vision, sound
- immediate and continue for under a second
- short-term memory - always conscious
- info held for less than 30 seconds,
- through rehearsal (sub-vocal),
- capacity; 7(-2/+2) items,
- interference = preservation - limits capacity due to competition of resources
- working memory - always conscious
- modern term for short-term memory
- gut instinct
- intermediate-term memory
- from 30 sec to 2 weeks
- e.g. what you had for breakfast
- from 30 sec to 2 weeks
- long-term memory
- invite connections
- episodic memory (autobiographical)
- events - personal
- semantic memory
- facts
- declarative memory
- can be either semantic or episodic = info that you know
- retrieval failure
- procedural memory
- actions - non-conscious
- prospective memory
- future intentions
- 30 active intentions
- automatic = unconscious
Memory components
- phonological loop
- visuospatial cortex
- smell - unconsciously
- central executive
- iconic memory
- any modality - touch, vision, sound
- immediate and continue for under a second
- short-term memory - always conscious
- info held for less than 30 seconds,
- through rehearsal (sub-vocal),
- capacity; 7(-2/+2) items,
- interference = preservation - limits capacity due to competition of resources
- working memory - always conscious
- modern term for short-term memory
- gut instinct
- intermediate-term memory
- from 30 sec to 2 weeks
- e.g. what you had for breakfast
- from 30 sec to 2 weeks
- long-term memory
- invite connections
- episodic memory (autobiographical)
- events - personal
- semantic memory
- facts
- declarative memory
- can be either semantic or episodic = info that you know
- retrieval failure
- procedural memory
- actions - non-conscious
- prospective memory
- future intentions
- 30 active intentions
- automatic = unconscious
- iconic memory
dissociation and double dissociation
- help to identify neural substrates of various brain functions.
- It explains how brain damage or lesions can affect different types of memory functions.
Dissociation
- When you know localisation of brain damage or lesion and find that one function is knocked out but other related functions are preserved
- e.g. individual looses ability to name category of animals but can name all other objects.
double dissociation:
-functional loss in a brain area
- Lesion in specific brain area impairs function x but not y then demonstrate that lesion of separate brain area impairs y but not x.
-Patternson & Plaut “the gold standard was always a double dissociation” (2009)
Outline the three key processes in memory:
-encoding
-storage
-retrieval
encoding
- processes occurring during initial encounter with to be remembered stimulus = stage 1
- process it through senses or relate to yourself
storage
- attention via central executive → working memory → intemediate → LTM
retrieval
- recovering stored info from the memory system = stage 3
Forgetting can result from…
-a failure in any of key stages in memory (ESR), rather than a process in itself
recognition memory:
retrieval hard despite knowing it so hard to retrieve
-> tip of the tongue phenomenon
The Multi-Store model of memory by Atkinson & Shiffrin (1974), which includes:
- sensory inputs → sensory store + encoding → short-term memory + rehearsal → ←long-term memory + retrieval
Sensory Memory:
- Auditory (echoic)
- holds info for approx 3 sec
- visual (iconic) memory
- holds info for approx. 250 ms
Short Term Memory:
-Now termed as working memory by Baddeley & Hitch (1974)
- Three components:
1. the central executive; resembles what we would call ‘attention’
2. phonological loop; holds info in a speech-based form
3. visuo-spatial sketchpad; specialised for holding visual and spatial info
Working Memory:
- Working memory is more dynamic than unitary STM
- with a limited capacity (differentiates it from long-term memory which is unlimited in capacity and duration of storage)
- usually found that we can only store around 7+/- 2 pieces of info in memory (Miller, 1956)
- chunking - grouping bits of info to make remembering easier
Double Dissociation in Memory:
- Explores whether short-term and long-term memories are distinct?
- If they are we would presumably see patients with impaired STM and preserved LTM?
- If we also saw the reverse pattern preserved STM and impaired LTM this would be an example of a double dissociation.
- Researchers and clinicians have found this pattern to be supported.
- E.G. KF = patient with impaired STM but fine LTM
(Shallice & Warrington, 1970) - single association
- E.G. KF = patient with impaired STM but fine LTM
Interference in WM
- Traces only remain in WM with repeated rehearsal (i.e. attending to the information)
- They are therefore prone to interference
Retroactive interference:
- New information interferes with the retention of old information in WM (trying to remember your old phone number, having used your new number for a few months; finding it difficult to revert back to manual gear changes having recently been shown how to use an automatic)
Proactive interference:
- Old information interferes with the recall of new information (mistakenly giving your old phone number instead of your new one; attempting to change gears manually in a newly bought automatic)
