Kaplan Ch. 3 - Learning & Memory Flashcards
What is the definition of learning?
The way in which we acquire new behaviors
What is habituation?
Repeated exposure to a new stimulus causes a decrease in response to that stimulus
What is dishabituation?
The recovery of a response to a stimulus after habituation has occurred
How do biological needs influence learning?
Animals may tend to learn behaviors based on natural abilities and instincts (or may fail to learn behaviors that are at odds with their natural instincts)
What are the 3 subdivisions of memory formation?
Encoding, storage, retrieval
What is encoding of memory?
The way in which we put new information into our memory
What are the 2 main ways that information can be encoded?
Automatic (passive) or controlled (requires input of effort)
There are 3 categories of encoding methods. What are they, from weakest method –> strongest method?
visual, acoustic, sematic
Self - reference effect
A type of semantic encoding, individual puts the new information in personal context to help them remember
Maintenance rehearsal
Repeat information to keep it in working memory or to store it effectively
Method of loci
Associates items on a list with a location along a route that is already memorized (i.e. if I were to associate the 3rd non polar amino acid on my list with a location in research north)
Peg word
Associates numbers with items in a list that rhyme or resemble the numbers
Mnemonics
Groups items from a large list into elements with meaning
What are the 4 categories of stored memory?
sensory, short term, working, long term
Complete these sentences:
- Sensory memory is ___ in duration.
- Sensory memory is subdivided into __ and __.
- Sensory memory is maintained by __ and __.
- Shortest
- Auditory and visual memory
- The auditory and visual complexes.
How long is short term memory?
< 30 seconds
What is the rule for determining the # of things stored in short term memory?
7 +/- 2 memories
Where in the brain is short term memory located?
Hippocampus
Where in the brain is working memory located? What other 2 areas of the brain are involved in working memory?
Hippocampus
Frontal & Parietal lobes
What does working memory allow us to do?
Keep a couple pieces of information in our consciousness so we can manipulate and use that information
Elaborative rehearsal
A means of storing information in long term memory. It associates information with something already stored in long term memory.
What are the 2 types of long term memory?
Implicit (procedural) = unconscious, skills & conditioned responses
Explicit (declarative) = memories that require conscious recall
Explicit memory is a type of long term memory where information that requires conscious recall is stored. How is this type of memory further subdivided?
Semantic (factual) and episodic (experiences) memories
Name 6 methods that can be used to retrieve memories.
Recall Recognition Relearning Context effects State-dependent memory Serial position effect
What is recall?
The immediate retrieval and statement of previously learned information
What is a semantic network? How does it aid with recall?
A semantic network is the linking of concepts together based on similar meanings. It helps with recall because as one part of the semantic network is activated, concepts that are linked to this area may be activated as well.
Recognition
Identifying information that was already learned
Relearning
Seeing information again and learning it again. It usually takes less time to learn information the more it is re-learned.
What is the spacing effect as it applies to relearning?
The time between relearning attempts is most effective if longer and leads to increased retention
Context effects as it applies to relearning?
Memory is aided by being in the same physical location where the encoding first occurred.
What is state dependent memory?
Ability to learn is dependent on one’s mental state. If one learns skills while in negative mood, then skills will be easier to perform in negative mood.
Serial position effect?
When learning lists, it is easier to recall items from the beginning and end of the list
Agnosia
The loss of ability to recognize objects/people/sounds, this is caused by physical damage to the brain
What is memory interference?
A retrieval error caused by the existence of other, similar information stored in our memory
What are the 2 modes of memory interference?
Proactive (old information interferes with learning new information)
Retroactive (new information causes us to forget old information)
False memory
Faulty memory due to thoughts/feelings/outside sources
Misinformation effect
Use of leading language / false descriptions of events that alter an individual’s ability to recall information correctly
Source monitoring error
Confusion between semantic and episodic memory (one might remember the details (episodic memory) but confuse the context (semantic memory))
