knowledge Flashcards
What is the distinction between episodic and semantic memory?
Episodic memory stores personal experiences, while semantic memory stores general knowledge about facts, concepts, and meanings.
What did Graham et al. (2000) find when comparing Semantic Dementia (SD) and Alzheimer’s Disease (AD)?
SD shows poor object naming and progressive semantic memory loss, while AD primarily affects episodic memory and the hippocampus.
What are the neuropathological features of Semantic Dementia (SD)?
SD involves non-Alzheimer-type degeneration in the temporal cortex (polar and inferolateral regions), with relative sparing of the hippocampus in early stages.
What are the symptoms of Semantic Dementia (SD)?
SD leads to progressive, selective deterioration of semantic memory with relatively preserved episodic memory, especially in early stages.
How does semantic knowledge influence language comprehension?
Semantic knowledge helps us make inferences when processing language, such as understanding indirect meanings or humor (“expensive tastes” example).
What is the Typicality Effect in Feature Comparison Models (Smith et al., 1974)?
Reaction time is quicker for verifying concepts with more defining features (e.g., carrot vs. artichoke as vegetables), as typical items share more characteristics.
What is a limitation of Feature Comparison Models?
Many concepts cannot be fully reduced to simple defining features (e.g., “game”) and features can be interdependent (e.g., leaves and legs).
What is the main idea of Prototype Models (Rosch, 1973)?
Categories have central prototypes that represent the “average” of a category, and items are classified based on how similar they are to the prototype.
What is the Prototypicality Effect?
People are faster to confirm typical category members (e.g., a 32-year-old bachelor) than atypical ones (e.g., a 64-year-old priest) due to their higher similarity to the prototype.
What are the three levels of categorization in Prototype Models?
Categories are organized into superordinate (e.g., furniture), basic (e.g., chair), and subordinate (e.g., armchair) levels.
Why is the basic level of categorization special in Prototype Models?
Basic level categories are the most commonly used for naming objects, show the largest semantic priming effects, and distort memory more than other levels.
What is a limitation of Prototype Models?
Prototypes can change depending on context, lose specific information, and differ between individuals, especially among experts.
What is an alternative to Prototype Models?
Exemplar Models, which store specific instances of a category (e.g., specific dogs) rather than an average prototype.
What is a benefit of Exemplar Models?
Exemplar models preserve information about category variability, making them more flexible and adaptable to new instances.
What is a limitation of Exemplar Models?
Exemplar models suggest we store every single example of a category, which can be inefficient for simpler or large categories.
What is the basic idea of Network Models (Collins & Quillian, 1969)?
Concepts are represented as nodes connected by links, with relationships between concepts determining how quickly we verify associations (e.g., “Canaries are yellow”).
How does spreading activation work in Semantic Networks (Collins & Loftus, 1975)?
Activation spreads from one concept to related concepts, speeding up retrieval of associated information (e.g., verifying “canaries have feathers” faster than “canaries are yellow”).
What is the Fan Effect in ACT-R Models?
The Fan Effect states that decision time increases as more information is associated with a concept, due to limited activation capacity.
What is declarative memory in the ACT-R model?
Declarative memory consists of propositions, the smallest units of information that can be true or false (e.g., “Susan gave a cat to Maria”).
How does ACT-R model the strengthening of links?
The more often links between concepts are activated, the stronger and faster they become. This process can slow down if activation is spread thin.
What is the Parallel Distributed Processing (PDP) model?
PDP models involve interconnected, neuron-like nodes that process information in parallel, allowing for simultaneous activation across concepts.
How do schemas and scripts function in memory?
Schemas represent generalized knowledge about situations or categories, while scripts organize sequences of events or actions into a structured order.
How can schemas distort memory?
Schemas can lead to false memories or omissions, such as remembering items consistent with the schema (e.g., office items) but forgetting incongruent ones.
What evidence supports a distinction between episodic and semantic memory?
Studies show that episodic memory stores personal events, while semantic memory supports inferences and general knowledge, with different neural bases.
What are the models used to explain concept storage in semantic memory?
Key models include feature comparison, prototype, exemplar, and network models, each explaining different ways we categorize and retrieve information.
What do models of semantic memory help explain about human memory?
These models help explain phenomena such as false memory, generalization, and graceful degradation, highlighting how semantic memory operates.
