Learning and Memory Flashcards
What is learning?
Act of acquiring new or modifying existing knowledge, behaviors, skills
What is memory?
An enduring change in organisms function over time
The ability to retain and recall info
3 main types of memory
- ultra short/sensory
- working/short term memory
- Long term memory
Where is working memory processed
Dorsal-lateral prefrontal cortex in area 9 and 46
What is the hallmark of memory deficit
As the delay gets longer, the harder it becomes to retain/remember info
Two types of Long-term memory
declarative -, conscious, explicit
non-declarative-non-conscious, implicit
4 sub-types of non-declarative long term memory
- non-associative
- Priming
- Procedural
- Conditioning
2 sub-types of declarative long term memory
- Episodic
2. Semantic
What is non-associative memory?
telling the difference between relevant and irrelevant stimuli
2 sub-types of non-associative LTM are________
- Habituation ( non-damaging stimuli, decreased NM )
2. Senstization ( damaging stimuii, increased NM)
Opposite of habituation is___________
Sensitization
Compare and contrast sensitization and classical conditioning
Sensitization and conditions are both non-declarative long term memories
sensitization is subtype of a non-associative LTM. long lasting effect
classical conditioning is a sub-type of conditioning LTM and is associative memory
When will habituation not occur?
when the stimuli is damaging or painful
When will sensitization occur?
When the stimuli is damaging or painful
Priming is_________
facilitated processing in which a certain pattern is given and subject continues pattern or “fills in the blank”
Blue
Red
Yellow
Gr____ ( Green or Gray)
Apple
Orange
Banana
Gr____ ( Grape)
How is repetition suppression related to priming
A neuron, that is part of a network of nerves, selectively responds to a certain aspect of an object/stimuli and other neurons in the same network become activated and respond to specific aspect of object/stimuli that is wired to detect/fire to
Compare and contrast habituation and repetition suppression
Habituation is subset of non-declarative LTM
Repetition suppression is related to priming ( a non-declarative LTM) but is not a form of LTM by itself
What is procedural memory
Subtype of non-declarative LTM
What are the charasterstics of procedural memory
- requires multiple trials ( slow learning process)
- involves skill learning
- subject don’t know what they are learning
____________is another name for habit formation
Procedural memory
What brain structure is involved with procedural memory
basal ganglia
____________ and ____________ are sub-type of non-declarative, condition LTM
Classical , Operant
What are the 4 parameters involved in classical conditioning?
- CS=Conditioned Stimulus aka neutral stimulus
- UCS=UnConditioned Stimuli
- UCR= UnConditioned Response
- CR=Conditioned Response
Why do we want to learn?
In order to be able to predict future ( evolutionary benefit)
What is Extinction training?
getting rid of classical conditioning
Why is extinction NOT the same as Forgetting
Extinction is an active process learning
Forgetting is a passive process
How do we know extinction is an active process?
If protein synthesis is blocked in LTP ( make more AMPAR protein), then extinction will not occur
Blocking effect is
a newly introduced stimuli that has no predictive value is blocked or ignored by subject that has been already conditioned to respond to a certain CS that has a predictive value ; this phenomen explains why classical conditioning works
What type of LTM is fear response an example of?
Classical conditiong
Which brains structure is involved in “fear” conditioning
Amygdala
What is operant conditioning?
a type non-declarative LTM
a voluntary behavior ( operant) that is modified by use of a consequence
Compare and contrast operant and classical conditioning
classical and operant conditioning are both a sub-type of non-declarative LTM and require repetition
operant conditioning behavior is a voluntary one and what is being conditioned is increasing or decreasing the voluntary behavior
classical condition the behavior is not voluntary; the establishment of a new behavior is being conditioned
Compare and contrast operant and classical conditioning
classical and operant conditioning are both a sub-type of non-declarative LTM and require repetition
operant conditioning behavior is a voluntary, already established and what is being conditioned is increasing or decreasing the voluntary behavior
in classical conditioning, the behavior is not voluntary; the establishment of a new behavior is being conditioned or learned
4 types of modifiers that change the frequency of operant
- negative reinforcement-remove something to increase frequency of operant
- positive reinforcement-add something to increase frequency operant
- negative punishement-remove something to decrease frequency of operant
- positive punishment-add something to decrease frequency of operant
what is an operant?
voluntary, spontaneous behavior
What is Thorndike’s Law of effect
The frequency of a behavior is modified by the consequences
Primary reinforcer
items/situations that an animal will work for in the absence of a conditioned response ( things needed for survival)
can also be called UCS
Examples: Food , air, water, sleep,etc
Secondary reinforcer
conditioned association with a primary reinforcer
Example: You use money ( secondary reinforcer) to buy food ( unconditioned stimuli or primary reinforcer)
4 types of reinforcement schedules
- Variable Rate
- Fixed Rate
- Variable Interval
- Fixed Interval
What is “superstituous behavior”
In nature, a sequence of events results in a reward. Organisms will asssociate an event closer to the reward as the the cause of the reward and an event farther from the reward will be less likely to be associated as the cause of the reward
2 types of declarative LTM
- Episodic ( aka autobiographical memory)
2. Semantic
Episodic memory
declarative LTM that is context-based; memory of specific experience
Semantic memory
declarative LTM that is non context based or unrelated to a specific experience
Where is semantic memory processed in brain?
Temporal pole ( most anterior part of temporal lobe)
How is semantic memory processed by temporal lobe
Temporal pole converges uni-modal semantic representations ( info from diff sensory systems) into a multi-modal representation
Example: uni-modal rep, divergent: Vision-red apple Taste- sweet Smell-fruity touch-smooth
multi-modal rep: a sweet, smooth, and fruity red apple ( temporal pole, convergence)
What type of memory is associated with Amnesia?
declarative LTM ( i.e. semantics and episodic )
Retograde Amnesia
unable to remember event occurring before amnesia onset
Anterograde Amnesia
unable to form new memories
