Learning and Memory Flashcards
Habituation
Process of becoming used to a stimulus
Dishabituation
Can occur when a second stimulus intervenes, causing a resensitization to the original stimulus
Associative learning
Way of pairing together stimuli and responses, or behaviors and consequences
Classical conditioning
Unconditioned stimulus produces instinctive, unconditioned response is paired with neutral stimulus. With repetition, neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus that produces a conditioned response
Operant conditioning
Behavior is changed through use of consequences
Reinforcement
Increases likelihood of a behavior
Punishment
Decreases likelihood of a behavior
Schedule of reinforcement
Affect rate at which behavior is performed
Fixed interval
In operant conditioning, a fixed interval schedule is when reinforcement is given to a desired response after specific (predictable) amount of time has passed.
Variable interval
In operant conditioning, a variable interval schedule is when the reinforcement is provided after a random (unpredictable) amount of time has passes and following a specific behavior being performed.
Fixed ratio
In operant conditioning, a fixed-ratio schedule reinforces behavior after a specified number of correct responses.
Variable ratio
A variable ratio schedule is a schedule of reinforcement where a behavior is reinforced after a random number of responses. Behaviors learned through this are hardest to extinguish.
Observational learning or modeling
Acquisition of behavior by watching others
Encoding
Process of putting new information into memory. It can be automatic or effortful. Semantic encoding is stronger than both acoustic and visual encoding.
Sensory and short term memory
Transient and based on neurotransmitters activity.
Working memory
Requires short-term memory, attention, and executive function to manipulate information
Long-term memory
Requires eleborative rehearsal and is the result of increased neuronal activity
Explicit (declarative) memory
Stores facts and stories
Implicit (nondeclarative) memory
Stores skills and conditioning effects
Semantic networks
Facts are stored via this
Recognition vs recall
Recognition of information is stronger than recall
Retrieval
Based on priming interconnected nodes of the semantic network
Priming
Priming is a phenomenon whereby exposure to one stimulus influences a response to a subsequent stimulus, without conscious guidance or intention. For example, the word NURSE is recognized more quickly following the word DOCTOR than following the word BREAD
Ways memories can be lost
Alzeimers, Korsakoffs, agnosia, decay, interference
Memories are highly subject to what at time of encoding and recall?
Environment and mood
Neuroplasticity
Memory and learning depend on changes in brain chemistry and physiology; decreases with age
Long-term potentiation
Responsible for conversion of short-term to long-term memory, is the strengthening of neural connections resulting from increased neurotransmitter release and adding of receptor sites
