6. Learning & Cognition: LTM & Amnesias Flashcards
LO1: Name the broad divisions of LTM
- Declarative
- Non-Declarative
when is non-declarative memory revealed?
revealed when prev exp FACILITATES performance on task (NO CONSCIOUS RECOLLECTION)
what type of LTM is declarative memory & name its subdivisions
LTM that involves CONSCIOUS recall of facts/events
1. episodic memory
2. semantic memory
interconnected ^ but overtime, episodic may turn into semantic (details fade but general knowledge stays)
what is episodic memory? (declarative)
personal exp & events:
- stores memories of life events (time, place, emotions & context)
- contextualise them
- can also imagine future (prep & rehearse for it)
> e.x I remember going to the beach last summer & collecting seashells
what is semantic memory? (declarative)
facts & general knowledge:
- stores factual info (concepts, meaning, language based knowledge) not tied to personal exp
- abstract knowledge (don’t need to “go back in time” to retrieve)
based on accumulation of episodic memory (make generalised understanding of things)
> e.x Paris is the capital of France
what is procedural memory? (non-declarative)
skills/habits:
- stores motor & cognitive skills/actions (become automatic w/ prac)
what is CC (non-declarative)
association b/w CS & UCS
- non declarative as don’t need to remember the learning exp for CR to occur
what is OC (non-declarative)
produce/avoid behaviour because associated w/ reward/conseq
what is non-associative learning (non-declarative)
Learning based on REPEATED EXPOSURE to stimulus:
1. Habituation: learn to ignore stimulus becuz trivial
2. Sensitisation: learn to attend to possibly threatening stimuli
what is priming? (non-declarative)
unconscious influence on perception & behaviour:
- past exp affect future responses
associative: similar looking words activates knowledge (probable words to follow based on sound of word)
semantic: words in similar category activates semantic network (nurse, doctor, ^ lvl of readiness for response)
what are the types of amnesia & what is it
deficit/problem w/ memory
1. retrograde
2. anterograde
what is retrograde amnesia, what memory is affected?
inability to remember eps BEFORE brain injury:
- episodic affected, semantic INTACT
- car accident, concussion, alc abuse
- temporally graded (often the more recent events are affected: hours > years)
what is anterograde amnesia, what memory is affected?
inability to recall ANY declarative knowledge experienced AFTER injury:
- can’t learn & retain (consolidate) new declarative knowledge (stuck in time)
- semantic & episodic affected
desc HM surgery, what was found
- part of HM brain that caused epilepsies was removed (hippocampus)
- bilateral surgery as both removed = PROFOUND ANTEROGRADE amnesia
- hippocampus essential for forming new DECLARATIVE memories
- has STM but can’t consolidate LTM/long lasting memory trace (NEED HIPPOCAMPUS FOR)
- hippocampus crucial for memory FORMATION but not for storing OLD memories or motor skills
what evidence from amnesia cases support distinction b/w declarative & non-declarative memory?
- anterograde patients CAPABLE of learning motor skills (HM could improve on mirror tracing task - less errors each day = learning)
- can learn NON-DECLARATIVE (doesn’t rely on hippocampus) but NOT DECLARATIVE
- need hippocampus for CONSOLIDATION of DECLARATIVE memory
desc declarative memory
EXPLICIT, dependent on hippocampus
- things you can talk abt (autobiographical knowledge, life events, reminiscing, think abt future)
desc non-declarative memory
IMPLICIT, NOT dependent on hippocampus
- know HOW to do things
- habits (stuff operantly conditioned), motor & cognitive skills
what are the subdivisions of non-declarative memory
- procedural
- CC
- Operant conditioning
- Non-associative learning
- Priming
no conscious effort needed, so ppl w/ amnesia can still retain these skills
