LEARNING+MEMORY Flashcards

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1
Q

Neurohormone

A

hormone that is produced and released by a neuron (e.g adrenaline)

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2
Q

LTP - long term potentiation

A

strengthens synapses, which become more efficient through an increase in neurotransmitters and complementary shaped receptors

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3
Q

LTD - long term depression

A

weakening of synapses when they are not regularly used. Ensures resources are available for necessary connections.

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4
Q

Glutamate in learning and memory

A

is an excitatory neurotransmitter which increases the likelihood of a neuron firing, therefore increasing the number of action potentials and resulting in an increase in neurotransmitters in the pre synaptic neuron and receptor sites on the post synaptic neuron

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5
Q

Amygdala in learning and memory

A

amygdala is responsible for emotional and fear responses and is activated by adrenaline to remember memories of threatening situations. This leads to learning of potential dangers to help self preservation

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6
Q

Hippocampus

A

tells us why we are scared. processes memories of events, dates, experiences

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7
Q

Learning

A

a relatively permanent change in behaviour due to experience

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8
Q

Memory

A

active information processing system that receives, organises, stores and recovers info when we need it

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9
Q

Synaptogenesis

A

formation of synapses as the brain develops and learns. Stimulated pathways become permanent while pathways that do not form synapses are pruned.

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10
Q

Experience on development

A

enriched experience will result in greater synapse formation, thicker cortices and dendrite development.
‘Use it or lose it.’
Neurons that are not activated by experience do not survive.

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11
Q

Environment on development

A

An enriched environment is ideal for development, as it will lead to sensory stimulation, greater synapse formation, strong neural circuits which strengthens learning/memory, leading to positive brain development

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12
Q

What is neural plasticity?

A

modifying neural circuits to meet the demands of experience and learning.
Our pathways are constantly changing in structure and function.

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13
Q

How does plasticity occur?

A

modifying strength of synaptic transmission in existing connections, growing or pruning connections, changing excitability properties of individual neurons

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14
Q

Factors affecting plasticity

A

genetic factors, plasticity, environment

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15
Q

glutamate and memory

A

glutamate is excitatory, therefore its presence will increase the likelihood of a pre synaptic neuron firing, resulting in a stronger memory.

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16
Q

adrenaline and memory

A

strength of a memory depends on its emotional significance. Adrenaline activates the amygdala which stores and processes emotion during FFF response. This results in better concentration and therefore memory of the event. We must remember responses for these events for survival purposes.

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17
Q

conditioning- voluntary or involuntary?

A
classical= involuntary
operant = voluntary
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18
Q

classical conditioning

A

eg. Pavlov’s dogs

BEFORE
neutral stimulus = no response
ucs = reflex response

DURING
neutral stimulus immediately followed by the ucs many times (acquisition phase) = unconditioned response

AFTER
conditioned stimulus (neutral stimulus) = conditioned response (unconditioned response)
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19
Q

what produces learning

A

reinforcement

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20
Q

antecedent

A

events before a response

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21
Q

acquisition phase

A

time period between being presented with a stimulus and receiving reinforcement

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22
Q

when has a link been made between stimuli?

A

if the reflex is produced within five seconds. If the reflex is produced after five seconds it is said that the conditioned behaviour has not been acquired.

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23
Q

conditioned stimulus

A

evokes a specific response due to learning

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24
Q

conditioned response

A

a reflex response to a previously neutral stimulus that occurs after learning has taken place

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25
Q

stimulus generalisation

A

stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus produce the conditioned response

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26
Q

stimulus discrimination

A

ability to discriminate between stimuli so only a specific stimulus produces the conditioned response

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27
Q

extinction

A

gradual decrease in the strength of a conditioned response when the unconditioned stimulus is no longer available

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28
Q

spontaneous recovery

A

the reactivation of a conditioned response to the conditioned stimulus after a period of extinction

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29
Q

operant conditioning

A

The likelihood of a behaviour recurring is determined by its consequences

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30
Q

operant ABC

A

Antecedent (A)- stimulus before the response

Behaviour (B)- response that is triggered by the antecedent, most responses being voluntary

Consequence (C)- pleasant or unpleasant circumstances that follow a behaviour, increasing or decreasing the likelihood of a behaviour being repeated.

stimulus is associated with a response which is associated with a consequence

31
Q

Skinner Box

A

operant conditioning, rats become conditioned to press a lever for food. In a second trial, food was deposited when a light turned on, the rats learning to press the lever until the light came on.

32
Q

Reinforcement

A

must be desirable for the learner and undesirable consequences will decrease likelihood of a behaviour being repeated

33
Q

positive reinforcement

A

desirable event follows a response, increasing the likelihood of it reoccurring

34
Q

negative reinforcement

A

unpleasant stimulus is removed/reduced/prevented, creating a positive consequence

35
Q

punishment

A

response is followed by an unpleasant stimulus, decreasing likelihood of a behaviour occurring again

36
Q

punisher

A

any unpleasant consequence that reduces the likelihood of a behaviour being repeated

37
Q

response cost

A

a reinforcer is removed as punishment

38
Q

variables affecting the success of punishment

A

timing - most effective as the response is made or immediately after

consistency- punished each time a response occurs

intensity- too harsh punishments may lead to a fear response

39
Q

limitations of punishment on learning

A

punishment only tells that a response is wrong, does not give an alternative response or teach new behaviours. Also encourages aggression

40
Q

operant stimulus generalisation

A

similar stimuli produce the same conditioned response to a previously learnt stimulus

41
Q

operant stimulus discrimination

A

learning to differentiate stimuli that signal reinforcement and non reinforcement. The response will change to match the stimuli.

42
Q

Operant extinction

A

learnt responses fade after not being reinforced

43
Q

Operant spontaneous recovery

A

a previously reinforced response returns. This will not continue for long if it isn’t reinforced.

44
Q

Observational learning

A

observing another’s actions and the consequences of it to guide future behaviour.
Is considered to be latent, e.g is learnt early and then shown later (childhood)

45
Q

stages of observational learning

A

ARRMR:

Attention: focus on the behaviour
Retention: remembering behaviour
Reproduction: person is capable of imitating the behaviour
Motivation: there is an incentive to imitate the behaviour
Reinforcement: reward for the behaviour (internal satisfaction, external or vicarious reinforcement)

46
Q

factors to make observational learning more likely

A
  • the model is liked
  • model is of high status
  • similar age or gender
  • familiarity to us
  • the model is thought to have expertise
47
Q

vicarious conditioning

A

learning indirectly from watching another persons conditioning

48
Q

vicarious reinforcement

A

the model is rewarded for behaviour, increasing likelihood of behaviour being copied

49
Q

vicarious punishment

A

model is punished for their behaviour, deceasing likelihood of a behaviour being copied

50
Q

memory

A

an active information processing system that receives, stores, organises and recovers information

51
Q

encoding

A

process that converts info into a usable form (code) that can be stored in the memory system

52
Q

storage

A

retention of info in the memory system over time

53
Q

retrieval

A

locating information stored in memory and bringing it into consciousness when needed, to complete a cognitive task

54
Q

what is the multi store model of memory?

A
  • there are multiple memory stores
  • data flows through the stores to become long term memory
  • the stores are independent but operate at the same time

flow chart of how memories move from sensory memory to short term memory and then from there to long term memory

55
Q

sensory memory

A
  • senses sight, sound, smell, taste and touch
  • brief storage
  • unlimited capacity
  • sensory register for each sense
56
Q

iconic memory

A

division of sensory memory that processes visual information for 1/2 a second

57
Q

echoic memory

A

division of sensory memory that processes auditory information for around 3 seconds. The longer time allows us to effectively process and hear longer words

58
Q

how is info sent from sensory to stm?

A

with attention

59
Q

short term memory

A

stores information for a brief period of 18-20 seconds unless information is rehearsed. Holds the thoughts, info and experiences you are aware of at any point in time. Receives memories from both sensory and long term memory. Has a capacity of 7+or - 2 items, though chunking info can increase capacity

60
Q

long term memory

A

receives processed info from the stm, has unlimited capacity and is relatively permanent. May transfer memories back to stm to be used. Stores implicit and explicit memories.

61
Q

retrieval failure theory:

A

we forget because we cannot access retrieval cues needed to activate a specific memory

62
Q

decay theory:

A

we forget because the chemical memory fades due to lack of use

63
Q

interference theory:

A

memories are blocked by other memories

64
Q

motivated forgetting:

A

conscious or unconscious blocking of memory retrieval

65
Q

implicit memory

A

memories of learned actions and skills that are unconsciously stored and retrieved - also known as procedural memory. These memories are registered in the cerebellum and is the most resistant to forgetting.

66
Q

explicit memory

A

responsible for the conscious retrieval of facts and personally significant events. Is also called declarative memory.
SEMANTIC: recall of facts
EPISODIC: personally significant events that are related to a time, place, emotions

67
Q

cerebral cortex

A

formation and storage of implicit and explicit memories

68
Q

amygdala

A

adds emotion to declarative memories

69
Q

cerebellum

A

stores procedural memories of motor skills that require muscle coordination and control of voluntary movement

70
Q

hippocampus

A

Forms memories in STM and integrates info from brain areas to form a single declarative memory that transfers to LTM.

71
Q

recall

A

reproducing facts from LTM with little to no cues
Free: recalling info in any order
Serial: recalling info in the original order it was presented
Cued: using cues for assistance

72
Q

recognition

A

identifying a correct answer from a list of possibilities (= distracters)

73
Q

relearning

A

learning something that was previously learnt to measure the amount of information that was retained from the original learning