Lecture 3- Cognitive Theories Of Memory

Question 0

Explicit memory?

Answer 0

Tests depend on conscious recollection of learning event

Tests enquire about some specific study episode/ learning event

Question 1

Definition of memory?

Answer 1

The mental process of acquiring and retaining information for later retrieval

Question 2

Implicit memory

Answer 2

• no reference to initial encoding episode and no associated awareness of engaging in recall is necessary
• tests depend on a processing task and then measuring extent to which previous exposure affects speed/ accuracy

Question 3

Explicit memory continued

Answer 3

• death of processing during encoding influences level of performance
• level of performance not affected by perceptual characteristics (e.g font type)
• amnesia is described as explicit memory deficit

Question 4

Implicit memory continued

Answer 4

-often insensitive to level of encoding
- sensitive to physical characteristics of stimuli
Classical ‘amnesia’ does not affect implicit memory

Question 5

Problem with implicit vs. explicit dichotomy

Answer 5

There are subtle difference with procedural and declarative memory
The term explicit and implicit relates to performance on particular memory tests
Procedural and declarative focused on cognitive processes and is more meaningful as literature was informed by amnesia patients

Question 6

Procedural memory

Answer 6

• storage of skills an procedures
• very important in motor performance
  Supported by memory systems that are independent of hippocampus system ( cerebellum, basal ganglia do play a role)

Question 7

Declarative memory

Answer 7

• accumulation of facts/ data derived from learning experiences
• due to the relational nature of hippocampus system, declarative memory is relational- system outcome of processing from many systems.
• activation of declarative memory causes activation of related memories
• memory activation can be independent of environment

Question 8

Models of memory

Answer 8

4 models 
Serial models
-Atkinson-shiffrin model
-tulvings model 
Parallel model
-parallel distributed processing model

Question 9

Atkinson-shiffrin model

Answer 9

Sensory memory- iconic and ecoic
Working memory- contains new info and info extracted from ltm and you can operate on those bits of info
Long term memory- info needs to be rehearsed in working memory to be remembered

Question 10

Levels of processing

Answer 10

Crack and Lockhart
- info retained according to level of processing it has undergone
Shallow- fragile memory trade that is easily lost
Maintenance- repeat/ route learning without thinking about it
Elaborative- much more likely to end up with durable memory trace and operate it on existing knowledge

Question 11

Tulvings model of memory

Answer 11

STM to LTM
LTM
- procedural
-episodic 
-semantic 

Unlike previous models this was based on people with dysfunctional memories

Question 12

Patella distributed processing

Answer 12

• memory is activation of connections in different areas ( distribution) simultaneously ( parallel)
  -learning- strength of connections between relevant sites is changed
  Memory activation just about distribution of network of systems

Question 13

Comparison of models of memory

Answer 13

None of the models fully account for all research data in isolation
Serial models are most useful for study of amnesia

Question 14

Tulvings view on Episodic memory

Answer 14

• allowing re- experience though autonoetic awareness, previous experiences and to project similar experiences into the future.
• conscious recollection of ones past

Question 15

Autonoetic awareness

Answer 15

Highly personalised feeling of (re) experiencing oneself in the autobiographical past or present

Question 16

Tulvings view on episodic memory continued

Answer 16

• opearations depend on semantic and other forms of memory
• shares neural mechanisms and cognitive processes with other systems
• is additionally subserved by specific mechanisms and processes that are not components of any other system
• unique system with different cognitive competencies

Question 17

Semantic memory

Answer 17

’ knowledge memory’
Memory system that makes possible acquisition, retention, and use of factual information in the broadest sense’
Not purely concerned with language of ver info
No autonoetic awareness of personal past ( don’t need to remember where you learnt fact)
Can start as episodic and become semantic

Question 18

Semantic- episodic dissociation

Answer 18

Controversy over how independent episodic and semantic memory are
Squire and Zola- entirely independent (parallel) within declarative memory but both dependent on same biological system- you can damage one without effecting the other
Tulvings- episodic memory and semantic memory share many features but are not parallel systems

Question 19

Squire and Zola

Answer 19

Declarative memory is dependent on hippocampal system
Damage results in equal impairment to episodic and semantic memories
Amnesia patients have equal difficulties with event and fact memory e.g. HM

Question 20

Tulving

Answer 20

Serial parallel independent (SPI) hypothesis

• encoding into episodic memory relies on semantic system
• episodic memory unique extension of semantic memory
• retrieval is independent, can be supported by either system or both
• both rely on each other
• episodic encoding relies on semantic
• damage to semantic will effect episodic

Question 21

Vargha- khadem

Answer 21

Seminal study examining special group of children

Investigated 3 patients who had suffered very bilateral medial temporal lobe injury

Question 22

Vargha- khadem continued

Answer 22

neuropathology
- assessed with MRI and spectroscopy
- all 3 have abnormally small bilateral hippocampi
All have 3 relatively intact extra- hippocampal temporal lobes
- all have significantly impaired memory function, relative to intellectual capacity
- could not function independently but acquiring info on a normal level

Question 23

Vargah khadem 3

Answer 23

Everyday memory deficits included
- spatial
- temporal
- episodic 
Semantic meme it patient poor semantic memory but intact episodic- which goes against Tulvings model

Question 24

Vargha- khadem 4

Answer 24

Educational achievement- all in mainstream school with normal IQ
All have semantic memory intact

Question 25

Conclusion from V-K study

Answer 25

Intact semantic memory and impaired episodic memory - these systems must be functionally dissociable
Episodic memory relies on hippocampal circuit
Findings fit with Tulvings model- episodic only relies on semantic!!

Question 26

Episodic- semantic dissociation

Answer 26

Meaningful to use as framework to understand patient populations who differ in episodic and semantic memory
Interactions between these systems occur but not well understood

Question 27

Finding against Tulving and v-k study

Answer 27

Semantic dementia patients have poor semantic memory but intact episodic