Lecture 4 - Memory 1: What is memory? Flashcards
Experiences are stored as
patterns of activity in networks of neurons
Experience and how it is recorded summary
When you are having an experience you have a network of neurons that are active (generating action potentials and graded potentials) communicating with each other and it is a unique pattern for a experience but to hold that experience into memory you do not want these neurons to have to fire on and off constantly for weeks and months so you save this information by strengthening the connections/synapses so at layer times with appropriate cues you are likely to recall the event therefore when you are remembering something you are reactivating many of the neurons that were originally activated whilst you had that experience
An increase in synaptic strength could be mediated by:
An increase in neurotransmitter release
An increase in postsynaptic response (increase the number of receptors available to receive the chemical signal generated by the neurotransmitter)
An increase in synaptic connections between neurons
All three of these mechanisms occur when a memory is stored but will occur at a different time
William Greenough study
Raise rats separately in impoverished, social and enriched conditions. Learning produces change in synaptic connectivity
Results = The enriched environment produces much more complexity in the network of neurons, there are far more cells connected to each other and many more connections between neurons
What is memory?
Memory is the recording of the past for later use in the present
Genetic memory
Inherited behaviour
Levels of explanation of memory
Biological, individual, social and cultural levels of explanation of memory
Biological level of memory
Focus - brain systems, neurochemistry, genetics
What is studied?
Neuroanatomy, animal research, brain imaging
Neurotransmitters and hormones, animal studies, drug studies
Gene mechanisms, heritability, twin and adoption studies
Individual level of memory
Focus - Individual differences, Perception and cognition, Behaviour
What is studied?
Personality, gender, developmental age groups, self-concept
Thinking, decision making, language, memory, seeing, hearing
Observable actions, responses, physical movements
Social level of memory
Focus - Interpersonal behaviour, social cognition
What is studied?
Groups, relationships, persuasion, influence, workplace
Attitudes, stereotypes, perceptions
Cultural level of memory
Focus - Thoughts, actions, behaviours- in different societies and cultural groups
What is studied?
Norms, beliefs, values, symbols, ethnicity
Memory at the individual involves three processes…
Encoding
Storage
Retrieval
Encoding
The conversion of information into a FORM that can be stored in memory
Information from the world into action potentials/potentials
Storage
The creation of a TRACE of this information within the nervous system
Retrieval
An attempt to RECOVER a memory trace
Note - Could be accurate and successful retrieval, sometimes it is not successful and sometimes there is an error where you think you have a memory but there actually is not one