Long term memory Flashcards
Difference elaborative vs maintenance rehearsal
Maintenance rehearsal is the process of verbally or mentally repeating information, which allows the duration of short-term memory to be extended beyond 30 seconds. e.g. remember phone number for a phone call right away
Elaborative rehearsal involves the process of linking new information in a meaningful way with information already stored in long-term memory. e.g. you could learn the lines in a play by relating the dialogue and behavior of your character to similar personal experiences you remember.
What is the multistore model of memory?
Information is detected by the sense organs and enters the sensory memory, which stores a fleeting impression of sensory stimuli. If attended to this information enters the STM and if the information is given meaning (elaborative rehearsal) it is passed on to the LTM.
What are the characteristics and processes of LTM?
The long-term memory store has unlimited capacity and duration and encodes information semantically. Information can be recalled from LTM back into the STM when it is needed.
3 processes: memorization/learning/ encoding, storage, retrieval.
What are the steps of encoding info in LTM?
Encoding: Set of processes allowing the constitution of memory traces.
1- Acquisition:
- Processing: Encoding beyond superficial perceptual properties. Deep analysis of contextual and semantic attributes. It –sometimes leads to a change in the nature of the information (e.g., verbal visual)
- Organization / categorization: according to the cognitive habits of the subject; allows grouping of information
-Binding / cueing: contextualize information (e.g., temporal coordinates)
2. Maintenance/sustain spatio sufficient time (selfrehearsal)
What are the most important characteristics of the rehearsal process?
- The number of repetitions correlated with the probability of recall –> This correlation was greater for the items at the beginning of the list (primacy effect) term storage index.
What is the depth of information hypothesis and give example?
Depth of information processing hypothesis: The more in depth an information is processed at encoding, the better it will be memorized (and posteriorly remembered)
- Better performance of the group that evaluated the words’ pleasantness in comparison with the one that was identifying the presence of the letters
- In order to evaluate the word pleasantness, the meaning of the word needs to be accessed.
No effect of the type of learning (intentional vs incidental)
What characterizes a flashbulb memory?
- Rare or emotional memories Very precise memories of the circumstances of the event (where they where, what they did, etc.)
Special characteristics: Emotional intensity of flashbulb memories persists with time
Although memory accuracy declines with time (as memory for other events), participants’ confidence does not .
Amygdala, ventrooccipital cortex
What does storage quality depend on?
Storage depends on encoding quality.
– Reconstruction: old traces are used when acquiring new memories traces.
- Consolidation: pursued after acquisition. Important role of REM sleep
What is the Hebbian mechanism in LTM?
memories are formed through strengthening of synaptic connections between neurons with correlated activity.
What are the two theories of memory consolidaiton?
standard consolidation theory: considers the neocortex to be crucial for the storage of fully consolidated long-term memories, whereas the hippocampus plays only a temporary role.
multiple trace theory: suggests that the long-term stores for semantic information rely solely on the neocortex, while episodic memory, consolidated or not, continues to rely on the hippocampus for retrieval.
What are the types of recall and how can we remember better?
Free (spontaneous) recall, Cued recall (based on the previously encoded contextual and temporal cues), Recognition.
Contextual effect: we learn stuff with their context. If we are put in the same context later, we will remember better.
Why do we forget and what is the process?
Forgetting is due to the information interference between old memories and recent = competition between new and old knowledge
Retroactive interference : novelties tend to erase older memories
Proactive interference : older memories prevent memorization of new ones
Interference allows to update knowledge: new information gets prioritized over some old information ( retroaction ) without erasing it all ( proaction )
What is the misinformation effect?
The misinformation effect is the tendency for information received after an event to interfere with one’s memory of the original happenings.
The misinformation effect can lead to inaccurate memories and, in some cases, result in the formation of false memories.
What characterizes declarative memory and what are its types?
- Storage and retrieval of information that can access consciousness and be expressed by language
- Recall of memories from explicit memory is voluntary - Explicit and aware recall system = the facts (know “what”)
Episodic memory: e.g., remembering autobiographical facts and personal events
Semantic memory : information outside its context of acquisition e.g., culture, knowledge
What is the anatomical structure of the declarative memory?
Papezcircuit = hippocampomammilocingulate (also involved in olfaction and emotion)
Papez* circuit connects: The sensory cortex (which receive the information), The hippocampus (where converge sensorial information), The fornix, the mamiliary body of the hypothalamus, The anterior nucleus of the thalamus,The cingulate cortex ( peri– thalamo limbic cortex), To the associative cortex.
