Long Term Memory: Structure Flashcards
retrograde amnesie
loss of memory for events that occurred before the injury, can extend back minutes, hours, or even years, depending on the nature of the injury.
anterograde amnesia
amnesia for events that occur after an injury, the inability to form new memories.
Dissociations between LTM and STM
LTM is an archive of information about past events and knowledge learned, works close with WM, storage stretches from a few moments ago to as far back as one can remember, more recent memories are more detailed. STM can hold information for short periods of time, has limited capacity.
H.M. - what amnesia he had and why
- Surgery removed hippocampus.
- Retained STM but unable to transfer info to LTM, unable to form new LTMs.
- No episodic memory can’t relive past events.
- Semantic memory intact, can remember general info about the past.
Clive Wearing - what amnesia he had and why
STM not impaired, LTM impaired. Had both anterograde and retrograde, couldn’t remember past or create new memories. Had viral encephalitis
Dissociations between episodic and semantic LTM
Episodic memory involves mental time travel – tied to personal experience, remembering is reliving, “self-knowing”. Semantic memory does not involve mental time travel – general knowledge, facts, “knowing”.
Long term memory - duration and capacity
Storage stretches from a few moments ago to as far back as one can remember. Stretches from about 30 seconds ago to earliest memories in life.
serial position curve
memory better for stimuli presented at beginning, primacy effect game more time to rehearse information, more likely to enter LTM. Memory better for stimuli presented at end of list, recency effect allowed stimuli to still be in STM. Primacy (LTM) and recency (STM) effect, best memory for items at beginning and end of the list
Distinction between STM and LTM based on serial position curve
Distinction between STM and LTM memories using the serial position curve, memory is better for words presented at the beginning (primacy) and end (recency) of a list.
Type of coding in STM vs. LTM
Visual and auditory encoding in STM and LTM. Semantic encoding in LTM.
Recognition memory
used in LTM coding, identification of a previously encountered stimulus.
Sachs experiment
LTM coding, participants remember words vs. meaning.
implicit memory
occurs when learning from experience is not accompanied by conscious remembering – procedural memories, priming, conditioning.
procedural memory
skill memory – memory for actions. No memory of where or when learned, perform procedures without being consciously aware of how to do them. People who cannot form new LTMs can still learn new skills.
priming
presentation of priming stimulus changes person’s response to a test stimulus
repetition priming
test stimulus the same or like priming stimulus. Person may or may not remember original presentation of priming stimulus.
episodic memory
involves mental time travel – tied to personal experience, remembering is reliving, “self-knowing”. Can be lost, leaving only semantic. Acquiring knowledge may start as episodic but then fade to semantic. Episodic memories are extracted and recombined to create simulations of future events. Helps us anticipate future needs and guide future behaviors.
semantic memory
does not involve mental time travel – general knowledge, facts, “knowing”. Semantic can be enhanced if associated with episodic.
autobiographical memory
specific experiences, includes semantic and episodic
personal semantic memory
semantic memories that have personal significance.
explicit memories
memories we are aware of, include episodic and semantic memory.
classical conditioning and implicit memory
pairing a neutral stimulus with a reflexive response, involved implicit memory when person has forgotten about original pairing of the stimulus and the response.
propaganda effect
more likely to rate statements read or heard before as being true, involves implicit memory because it can occur when people are not aware of previously seeing or hearing statements.
