Memory - 1 Flashcards
What is the definition of memory?
-The ability to store and retrieve information over time
Is memory always the same?
- No
- There are multiple different types of memory and evidence suggests these different types are stored differently in the brain
- Structure of storage is different, some will be stored in distributed areas of neurones, others will be stored in local networks
What is iconic memory?
- First level on sensory store
- For example when you stare at screen and then close you eyes, image remains on your retina very briefly and fades
- AKA Sensory memory
What is short-term memory?
-Info that is stored for a short period to time (30 seconds)
What is working memory?
- Newer term for short term memory
- Encompasses the idea that it is an online store for any information you are working on.
What is capacity?
-Amount of memory you can store
7 +- 2 bits of information for human, varies due to IQ.
What is the link between IQ and memory capacity?
- High IQ can store up to 9 bits of info whereas someone with low IQ maybe only 5
- 7 is average
What is intermediate term memory?
- Memory that is stored for longer period than short term memory.
- For example, you remember where you park In car park, but then forget 4 days later
What is long-term memory?
- The long term storage of memory in the brain
- For long term memory to exist, there must be biological changes in the brain
What is episodic memory
- It is memory store for all you life events
- Memory about you
- Like where you went on holiday or what you ate for breakfast
What is semantic memory?
- All the facts about the world you live in
- EG Capital of France
Why is episodic and somatic memory kept separate?
- Stored in different way and different places
- Because info about you is more important for survival, info about your ma is more important than capital of France
Why is episodic memory preferred to semantic memory?
- Because the brain would rather lose semantic memory than episodic
- If you get head injury, personal info won’t be lost hopefully
What is declarative memory?
- Memory that you know you know
- Memory that tells you that you are fully aware that you have certain memories
What is procedural memory?
- Memory that allows you to do certain activities that involve procedures
- Riding a bike, driving, tying shoe laces
- Difficult to access memory to explain how you do these procedures, more likely that you have to show them
What memory types if procedural memory stored separate from?
- Long
- Short
- Semantic
- Episodic
Why are is procedural stored different from long term?
- To prevent loss of information
- Prefers to loss some types of info over others
What is prospective memory?
- All about remembering your future intentions
- eg like buying a chicken and a can of coke
What is purpose of dissociation and double dissociation?
-Help to identify neural substrates of various brain functions
What is dissociation and what is an example of this?
- When you know localisation of brain damage or lesion, and find that one function is knocked out but other related functions are preserved
- e.g. individual looses ability to name category of animals but can name all other objects.
What is double dissociation?
- Lesion in specific brain area impairs function x but not y then demonstrate that lesion of separate brain area impairs y but not x.
- So you know that these memories are different
What are the three key processes in memory?
- Encoding
- Storage
- Retrieval
What is encoding?
-Processes occurring during initial encounter with to be remembered stimulus = stage 1
What is storage?
-storage in the memory system = stage 2
What is retrieval?
-recovering stored information from the memory system stage 3
What is the basic model of memory called?
- Multi-Store model
What does the basic model of multi-store model entail?
- Sensory inputs (iconic store)
- Sensory store (iconic memory)
- Process of encoding which transfers information from sensory store to short-term memory (ears vibrating or image on retina)
- Rehersal moves info from short-term to long-term memory
- Retrieval moves info back from long-term to short to remember the memory
What is auditory memory also known as, and how long is it held for?
-Echoic and 3 seconds
What is visual memory also known as and how long is it stored for?
-Iconic and 250ms
Who were originators of short term memory?
-Baddeley & Hitch, 1974
What are the 3 components of short term memory?
- Central Executive: this resembles what we would call ‘attention’
- Phonological Loop: holds information in a speech-based form
- Visuo-Spatial Sketchpad: specialised for holding visual and spatial information
Why do we need working memory when comparing it to short term memory?
-much more dynamic store than a unitary STM
What are two limitations of working memory?
-Capacity and duration of storage
