Memory 1 - Intro Flashcards
Why do we have memory?
- Survival: memories allow us to predict the future.
- Basic human needs: food/water, how to access it.
Define learning
The acquisition of behavioural information.
Define memory
The retention of behavioural information
What is the law of diminishing returns?
The decrease in learning as the amount of trials/practice increases
What does the learning curve demonstrate?
The law of diminishing returns
Describe the role of surprise in learning.
The more surprising an event, the more that can and will be learned from it.
What does the rescorla-wagner model predict?
The amount learned is proportional to the amount of surprise at the outcome.
What is the full equation (in words) for the formula of the recorla wagner rule?
the amount learned = how quickly we are likely to learn x (the amount of surprise)
The change in memory = learning rate parameters x (the maximum that can be known - what you already know)
What will occur if an outcome is fully predicted?
No learning.
What is blocking?
The idea that, if an event is already fully predicted, other stimuli will be ‘blocked’ and so no learning will occur despite the presence of this novel stimulus.
What is the evidence for prediction error signals?
Hollerman and Shultz (1988) - monkeys who were shown stimuli, certain stimuli lead to a reward.
- When the reward was given but not predicted (prediction error), there was a spike/increase in activity of dopaminergic neurons in the ventral tegmental area.
- When the reward was predicted but not given, the activity in the dopaminergic neurons decreased, giving off a negative signal.
- Violation-of-expectation tasks: Stahl and Feigenson (2015) car through or stopped by a solid block. Responses from infants recorded. Prediction error when the object seemed to move through the solid block, demonstrating learning had occurred.
