Memory Flashcards
What is encoding?
Getting information into your head
What is semantic coding?
Relating information in a meaningful way to knowledge that is already stored in memory
What is visual encoding?
Encoding information as images
What is acoustic coding?
Encoding the sounds that the words make (ex. rhyming)
What is sensory memory?
- Holds sensory information between 0.5-5 seconds
- Sights, sounds, tastes, textures
- Helps one navigate the world but most of the information is useless
Explain short term memory
- Temporary storage (about 20 seconds)
- The bridge between sensory and long term memory
- Normally stores about 7 pieces of information
Explain long term memory
Long term storage (infinite)
Define episodic memory
The ability to recall and mentally re-experience specific memories from one’s personal past
Define retrieval and the three main ways of retrieving information
Defined: bringing information out of long-term storage into short term memory
- Recall: retrieving without any retrieval cues
- Recognition: identifying previously learned info
- Relearning: relearning previously learned info
How does environment act as a retrieval cue?
Being tested in the same environment one learned in makes retrieval better
How does inner state act as a retrieval cue?
Retrieval is better if in the same emotional/mental state during encoding
What is a non-declarative memory?
Memory that doesn’t require conscious thought or recollection (muscle memory)
What is the equipotentiality hypothesis
If part of the brain involved with memory is damaged, another part of the brain will take over the memory function
How does the amygdala contribute to memory?
- Emotional regulation
- Paring emotion with memory
- Involved in consolidation
- Declarative and non declarative memory
Explain consolidation
Consolidation is taking stimulus from short term memory to long term memory
How does the hippocampus contribute to memory?
- Responsible for episodic memories
- Recognition memory
- Involved in consolidation
- Declarative
How does the cerebellum contribute to memory?
- Nondeclarative memories
- Procedural memories
- Motor learning
- Classical conditioning
How does the prefrontal cortex contribute to memory?
Left hemisphere: somatic memory
Right hemisphere: retrieving information
- Declarative memory
What are declarative memories?
A type of long term memory that involves conscious recollection of particular facts and events
What are the five problems with memory?
- Damage
- Encoding
- Forgetting
- Distortion
- Intrusion
What is amnesia?
- Damage to the hippocampus
- Loss of long term memory
What is anterograde amnesia?
The inability to make new memories but still has recollection of old memories
- A problem with consolidation
What is retrograde amnesia?
Partial or full loss of memories prior to trauma but is able to make new memories
What are the 7 sins of memory?
- Transcience
- Absentmindedness
- Blocking
- Misattribution
- Suggestibility
- Bias
- Persistence
What falls under forgetting?
- Transcience
- Absentmindedness
- Blocking
What falls under distortion?
- Misattribution
- Suggestibility
- Bias
What falls under intrusion?
Persistence
Explain Transience
Forgetting that occurs with the passage of time
Explain absentmindedness
A lapse in attention that results in a memory failure
- low activity in hippocampus and left lower frontal lobe
Explain blocking
A failure to retrieve information that is available in memory even though you are trying to produce it
- Failure of retrieval
Explain misattribution
Assigning a recollection or an idea to the wrong source
Explain suggestibility
The tendency to incorporate misleading information from external sources into personal recollections
Explain bias
The distorting influence of present knowledge, beliefs and feelings on recollection of previous experiences
What are the 3 bias’ and explain them
- Stereotype bias: racial and gender biases that affect recall
- Egocentric bias: recalling information in ways to make yourself better
- Hindsight information: thinking that an outcome was inevitable after the outcome occurred and seeing something as predictable despite there being little basis for predicting the event before it occurred
Explain persistence
The intrusive recollection of events we wish we forgot
- Amygdala plays a role
