Memory Flashcards
What is the core definition and foundation of Long Term Memory?
Long Term Memory holds encoded memories, thoughts and procedures. It has unlimited capacity and duration when rehearsed.
What are the two subcategory names of recalling LTM? Hint: I______ memories and e_______ memories
Implicit memories and explicit memories
What types of memories fit into implicit memories?
Procedural and emotional conditioning
Which types of memories fit into explicit memories?
Episodic and general knowledge memory
What did Craik and Lockhart (1972) propose in relation to LTM?
Craik and Lockhart (1972) proposed that familiarity and depth of processing secures stronger and more elaborate memories.
Example: pen (shallow processing = how many vowels?) (deep processing = is it a tool to write with?)
What was proposed in Tulving’s (1967) model on LTM?
Tulving proposed differentiation between procedural memory and declarative memory
What were the steps Tadlock (2005) outlined to form procedural memories?
- Attempt task
- Fail task
- Analyse results leading to failure
- Decide how to change processes to eliminate errors
Repeat until neural network is built up enough to avoid conscious effort
What did Bartlett (1932) realise from his Remembering Faces study?
Bartlett discovered - through a Chinese whispers loop of remembering and recalling drawings - that if a memory is unfamiliar or ambiguous the participant recalls familiar images with faces being most common. A cat from an owl was also discovered
What did Loftus and Palmer (1974) learn about eyewitness testimony?
Recall of memories can be distorted from outside influence. This was realised when asking participants to estimate speed of a crash video they saw; when words like smashed were used the speed estimate was higher than collided
What experiments back up the hypothesis of implanting false memories?
Loftus and Pickrell (1995) used a false childhood memory in collation with three true events and some participants claimed the false events as their own.
Bernstein (2005) also discovered this concept through false childhood food stories.
What is the definition of Short Term Memory?
Short Term Memory (STM) is described as the storage bank before memories are encoded into LTM
How many pieces of information can STM hold?
STM can hold 7 (+/- 2) pieces of information
Who proposed the Multi-Store model?
Atkinson and Shiffrin (1968)
What three subsections did Baddeley (1986) propose in his memory framework?
Visuospatial Sketchpad, Phonological Loop and Episodic Buffer
What does the phonological loop do?
It stores language and auditory information in an ‘inner voice’ to stop, for example, repeating of numbers to copy from fading.
What does the visuospatial sketchpad do?
The visuospatial sketchpad stores and processes visual and spatial stimuli. For example the colours of nature or the inner scribe making use of mental imagery and calculating spatial information
What did Goldstein (2011) discuss and differentiate about STM and WM?
Goldstein theorised STM as responsible for the storing of information and Working Memory as the holding of information when performing complex tasks.
Which brain region is primarily responsible for short-term memory and working memory?
The prefrontal cortex (PFC).
How does the medial temporal lobe (MTL) contribute to memory processing?
It helps distinguish useful retained memories from similar but irrelevant information.
What is the function of glutamate in working memory?
It acts as an excitatory neurotransmitter, maintaining neural activity to keep thoughts ‘online’.
What is the function of GABA in working memory?
It regulates excitatory activity, preventing excessive neural firing and overstimulation.
What role do theta waves play in memory processing?
They synchronize separate brain regions to coordinate cognitive tasks.
What is the function of gamma waves in working memory?
They sustain neural firing patterns necessary for active information retention.
What role does the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) play in working memory?
It maintains and manipulates information over short durations, integrating sensory input.
How does the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) support working memory?
It monitors conflicts between competing memory representations and helps regulate attention.
Which brain region is involved in repeating verbal stimuli like digits, letters, and words?
The left posterior temporal cortex (Warrington & Weiskrantz, 1978).
What is the role of the posterior parietal cortex in working memory?
It helps maintain the sequence and structure of thoughts.
What is the function of the inferior parietal cortex in language processing?
It supports word storage and phonological processing.
Which area is responsible for forming words and speech production?
Broca’s area (left inferior frontal gyrus).
What is the role of the phonological loop in working memory?
It temporarily stores verbal information for immediate recall (part of Baddeley’s model).
Which two brain areas interact in the phonological loop?
Broca’s area (verbal rehearsal) and the left supramarginal gyrus (phonological storage).
What is the role of Brodmann Area 8 in visual memory?
It stores and manipulates ocular (visual-spatial) stimuli, particularly for guided eye movements.
Which brain region is critical for visuospatial working memory?
The posterior parietal cortex.
How does the occipital cortex contribute to visual working memory?
It processes and maintains visual imagery.
What brain structure is involved in integrating visual and spatial information for navigation?
The hippocampus (particularly the right hippocampus for spatial memory).
What is the role of the superior colliculus in visual working memory?
It helps control eye movements and maintain fixation on visual stimuli.
How does the basal ganglia contribute to working memory?
It regulates attention and motor responses, particularly in procedural working memory.
What role does the cerebellum play in working memory?
It supports the timing and coordination of cognitive and motor tasks.
Which neurotransmitter system is crucial for updating working memory?
The dopaminergic system, particularly in the prefrontal cortex and striatum.
How does the thalamus support working memory?
It acts as a relay station, filtering and directing sensory information to the cortex.
Front
Back
Neurology of Procedural Memory
- Prefrontal cortex: Plans, analyzes, and adjusts tasks based on feedback.
- Motor cortex & cerebellum: Strengthen neural connections through repetition.
- Cerebellum: Gains automaticity, reducing reliance on the prefrontal cortex.
Neurology of Semantic Memory
- Sensory regions (e.g., occipital lobe): Process environmental information.
- Lateral temporal lobe: Forms conceptual representations.
- Anterior temporal pole: Integrates concepts with prior knowledge.
- Prefrontal cortex: Strategically searches the semantic network for retrieval.
Neurology of Episodic Memory
- Sensory regions (e.g., auditory cortex): Process stimuli from an event.
- Hippocampus & medial temporal cortex: Bind sensory data into a memory trace.
- Anterior temporal lobe: Integrates new memories with prior experiences.
- Prefrontal cortex: Retrieves and updates episodic memories.
