Memory - 3

Question 1

What is recognition?

Answer 1

• Stronger form of memory
• Sensing that a stimulus has been previously encountered - sense of familiarity
• Generally easier than recall, as information is contained in the cue
• Recognition can be initiated directly from a set stimuli or from a mental search of LTM store

Question 2

What is recall?

Answer 2

• Reconstruction of a stimulus using the information available from the cue and information from LTM
• Greater ‘cognitive demand’ than recognition
• Recall can be direct from the cue or arise after problem-solving strategies have been employed

Question 3

How can memory, recall and recognition all be described as?

Answer 3

• Not entirely ‘stable’

- Recall and recognition can be inaccurate

Question 4

How can someone’s memory be altered?

Answer 4

• Using specific wording, you can change people’s memory
• Participants watch a film of an accident, one includes a STOP sign, the other a YIELD sign.
• ‘How big was the stop sign by the road?’
  The participant won’t remember the fact that they saw a yield sign
• ‘How fast were the cars going when they smashed in to each other?’
  Participants will recall the cars were going faster than they actually were

Question 5

What are the two main causes of forgetting?

Answer 5

• Passage of time

- Interference

Question 6

Describe how memory is lost as a result of passage of time

Answer 6

• Rapid decay of information from WM
• Cell death leads to loss of LTM (dementia increases this rapidly)
• Usually increases as you age
• Brain neurone maturity at about 21
• Very slight decline between 21-30
• Big decline towards 80

Question 7

Describe how interference causes “forgetting”

Answer 7

• Interference to storage in WM e.g. pro-/retroactive
• Connections are remolded over time in LTM
• However, this means that perhaps you wont lose all memory, only parts of memories

Question 8

What is infantile amnesia

Answer 8

– Infantile amnasesia = inability to remember events from early childhood.
– Long term Neuronal storage mechanisms were not all fully formed at this age
– Babies at this age do not realise they are self, distinct entities of the world
– First memories usually occur between 2 and 5 years.
– Probably because brain regions responsible for episodic memory are not sufficiently developed.

Question 9

What is reminiscence bump?

Answer 9

• Reminiscence bump = preserved memories for 10 to 30 years (many first time occurrences)
• Brain preferentially gives access to positive info

Question 10

Describe normative ageing

Answer 10

• Speed of processing declines with age
• Neuronal death occurs
• Blood flow slower to reach certain regions
• Memory declines and forgetfulness increases but shouldn’t interfere with ongoing functioning