Memory (Chapter 7) Flashcards
Consolidation
The process of converting short-term memories into long-term memories in the brain
Reconsolidation
is a process in which the hippocampus functions to update, strengthen or modfify existing long-term memories
Maintenance rehearsal
prolonging exposure to information by repeating it
-research suggests its how we rehearse the information that counts not how long
-instead one should Think about the meaning of information
elaborative rehearsal
prolonging exposure to information by thinking about its meaning
levels of processing
shallow processing - more superficial properties of a stimulus
deep processing - related to an items meaning of function
self reference effort
occurs when you think about information in terms of how it relates to you or how useful it is to you
recognition
identifying a stimulus or piece of information when it Is presented to you
recall
retrieving information when asked, but without that information being present during the retrieval process
-Ex short response questions
context-dependent memory
retrieval is more effective when it takes place in the same physical setting as encoding
-fMRI studies have found increases activity in the hippocampus and parts of the prefrontal cortex in which the memory was encoded
limitations
returning a person to the context in which they encoded information can increase the number of false positives (police investigations)
encoding specificity principle
retrieval is more effective when it occurs in the same context as encoding
context- dependent learning
retrieval is more effective when it takes place in the physical setting (context) as encoding
State-dependent memory
retrieval is more effective when internal conditions match those experienced during encoding
mood-dependent memory
we remember better If their mood at retrieval matches their mood during encoding
Does emotion improve memory?
study by Nelson, 2 groups remembered same percentage of words and then watched videos unrelated to list. group who watched more emotional videos recalled more words from the list.
desirable difficulties
techniques that make studying slower and more effortful but result in better overall remembering
testing effect, retrieval practice, active recall, practice testing, test enhanced learning
the finding that taking a practice teat can improve exam performance even without additional studying
constructive memory
a process by which we first recall a generalized schema and then add in specific details
infantile amnesia
inability to remember anything before age 3
need to develop schemas 18-24 months
self-schemas in adults links with depression
false memory
remembering events that did not occur or incorrectly recalling details of an event
the misinformation effect
when information occurring after an event becomes part of the memory for that event
Elizabeth Loftus: memories can be altered by the mere phrasing of a question
children are more likely
eyewitnesses
are fallible
recovered memories
freudian psychoanalysis
repression
recovered memory controversy
debate over validity
Beth Rutherford
memory
is a collection of several different systems that store information in different forms for differing amounts of time
-describes encoding, storage and retrieval of learned information
memory model
information flows into sensory memory then into short term where rehearsal encodes it into long-term.
-memories are retrieved from long-term memory and brought into short term for further processing
sensory memory
is a memory store that accurately holds perceptual information for a very brief amount of time
visual form of sensory memory
iconic memory
lasts for 1/2-1 seconds
auditory form of sensory memory
echoic memory lasts 5-10 seconds
short term memory
limited capacity and duration (30 seconds)
Magical number (STM)
7+_ 2
- STM can only rehearse 7 units of information before forgetting something
-to expand information use chuncking
chuncking: organizing smaller units of information into larger, more meaningful units
long term memory
is a memory store that holds information for extended periods of time
-has no capacity limitations
all info undergo encoding will be entered into LTM
-stored into different systems bases on the type of information that is stored
declarative (LTM) memories
AKA explicit memories. memories we are consciously aware of
-semantic and episodic
semantic; effective receive of memory (knowledges and concepts)
episodic; vivid memory out of context
non declarative (LTM) memories
AKA implicit memories include actions or behaviors that you can remember and preform without awareness
-procedural and conditioning
-procedural; skills and actions
conditioning; emotional
the serial position effect
memory for the order is often superior at the start of the list (primacy effect) and items at the end of the list (recency effect)
proactive interference
a process in which the first information learned occupies memory, leaving fewer resources left to remember the newer information
retroactive interference
the most recently learned information overshadows some other memories that have not yet made it into long term memory
what results in poorer memory performance for the items in the middle of a list?
interferences
rehearsal
repeating information until you don’t have to remember it anymore
working memory
a model of short term remembering that includes a combination of memory components that temporality store small amounts of information for a shop period of time
the phonological loop
storage component of working memory
-relies on rehearsal and that stores information as sounds or as auditory codes
-engages portions of the brain that specializes in speech and hearing
world-length effect
people remember more one syllable words than for our five
the visuospatial sketch pad
storage component of working memory
-maintains visual images and spatial layouts in a visuospatial code
-keeps you up to date on where objects are around you and where you intend to go
-engages part of the brain related to perception of vision and space and doesn’t affect memory for sounds
-items stored can be counted as shape, color and textures
feature binding
the process of combining visual features into a single unit.
-after visual feature binding, visuospatial memory can accurately retain four whole objects
retrograde amnesia
memory of events before trauma is lost
anterograde amnesia
after injury, inability to form new memories
cross-cortical storage
a phenomenon where long-term declarative memories are distributed throughout the cortex of the brain rather than being localized in one region
long term potentiation (LTP)
an enduring increase in connectivity and transmission of neural signal between nerve cells that fire together
induced by repeated and intense activation between 2 neurons
Hebbs postulate
neurons that fire together, wire together
memory at cellular level
following the invitation of LTP in hippocampal neurons, new dendritic spines are formed
