Memory (Psychology)

Question 1

How are memories formed?

Answer 1

1. Encoding of initial info
2. Storage (biological change)
   Consolidaition - neural synapses formed
   Long term potentiation - metabolic process enhancing synapse formation and create solid memories
3. Retrieval

Question 2

What aids us in memory retrieval?

Answer 2

Cues - stimuli that help reconstruct the initial memory

State dependent memory - stored in same context makes it easier to remember e.g. studying at the same desk may aid retrieval of memory

Interference- occurs when info in a similar format gets in the way of the information someone is trying to recall
Retroactive affects prior memory
Proactive affects current memory

Question 3

Types of memory

Answer 3

Short term -central executive (attention), phonological loop (speech based info), visuospatial sketchpad (ability to temporarily hold visual or spatial info such as location of parked car)

Working term memory - dynamic type of short term memory. E.g. whilst doing calculations you remember what you are doing

Long term memory - WTM —> rehearsal and elaboration —> storage (not perfect detail but enough to reconstruct)

Question 4

Models of memory

Answer 4

Multistore model MSM

Describes flow between the 3 permanent storage of memory
- sensory register

• Short term memory
• Long term memory

Information from sense is stored for around half a second. It is modality specific.

If attended to the sensory information moves to STM and will be encoded visually, acoustically or semantically. 5.9 items for 30 secs. Can be increased by chunking

Rehearsing can retain info in STM and consolidate is to LTM (semantic coding) From here information can be stored and retrieved for up to any duration. Thought to have unlimited capacity

Strengths: Supported by the fact that post TBI short term memory can be impaired whilst long term remains intact

Makes sense that LTM is encoded semantically e.g. you are more likely to remember the overall meaning of a lecture than the words that were heard

Weaknesses: Does not apply to procedural memory (riding a bike is probably not remember through meaning)

LTM can be split into procedural, semantic and episodic

Question 5

Describe the primary recency effect?

Answer 5

Information presented at the beginning and end of a learning episode will be remembered better than info presented in the middle

Question 6

Procedural memory

Answer 6

Type of long term memory involved in the performance of actions and skills e.g. cooking a meal, riding a bike, tying shoe laces

Question 7

Semantic memory

Answer 7

Type of long term memory involved in concepts, numbers, words

Essential of use and understanding of words

If patients lose semantic memory they may struggle with knowledge of everyday objects and have trouble communicating

Question 8

Declarative memory

Answer 8

Devoted to the processing of names, dates, places, events
and facts etc

Entities that are thought of as being encoded symbolically, so are declared, rather than performed. E.g. important life events, who came for dinner last night

Includes Semantic and episodic

Question 9

Episodic memory

Answer 9

Autobiographical memory

e.g. remembering what your partner said to you when you first met

To do with personal experience

Question 10

Compare recognition with recall

Answer 10

Recognition - Cue, sensing stimuli that as been encountered before

Recall - Reconstruction of an original stimuli. Less accurate, can be manipulated

Question 11

Why do we forget?

Answer 11

Bio connections degrade –> we start losing our working term memory

Interference

Amnesia can be caused by -tissue damage
- substances
- repression/loss

Question 12

Types of amnesia

Answer 12

Anterograde amnesia- cannot form new memories

retrograde - cannot remember past events