Module 6 - Long-Term Memory Structure Flashcards
What are the three key processes involved in memory?
The three key processes involved in memory are:
● Encoding: The process of getting information into long-term memory.
● Storage: The process of maintaining information in memory over time.
● Retrieval: The process of accessing and bringing information from LTM back into consciousness
What is the serial position curve? What are the primacy and recency effects?
A serial position curve is created by presenting a list of words to a participant, one after the other, and then asking them to write down all the words they can remember. When the percentage of participants that recalled each word is plotted against its position in the list, memory is better for words at the beginning and end of a list than for words in the middle.
● Primacy effect: People are more likely to remember words at the beginning of a list. This is because there is more time to rehearse these words, allowing them to be transferred to LTM.
● Recency effect: People are more likely to remember words at the end of a list. This is because these words are still in STM
What are the three main types of coding in memory?
● Visual coding: Coding in the mind in the form of a visual image.
● Auditory coding: Coding in the mind in the form of a sound.
● Semantic coding: Coding in the mind in terms of meaning
Describe how evidence from brain-damaged patients supports the distinction between STM and LTM.
Studies of patients with brain damage have provided evidence for the distinction between STM and LTM:
● Patient H.M. had his hippocampus removed and was unable to form new LTMs, although his STM was intact. This suggests that the hippocampus is crucial for LTM formation.
● Patient K.F. had damage to his parietal lobe and had poor STM, but normal LTM. This suggests that the parietal lobe is involved in STM.
The cases of H.M. and K.F. are examples of a double dissociation, which provides strong evidence that STM and LTM are served by separate brain regions
What is the role of the hippocampus in memory?
● The hippocampus is traditionally associated with the formation of new long-term memories.
● More recent research suggests the hippocampus may also play a role in maintaining novel information in STM during short delays
Distinguish between episodic and semantic memory
● Episodic memory involves remembering specific events from one’s past. It is often described as “mental time travel” as if we are reliving the experience. Examples: remembering your first day at school, a recent holiday, or what you had for dinner last night.
● Semantic memory involves general knowledge about the world. It is not tied to a specific time or place. Examples: knowing the capital of France, the rules of grammar, or the meaning of words.
What evidence supports the distinction between episodic and semantic memory?
● Neuropsychological evidence:
○ Patient K.C. suffered damage to his hippocampus and lost his episodic memory but retained semantic memory.
○ Patient L.P. suffered encephalitis and lost her semantic memory but retained her episodic memory.
○ These cases represent a double dissociation, suggesting that episodic and semantic memory involve different brain regions.
● Brain imaging evidence: Levine’s fMRI study showed that retrieving episodic and semantic memories activate different brain areas, suggesting distinct neural mechanisms for each type of memory
How do episodic and semantic memories interact?
● Semantic knowledge influences episodic memory: Our existing knowledge (semantic memory) shapes how we experience and remember events (episodic memory). For example, if you know a lot about football, you are likely to remember more details from a football game.
● Autobiographical memory: This type of memory combines elements of both episodic and semantic memory. It includes personal events from our lives and factual information related to these events. For example, remembering your wedding day would involve both episodic details (e.g., the dress you wore, the food you ate) and semantic details (e.g., the date, the location).
● Personal significance: Semantic memories with personal relevance are easier to remember. For example, you are more likely to remember the name of a famous actor if you have watched many of their films and have a strong opinion about their work.
What are implicit memories?
Implicit memories are memories that we are not aware of. They influence our behaviour without conscious recollection.
Here are three types of implicit memory:
● Procedural memory: Memory for skills and actions. For example, riding a bike, tying your shoelaces, playing a musical instrument.
● Priming: When exposure to one stimulus influences our response to another stimulus. For example, if you see the word “doctor”, you are likely to respond faster to the word “nurse” than to an unrelated word like “table”.
● Classical conditioning: When a neutral stimulus is paired with a stimulus that elicits a response, the neutral stimulus eventually elicits the same response
What is the difference between explicit and implicit memory?
● Explicit memories are memories that we are aware of, and can consciously recall and describe. These are also known as declarative memories.
● Implicit memories are memories that we are not aware of, but they influence our behaviour without conscious recollection
How does the constructive episodic simulation hypothesis link episodic memory to future thinking?
The constructive episodic simulation hypothesis proposes that we use episodic memories to imagine and simulate possible future scenarios. This helps us to anticipate needs and plan our actions.
Describe the remember/know procedure and how it distinguishes between episodic and semantic memory.
The remember/know procedure is a technique used to assess the nature of a memory. Participants are presented with a stimulus and asked to indicate whether they:
● Remember: They can recall specific details about the event or the circumstances in which they learned the information. This suggests an episodic memory.
● Know: The information feels familiar but they cannot recall any specific details. This suggests a semantic memory.
This procedure helps researchers distinguish between memories based on recollection (episodic) and familiarity (semantic)
