Topic 8 - Everyday Memory Flashcards
Autobiographical memory
regarding the personal past is complex memory as it contains both semantic and episodic information.
What are the two perspective to look through for autobiographical memory
Field and observer perspective
Field perspective
(Your not there)
- reliving the experience through your own eyes
- new memories
Observer perspective
(You are there)
- your remember yourself in that scene (physical impossibility)
- older more distant memories
Which brain regions are involved in autobiographical memory?
1) parietal cortex
2) prefrontal cortex
3) hippocampus
Whihc brain regions are more active in what kind of perspective?
Parietal cortex, prefrontal cortex, and hippocampus are all more active during FIELD perspective
1) parietal cortex
2) prefrontal cortex
3) hippocampus
1) parietal cortex
- related to scene processing
2) prefrontal cortex
- related to processing self
3) hippocampus
- related to recollection / mental time travel
REMINISCENCE bump
Increase in recollection of memories in the past life span form ages 10 - 30.
- large percentage of remembered memories are form this stage in life.
What are the hypothesis that explain the reminiscence bump?
1) self-image hypothesis
2) cognitive hypothesis
3) cultural life script hypothesis
1) self-image hypothesis
- around this time, most ‘firsts’ that will ever occur in your life
- ## develop stable sense of self
2) cognitive hypothesis
- encoding is best during times of change followed by periods of stability.
- after 30, life is very stable, less recollection as its all very routine
3) cultural life script hypothesis
- social influences tell us that certain memories are expected to be remembered and should be important to us
- like our teen years and college years
Which is more remembered? Unemotional or emotional memory?
Emotional memory
Why are emotional memories more memorable then unemotional memories?
Because of valence and arousal
Valence and arousal
Valence : positive pro negative
Arousal: clam or excited
diff experiences give diff combos of these
What is critically involved in the processing of emotional memories
Amygdala and cortisol release
The amygdala appears critically involved in the
processing of emotional information relative to non-emotional information
Case study BP had amygdala damage and after in reporting memories for an emotional story,
did not show the enhancement effect for emotional content
___________ is released after an emotional episode and such hormones contribute to the consolidation of memories.
Stress hormone (e.g., cortisol)
Flash bulb:
rare and highly emotional shocking events. The memory quality for these kinds of events are critical in terms of remembering who we are and how we should act when going forward, may be crucial for our own survival.
Now Print principle:
idea that we need to have an accurate copy of this very important info, may be critical for survival as a species.
• Now print principle is challenged by individuals who
look systematically at flashbulb memories, because this flashbulb memories don’t seem to be immune to the kinds of reconstruction we normally experience (in terms of flask memories, forgetting etc..). So flash bulb memories are unique in that respect.
In what ways are flashbulb memories unique?
In that they are not immune to the kinds of reconstruction we normally experience (like everyday forgetting)
When it comes to studying flash bulb memories, researchers must
act very quickly because you cannot control when a flashbulb memory occurs, and they need to collect data almost immediately after.
When the same person recalled their memories of the challenger explosion, the statement made a day after and 3 years later were
Very different.
- providing evidence that flashbulb memories quality is no better then everyday memories.
TV report in the challenger experiment
A day after 25%
3 years later 50%
Average consistency = 2.95/7
Evidence that’s theres reconstruction in flashbulb memories and filling in the gaps of parts that may be missing
OJ Simpson trial
- Both the statements were different and not consistent with one another.
- More evidence of reconstruction
PRESIDENT BUSH’S FALSE FLASHBULB MEMORY OF 9/11/01
Memory 1
- I saw an airplane hit the tower
- Card said ‘A second plane has hit the tower”
Memory 2
- senior advisor Karl Rove bringing him the news [of the first plane hitting the North Tower]
- Bush was seated on a stool in the classroom when
- Card whispered the news: ‘A second plane hit the second tower’”
Memory 3 “I had seen this plane fly into the first building. […] and Andy Card came and said, ‘America is under attack’”
What are the four aspects of bushes memories on 9-11?
1) visual image salience
2) narrative
3) crash 1 VS crash 2
4) event - time problem
1) visual image salience:
- ppl not at the scene and saw footage have the MOST salient perception that day.
- this acts as a starting point for the flashbulb memory
“What’s the most likely way i experience the event?”
2) Narrative:
- reconstructive narratives / expectations bleed into the original perception
- first you see or hear the news
- bush was first TOLD about it, the he saw it. This causes conflict since he received the info first hand.
3) crash 1 VS crash 2:
He was told about the first crash, then he saw the second crash.
- there is a salient visual image for the second crash BUT NOT FOR THE FIRST CRASH. Therefore the second crash is more robust and memories of the first crash are fragile
- scaffolding memory on the bade of available cues impacts the quality of that specific memory
4) event - time problem
Problems in reconstruction due to incorrect time stamping of memory - causing a change in memory for the event
- wrong time stamp = remember event wrong (crash 1)
