Trace-Decay Theory of Forgetting Flashcards
Trace-decay theory applies to both?
STM & LTM stores.
What do memories have?
A physical trace.
Without rehearsal, what happens to the trace?
It deteriorates until it is finally lost.
If memories are stored in the brain, what must occur in the brain?
Structural changes.
What are these structural changes called?
Engrams.
What are engrams subject to?
Neurological decay.
What happens as an engram decays?
The memory disappears and forgetting occurs.
How are traces renewed?
Through repetition & rehearsal of the information.
What does renewing the trace do?
It reinstates the engram.
When something is first learned, the trace is?
Fragile
What happens after further learning?
The engram becomes more solid and is less likely to be destroyed.
What does physiological evidence support?
The idea that there is a physical trace in the brain.
Who proposed the idea of an engram?
Donald Hebb
Wilder Penfield probed the brains of epileptic patients. What did evidence show?
That there are areas of the brain that hold particular memories.
