Unit 10 - The Remembering Brain Flashcards
What is plasticity? What does it form the basis of? When is it strongest?
The brain’s ability to change because of experience
Memory
During childhood
What is short-term memory (STM)? What does it have that is limited?
Memory for information currently held “in mind”
Its capacity
What is long-term memory? How is its capacity? What two types of memory can it be divided into?
Memory for information that is stored but need not be consciously accessible
Essentially unlimited
Declarative and Nondeclarative Memory
Is the idea that short-term and long-term memory could be different types of memory (with different stores) evoked for different periods of time a misconception? Why?
Yes, this is a misconception.
Since psychologists do not distinguish between the two based on time.
Can short-term memory be regarded as a single entity? Is it essential for all long-term learning? Why, for both?
No, short-term memory cannot be regarded as a single entity, and is not essential for all long-term learning
Different types of short-term memory exist (e.g., verbal and viso-spatial), and can be held in mind concurrently.
Some types of long-term learning are possible despite impaired short-term memory
What is working memory?
A system for the temporary storage and manipulation of information
What are the three components of Baddeley and Hitch’s model of working memory? Why was the episodic buffer added to this model? What type of model is this?
2 storage components, one for verbal material (phonological loop) and one for visual material (visuo-spatial sketchpad)
3rd component, central executive, coordinates the storage components and cognition in general
For maintaining and manipulating information from episodic long-term memory
Of working memory
What is an alternative approach to short-term memory? How common is this approach?
- There are no short-term stores (e.g., no verbal/visual stores)
- Working memory is just the temporary activation of long-term memories
Most common
What is phonological short-term memory synonymous to? How is its capacity limitation studied?
Verbal working memory
Through span tasks
What are span tasks? What is reduced capacity in these tasks linked to? What does this imply?
Involve participants reading a sequence of, e.g., digits and then repeating them back immediately after brief retention
Problems in learning new words
That phonological STM may be important for new phonological LTM
What does the phonological/articulatory loop in span tasks involve?
A phonological store and a rehearsal mechanism (based on saying words in the head) that refreshes the store
What is articulatory suppression? What impact does it have on span capacity?
Silently mouthing words while performing some other task (typically a memory task)
Reduces it
What impacted the capacity limitation on visuo-spatial short-term memory tasks more, nr of visual features or nr of visual objects/locations?
The latter
What is declarative/explicit memory? What are the two types of memories it can be divided into?
Memories that can be consciously accessed and can hence typically be declared - things one knows they can tell others
Semantic and Episodic Memories
What is semantic memory? Example?
Conceptually-based knowledge about the world, including knowledge of people, places, the meaning of objects and words
Current president of NL
What is episodic memory? Example?
Memory of specific events in one’s own life
One’s feelings during an exam
What is nondeclarative/implicit memory? What are the two primary subdomains of this type of memory?
Memories that cannot be consciously accessed - things one knows they can show by doing
Procedural memory and perceptual representation systems
What is procedural memory (skill learning)? Why is it non-declarative?
Memory for skills such as riding a bike
Contents of memory are not amenable to verbal report
What are perceptual representation systems? Why are they memory systems? Where does evidence for perceptual learning come from?
Systems used by the brain for perceiving sounds, words, objects, etc.
Since they store knowledge of the perceptual world and are capable of learning
Priming
What is priming?
The fact that information is easier to access if it has recently been encountered
What is non-associative learning / habituation?
When there is a reduction in response to a specific stimulus after repeated exposures to it
What is regarded as personal semantic memory?
Facts about oneself
What is amnesia? Which types of memory does it affect and which does it not? What can cause amnesia?
The loss of memories such as facts, information, and experiences
Short-term memory is spared;
Non-declarative memory - spared;
Declarative memory - impaired;
Episodic memory - certainly impaired;
Semantic memory - typically impaired (learning maybe possible, but at a slower rate);
Anything damaging the brain, such as strokes, head injuries, drugs, traumatic events, Alzherimer’s, viral infections
What is meant by amnesia being a heterogeneous disorder?
That patients differ in terms of severity and qualitative aspects
What is anterograde memory?
Memory for events that occurred after brain damage
What is anterograde memory?
Memory for events that occurred before brain damage
