week 4.Chapter7 Encoding & Retrieval

Question 1

Unconscious Memories

Answer 1

Has been proven with some patients with amnesia, see puzzle for “first” time every time, yet time to solve improves. Therefore something unconsious must be retained. eg Mirror Drawing (where can only see own hand in mirror) improves subsequently.

Question 2

Retrieval Paths

Answer 2

How info was LEARNT paves way for how can be RETRIEVED. There are different retrieval paths.
eg RECALL ie what was the name of……
eg RECOGNISE ie was the name perhaps Miller….?
eg TOOLS such as Did it rhyme with Tiller…?

Question 3

Context-Dependent Learning

Answer 3

Studies have shown that test results are best, when learning conditions and test conditions match. Can even be helpful to simply bring to mind the learning environment, prior to doing the test (such a strategy= Context Reinstatement).

Question 4

Test Yourself

1. What does Context-Dependent Learning tell us about the nature of Retrieval Paths?
2. In what ways is a Retrieval Pathlike an “ordinary path or highway” leading to a particular city?

Answer 4

1. Tells us that retrieval paths are facilitated by conditions mimicking those of learning, and impeded by differences. Thus the retrieval path itself is dynamic and able to be improved upon.
2. Is similar because is hard to arrive without signposts, or conditions of similarity b/n learning and retrieval. An established route is necessary.

Question 5

Encoding Specificity

Answer 5

This refers to how words are remembered in context.ie “piano” may be described in a sentence as “the man lifted the piano”, or “the man tuned the piano”. Later, the prompts of “something heavy”, or “a musical instrument” are only useful to recall “piano” in the matching context of how learnt.
Memory is not merely the data, but also the connections developed when absorbing the data (the context).

Question 6

The Memory Network

Answer 6

The idea that memory connections are a network, with a concept/idea being a NODE, and nodes being linked via ASSOCIATIONS. The theory of SPREADING ACTIVATION says the nodes will be activated when reach THRESHOLD. SUBTHRESHOLD ACTIVATIONS may be summed to obtain threshold. Memories may be activated node to node via SPREADING ACTIVATION.

Question 7

Retrieval Cues

Answer 7

Cues may aid memory retrieval. 2 activation areas may together provide spark of activation/recognition that was insufficient with a single area of activation. eg Capital of South Dakota= Pierre. Q capital of South Dakota?
a. Activation of US knowledge PLUS
b. Cue of “is also a man’s name
Therefore TOGETHER the node “Pierre” is activated.

Question 8

Semantic Priming

Answer 8

A word might generate spreading activation to related words, therefore faster time in recognising 2nd word etc.

Question 9

test yourself

1. What is subthreshold activation of a memory node? what role does subthreshold activation play in explaining why retrieval hints are helpful?
2. How does semantic priming illustrate the effectiveness of subthreshold activation?

Answer 9

1. Subthreshold activation of a memory node is where there is a memory, it has had some activation, but insufficient for threshold and memory retrieval. Retrieval hints are helpful, as may arouse activation, such that together, these activations allow threshold and memory retrieval.
2. Recognition times are faster when recognising related words (as opposed to unrelated ones).

Question 10

Recall

Answer 10

Memory retrieval task. Need to search memory and come up with an answer. eg Where was I last Saturday?

Question 11

Recognition

Answer 11

Memory retrieval task. Does not require Source Memory but relies on a sense of familiarity. eg Is this the man who robbed you?

Question 12

Familiarity

Answer 12

Feels familiar, but may not know where from…some vague remembrance. Brain areas involved are Rhinal Cortex or Anterior Parahippocampus.

Question 13

Source Memory

Answer 13

Type of Recall.Know where encountered.The hippocampus is involved.

Question 14

test yourself

What evidence indicates that Source memory and Familiarity are distinct from each other?

Answer 14

When see a familiar face but cannot recall from where…. this demonstrates

a) a memory of familiarity but
b) a lack of knowledge of source. Therefore the memories are separate.

Question 15

Explicit Memory

Answer 15

This is where participant consciously remembers. eg. standard recall/recognition tests. Tested by Direct Memory Testing.

Question 16

Implicit Memory

Answer 16

Participant does not consciously remember but shows their behaviour has been influenced by previous encounter. Usually revealed via Indirect Memory Testing. Often takes the form of a Priming Effect. sometimes demonstrated with Word Stem Completeion test etc.
Implicit memories may give a vague feeling of familiarity, but this feeling of where comes from, is open to interpretation in regards source of significance.

Question 17

Capgras Syndrome

Answer 17

The erroneous belief that someone familiar has been replaced by an impostor.

Question 18

Source Confusion

Answer 18

Even things previously known/believed to be false, can later be accepted as likely true, simply because of that nagging sense of having seen/heard it before. ie False claims/innuendos, gain credibility with repetition!
Implicit Memory may be attributed to wrong source; eg a study showed a staged crime to a witness, later showed mug shots (but did not show perpetrators), later shown a line up and asked to id perpetrators;29% falsely accused a non perpetrator (but whose mug shot was familiar from previous viewing. THIS PATTERN= SOURCE CONFUSION.

Question 19

test yourself

What is the role of Implicit Memory in explaining the False Fame Effect?

Answer 19

Might convince yourself someone is famous because you have a sense of familiarity about them-but this may be simply because have encountered them recently (even as a stooge in psych test earlier). Implicit Memory gives the sense of familiarity, and you do the rest by jumping to conclusions.

Question 20

Cryptoplagiarism

Answer 20

Unconsciously “creating” something but it is actually a copy of something unremembered, yet previously encountered.

Question 21

Processing Fluency

Answer 21

Memory connections form Processing Pathways. The more frequent the pathway is used, the greater the Processing Fluency.
Processing Fluency may be perceived as “that rang a bell” or “that was special”. “That was special” can also be perceived when there is a changein something eg something different about someone’s appearance…

Question 22

Sense of Familiarity

Answer 22

Familiarity is actually an unconscious judgement. May be correct, and may have source memory to support it, but can also be incorrect and stimulus may have been manipulated (therefore perception easier, therefore fluency therefore stimulus registered as “special”.. ie illusion of familiarity.

Question 23

test yourself

In what sense is Familiarity more like a conclusion that you draw, as opposed to a feeling triggered by a stimulus?

Answer 23

Familiarity is more of a conclusion as it has the thought “I have encountered this….” A feeling triggered by the stimulus would be more basic, eg pain, bright, new…..

Question 24

Hierarchy of Memory Types

Answer 24

Explicit Memory (conscious) types:
-Episodic Memory (for events)
-Semantic Memory (general knowledge)
Implicit Memory (unconscious) types:
-Procedural Memory (how to do things)
-Priming (changes in perception/belief due to previous experience)
-Perceptual Learning (perceptions adjusted based on experience)
-Classical Conditioning (learning associated with strong stimuli).

Question 25

Retrograde Amnesia

Answer 25

Memories prior to event disrupted. eg cannot remember immediately prior to being hit on the head etc.

Question 26

Anterograde Amnesia

Answer 26

Memories after event are disrupted. (difficulty forming new memories). Even in severe anterograde amnesia, some new Implicit Memory is posible egpin concealed in handshake, patient refused to subsequently shake hands despite meeting for “first” time….

Question 27

Korsakoff’s Syndrome

Answer 27

form of anterograde amnesia due to thiamine (B1) deficiency in long term alcoholics. Can be very severe (no new memories).

Question 28

Amnesia-implicit or explicit damage?

Answer 28

In Amnesia, one may keep Episodic Memory and lose Semantic Memory or vice versa. May even lose knowledge of many common words, yet be very specific about describing a particular recounted event..
eg 2 patients shown a blue light stimulus, followed reliably by a boat horn, but green, yellow or red no horn, Later shown just blue light and arousal level measured. Patient A damage to hippocampus-showed fear reaction to blue light but when asked “Which colour did the horn follow?”, did not know. (ie disrupted explicit memory but a normal learnt fear response). Patient B damage to ammgydala; no fear response, but could report the horn followed the blue light (disrupted implicit memory (did not learn fear) but intact explicit memory.
Hippocampal damage may appear normal on indirect memory testing but may be amnesiac on direct memory testing.
Amygdala damage may appear normalon direct memory testing but may be amnesiac on indirect memory.