week 7 - everyday memory Flashcards
definition of memory
memory allows learning, transcending the present, storing, retaining, (active) reconstruction, and planning for the future
the ability to recall or recognise previous experience
memory trace: a mental representation of a previous experience (eg hippocampus and taxi drivers)
autobiographical memory
definition
memory for the events of one’s own life (long term)
autobiographical memory and episodic memory
similarities
both relate to personally experienced events
both susceptible to proactive and retroactive interference and unusual or distinctive events are especially well remebered
autobiographical memory and episodic memory
differences
events
autobiographical
- relates to events of personal significance
episodic
- more trivial events
autobiographical memory and episodic memory
differences
which is more organised?
autobiographical often more thought about and tend to be more organised (because hey relate to self
autobiographical memory and episodic memory
differences
which is more complex?
neuroimaging suggests autobiographical more complex and involved more brain regions
episodic memory retrival
where?
involved in medial temporal regions (incl. hippocampus)
mentalising involved the dorsal medial regions
autobiographical memory
where?
overlapped with regions associated with episodic and mentalising (involved in both)
everyday memory is related to and involved….
what is called episodic memory and semantic memory in traditional memory research
everyday memory
How? ecological validity
representative: naturalness of experiments
generlisable applicable to ones own life
where? naturalistic setting
autobiographical memory and episodic memory
differences
role of motivation
we are much more interested in our own personal history
autobiographical memory and episodic memory
differences
some aspects of autobiographiical involve semantic
research on amnesic patients
they have little or no episodic memory but recall muchh info about themselves
autobiographical memory and episodic memory
differences
some aspects of autobiographiical involve semantic
neuroimaging research
episodic autobiographical; occipital lobe and lateral parietal cortex
semantic autobiographical; middle and inferior frontal cortex
other brain regions activated by both forms of autobiographical memory (lateral temporal cortex; the hippocampus)
3 main functions of autobiographical memory
1) social function: bonding with others (shared news)
2) directive function: using past as a guide for future
3) self function: creating a sense of self continuity over time
3 main functions of autobiographical memory
support?
vranic 2018
obtained support for all 3 functions in a questionnaire based approach
3 main functions of autobiographical memory
additional function?
demiray and janssen 2013 identified an additional function
self enhancement
flashbulb memories
what
vivid and detailed personal memories of dramatic events
flashbulb memories
what is typically included
brown and kulik 1977 argued:
informant
place news was heard
ongoing event
individuals own emotional state
emotional state of others
consequences of the event for the individual
flashbulb memories
is intense emotional experience needed?
sharot 2007
compared the memories to individuals close to the world trade centre and those further away
closer to the event –> memories more vivid and detailed and involved activation of the amygdala
- suggesting intense emotional experience needed for flashbulb memory
schematic processing principle
schema
what?
integrated knowledge structure for things
captured commonly encountered aspects of life
schematic processing principle
schema
what does it allow
allows us to form expectations
helps us draw inferences
- go beyond the explicit information provided based on knowledge of the world
schematic processing principle
memory =
interaction between event and our own pre-existing schemata (general knowledge, belief, expectations)
schematic processing principle
schemas
what do they determine
determine how we process story information
determine what we remember from stories
schematic processing principle
schema
can they change?
can change and be updated overtime
schematic processing principle
remembering =
reproduction / reconstruction of an event
schematic processing principle
remembering
schema based interferences
schemas are packets of knowledge which can distort out memory
produce a coherent (but not necessarily accurate) story
rationalisations: making it in line with our own (cultural) expectations
reconstructing an event based on ‘what must have been true’
also for eyewitnesses
schematic processing principle
memory =
combination of memory traces and general world knowledge
childhood amnesia
almost total lack of autobiographical from 1st 3 years of life
childhood amnesia
explainations:
1) freud: repression
- repression of sexual feelings towards parents
2) neurological
- eg. hippocampus and frontal lobes still developing
3) underdeveloped schemas / semantic memory
4) language development
5) emergent cognitive self
- 1st need to establish concept of self
- unique and identifiable entity
- self recognition around 18 months
6) multicomponent
childhood amnesia
cross cultural differences
average age of 1st memory
3.8 for US
5.4 for chinese
and more emotional memories for US
related to how mothers talk to children and more focused on the past and more individual emphasis in the US
reminiscence bump
what
lots of memories from age 15-25
reminiscence bump
why?
neurological view
brain “peak” –> neither maturing or declining
reminiscence bump
why?
identity information view
time of important decisions (shape future)
life script/life narritive: coherent, intergrated account of who we are and why we came to be like this
sense of adult identity
reminiscence bump
why?
cognitive view
primary effect: better memory for 1st time events, less proactive interference
should also be apparent at other times when there is a great deal of change and experience
reminiscence bump
why?
cognitive view
immigrant study
reminiscence bump for those who emigrated at age 34-35 is shifted towards older ages
compared to the bump of those who emigrated between ages 20-24
accuracy of autobiographical memory?
truthful to the gist of experiences
tendency to place ourselves centre stage
tendency for favourable view of present self
accuracy of autobiographical memory?
tendency to create a coherent memory
conway 1990: questioned students before and after exams on expected grades, validity of tests, how well prepared, how important marks were
–> if better than expected: hours studies the same, more likely to to say mark was more important
—> if worse than expected: claimed to have done less work, and that grades where not as important and tests less valid
flashbulb memories
more accurate?
most research does not show higher accuracy or consistency for FM
same rate of forgetting
talarico and rubin (2003) study compared memory of 9/11 to recent everyday event
- no differences; no. of consistent details went down overtime
- but believed more strongly that the FM was accurate and said more often that it felt as if reliving the experience
flashbulb memories
why do they feel special>
because they are distinctive from other events
if remembered well probably rehearsed more often (topic of conversations)
