Biological Bases of Behaviour & Memory: Module One

Memory

Recording past experiences for present use.

Episodic Memory

Memory of personal experiences and events.

Semantic Memory

Memory of facts and general knowledge.

Autobiographical Memory

Memory of personal life history.

Emotional Memory

Memory influenced by emotional experiences.

Encoding

Converting information into a storable format.

Storage

Maintaining memory traces over time.

Retrieval

Accessing stored memories when needed.

Ebbinghaus's Forgetting Curve

Rapid initial memory loss, then stabilization.

Nonsense Syllables

Used by Ebbinghaus to test memory retention.

Short-Term Memory (STM)

Holds 7±2 items for 15-20 seconds.

Long-Term Memory (LTM)

Stores information indefinitely.

Serial Position Effect

Recall influenced by item position in sequence.

Anterograde Amnesia

Inability to form new long-term memories.

Retrograde Amnesia

Loss of past memories before an event.

Working Memory

Active processing system for temporary information.

Central Executive

Directs attention and manages cognitive resources.

Phonological Loop

Handles verbal and auditory information.

Visuospatial Sketchpad

Processes visual and spatial information.

Episodic Buffer

Integrates information from different memory systems.

Elaborative Rehearsal

Links new information to existing knowledge.

Maintenance Rehearsal

Repetition of information to keep it active.

Memory Consolidation

Stabilizing memories in long-term storage.

Schemas

Cognitive frameworks for organizing information.

Interference

Competing memories disrupt recall and learning.

Source Monitoring Errors

Misattributing the origin of a memory.

Hebb's Law

Cells that fire together wire together.

Neurotoxins

Substances that disrupt neuronal signaling.