Cognition U1: Memory errors

Roediger & McDermott (1995): main finding?

Critical associates (not presented) were 'recalled' and recognized with relatively high probability: 'illusion of memory'; recall and recognition are subject to intrusions.

Roediger & McDermott: serial position curve?

U-shaped: high at start (primacy), low in the middle, high at end (recency). Studied words .65; critical non-presented item .40.

Primacy vs. recency effect?

Primacy: superior recall for first items. Recency: superior recall for last items.

Why are middle list items forgotten?

Interference; it appeared to be greater on particular list items.

Consolidation?

A physiological process involved in establishing long-term memories.

Synaptic consolidation?

Synapses are strengthened; complete within hours.

Systems consolidation?

Memory representation migrates to the cortex; can take one to two decades.

Memory vulnerability before systems consolidation?

Memories are vulnerable to subjective influences and inaccurate storage.

Proactive interference?

Disruption of memory from previous learning: previously learned info disrupts use of newly learned info.

Retroactive interference?

Disruption of memory from learning during the retention interval: newly learned info disrupts older info.

How does LTM interference relate to STM effects?

LTM interference can be compared to the primacy and recency effects in STM forgetting.

How do autobiographical memories differ from other LTMs?

They may be less accurate, and learning is less effortful/more implicit.

The 'working self'?

Determines (in part) the importance/salience of events (relevance, use); influences autobiographical memory accuracy; individual differences exist.

Flashbulb memory?

Vivid, detailed memories of dramatic, significant events (positive or negative); consolidated faster, similar accuracy to general autobiographical memories.

Reminiscence bump (Rubin et al., 1998)?

Events from early adulthood are remembered best; possible reasons: salience or less interference.

False memory?

Apparent recovered memories that refer to imagined rather than genuine events (different from recovered memories, which may be genuine).

Memory is reconstructive: when can errors happen?

During encoding, retrieval, and reconsolidation.

Schacter's (2002) 'Seven Sins' (3 covered)?

Suggestibility, bias, transience.

Suggestibility?

Incorporation of misinformation into memory due to leading questions, deception, other causes.

Loftus & Palmer (1974)?

Film + follow-up questions; wording of the question (e.g., 'contacted' to 'smashed') changed estimated speed: post-event misinformation effect; relevant to eyewitness testimony.

Bias?

Retrospective memory distortions based on current knowledge and beliefs; a tendency to think in certain ways that can cause systematic deviations from rational judgment; can be a shortcut.

Confirmation bias?

Distortions of memory caused by the influence of expectations about what is likely to have happened.

Lindholm & Christianson (1998)?

Schema-based biases: participants watched a staged bank robbery video with Swedish and immigrant 'perpetrators.'

Transience?

Decreasing accessibility of memory over time.

Amnesia?

Severe loss of declarative (especially episodic) memory; nondeclarative usually spared.

Retrograde vs. anterograde amnesia?

Retrograde: impaired memory for events before onset. Anterograde: impaired memory for events after onset.

Patient H.M.?

Hippocampus removed; his pattern of deficits supported a distinction between STM and LTM.

Binding hypothesis of amnesia?

Amnesia results from post-injury difficulty forming associations among concepts or pieces of information.

Hyperthymesia?

Exceptional autobiographical memory (e.g., Marilu Henner, who uses associations between calendar dates and autobiographical info); brain differences in temporal lobe (incl. hippocampus) and caudate nucleus.

Alternative view of hyperthymesia (Jill Price)?

Is it beneficial? Forgetting may be a protective mechanism.