Understanding Memory and Forgetting

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to the biology of memory and forgetting, including the mechanisms of memory formation and the factors influencing recall.

Long Term Potentiation (LTP)

A biological process that enhances synaptic strength and is crucial for learning and memory consolidation.

Hippocampus

A region of the brain associated with the formation of new memories and spatial navigation.

Amygdala

A brain structure involved in the processing of emotions, especially fear, and memory.

Cortisol

A hormone released in response to stress that affects memory and emotional responses.

Yerkes-Dodson Law

A principle suggesting that optimal performance is achieved at an intermediate level of arousal, which is affected by cortisol levels.

Retroactive Interference

A phenomenon where new information interferes with the recall of older information.

Proactive Interference

A phenomenon where past memories interfere with the storage and retrieval of new memories.

Engram

The physical representation of a memory in the brain.

Anterograde Amnesia

A condition in which a person is unable to form new memories after a traumatic event.

Retrograde Amnesia

A condition where a person cannot recall memories from before a specific event.

Infant Amnesia

The inability of adults to retrieve accurate memories from early childhood.

Motivated Forgetting

Deliberate attempt to forget memories that are deemed distressing or traumatic.

Repression

A psychoanalytic concept where distressing memories are unconsciously blocked from awareness.

Dissociation

A psychological condition where individuals cannot recall information about themselves.

Eidetic Memory

An ability to vividly remember images or information with high precision.

Savant Syndrome

A condition in which an individual with a mental disability demonstrates profound and prodigious capacities in a specific area.