Exam #3 APSY Study Guide

Memory

Ability store and recall information

3 Steps of Memory

Encoding, Consolidation, Retrieval

Encoding

Process of getting information into memory

Consolidation

Process of stabilizing and storing memory over time

Types of Memory

Episodic, Semantic, Procedural, Emotional

Episodic Memory

Memory of personal experiences and events

ex: your birthday

Semantic Memory

Memory of facts and knowledge

ex: 5×4=20

Procedural Memory

Memory of skills and actions
ex: riding a bike

Emotional Memory

Feelings tied to memories

Example: Feeling nervous before a test

Sensory memory

Very brief storage of sensory information (seconds)

Short term memory (STM)

Temporary storage of information lasting about 15–30 seconds with limited capacity

Working memory

Active processing and manipulation of information

Long term memory (LTM)

Storage of information over long periods with large capacity

Memory Systems in Order

Sensory, short term, working, long term

Case Study: H.M.

Could not form new memories due to hippocampus removal

Hippocampus

Brain region responsible for forming new memories

Cerebral cortex

Brain region responsible for storing long-term memories

Basal ganglia

Brain region responsible for habits and procedural memory

Classical conditioning sequence

US → UR
US + CS
CS → CR

Example
Food → salivate
Food + bell
Bell → salivate

Operant conditioning

Learning where behavior is shaped by consequences

Fixed ratio

Reinforcement after a set number of responses

Variable ratio

Reinforcement after an unpredictable number of responses

Fixed interval

Reinforcement after a fixed amount of time

Variable interval

Reinforcement after unpredictable time intervals

Hippocampus Circuit Pathway

Entorhinal cortex → Dentate gyrus → CA3 → CA1 → Entorhinal cortex

Skill learning shift

Prefrontal/motor cortex → Basal ganglia

LTP steps

Glutamate release → AMPA activation → Na+ influx → Mg2+ block removed → Ca2+ influx → CaMKII activation → more AMPA receptors → stronger synapse

LTD steps

Low activation → low Ca2+ influx → activation of signaling pathways → removal of AMPA receptors → weaker synapse

Long-Term Potentiation (LTP)

Strengthening of synaptic connections through increased neural activity

Long-Term Depression (LTD)

Weakening of synaptic connections due to low neural activity

Stimulus-driven attention type (bottom-up)

Automatic attention to noticeable or salient stimuli

Goal-directed attention type (top-down)

Controlled attention directed by goals and intentions

Decay

Loss of memory over time due to fading of the memory trace

Loss of cues

Inability to retrieve a memory due to missing or weakened retrieval cues

Interference

Forgetting caused by competing information or memories

Motivated forgetting

Intentional or unconscious suppression of unwanted memories

Engram

Group of neurons storing memory

Place cells

Neurons that activate for specific locations in an environment

Retrieval cues

Stimuli that help trigger the recall of a memory

Explicit memory

Conscious memory of facts and experiences

Implicit memory

Unconscious memory that influences behavior