Psyc110 Final Exam Notes

Hippocampal Place Cells

Brain cells in the hippocampus that help track locations and create a mental map of the environment.

Grid Cells

Cells found in the entorhinal cortex that fire in a triangular pattern, allowing the brain to measure distances and movement.

Habit Learning

The process where actions become automatic through repetition, like driving a familiar route.

Spatial Learning

Learning about the environment and remembering locations, often requiring the hippocampus.

Morris Water Maze

A test where rats learn to find a hidden platform in water to study spatial memory and the hippocampus's role.

Episodic Memory

Personal memories of events, such as recalling what you ate for breakfast.

Semantic Memory

General knowledge and facts, like knowing that the Earth orbits the sun.

Declarative Memory

Memory that requires conscious effort to recall.

Implicit Memory

Memory that works without conscious effort, such as knowing how to ride a bike.

Patient H.M.

A patient who had his hippocampus removed, leading to severe memory loss but preservation of motor skills.

Hippocampus Function

Forms new memories and assists with navigation.

Amygdala Function

Processes emotions and helps store emotional memories.

Prefrontal Cortex Function

Controls planning, decision-making, and working memory.

Slow-Wave Sleep

Type of deep sleep that strengthens new memories by replaying them.

REM Sleep

Dream sleep that helps process emotions and integrate new information.

Frontal Eye Field (FEF)

Part of the brain that focuses attention on important visual information.

Pulvinar Nucleus

Directs attention to significant stimuli in the environment.

Dopamine

A neurotransmitter that reinforces behaviors by making actions feel rewarding.

Direct Pathway of the Striatum

Encourages movement and decision-making by reducing inhibition.

Indirect Pathway of the Striatum

Restricts unnecessary movements and prevents unwanted actions.

Instrumental Conditioning

Learning the actions that lead to rewards.

Ventral Striatum

Involved in reward-seeking behaviors and addiction.

Wisconsin Card Sorting Test

A test used to assess cognitive flexibility and the ability to switch strategies.

Working Memory

The ability to hold and manipulate information temporarily.

Synaptic Consolidation

Strengthens connections between neurons to store long-term memories.

Contextual Fear Conditioning

Learning to associate a place with danger.

Reticular Formation

Helps control wakefulness and alertness.

Cerebellum Function

Coordinates movement and balance.

Long-Term Potentiation (LTP)

A process that strengthens synapses based on recent patterns of activity.

Hebbian Learning

A theory that synaptic strength increases when there is repeated and persistent stimulation of one neuron by another.

Cognitive Map

A mental representation of spatial relationships in an environment.

Place Fields

Specific areas in the environment where hippocampal place cells activate.

Distance Cells

Cells that signal how far an animal has moved in a particular direction.

Neurogenesis

The process of generating new neurons, particularly in the hippocampus.

Resting Potential

The electrical charge of a neuron when it is not actively firing an action potential.

Action Potential

A rapid rise and fall in voltage across a cellular membrane that transmits signals in neurons.

Synapse

The junction between two neurons where communication occurs.

Neuromodulators

Chemicals released by neurons that modulate the activity of other neurons.

Chunking

A memory strategy that involves grouping information into larger organized units.

Flashbulb Memory

A vivid and detailed recollection of a significant event.

Molecular Basis of Memory

Changes in synaptic strength and structure that support memory formation.

Priming

Exposure to one stimulus influences the response to a subsequent stimulus.

Declarative vs. Non-Declarative Memory

Declarative memory involves conscious recall, while non-declarative memory does not.

Neural Plasticity

The brain's ability to change and adapt as a result of experience.

Memory Consolidation

The process of stabilizing a memory trace after learning.

Spatial Navigation

The ability to orient oneself and move from one location to another.

Awareness in Memory Retrieval

The conscious ability to recall past memories.

Dorsal Hippocampus

Region involved in spatial learning and memory.

Ventral Hippocampus

Region associated with emotional memory and context.

Causal Inference

The process of drawing conclusions about causality based on evidence.

Semantic Network

A network of associations that represent knowledge about relationships among concepts.

Context-Dependent Memory

Improved recall of specific information when the context is the same as when the information was learned.

State-Dependent Memory

Enhanced recall of information when a person's internal state matches their state at the time of encoding.

Neocortex Function

Involved in higher-order brain functions like sensory perception and cognition.

Conditioned Responses

Learned reactions to specific stimuli.

Operant Conditioning

A learning process through which the strength of a behavior is modified by reinforcement or punishment.

Overlearning

Practicing a skill beyond the point of mastery, which enhances retention.

Transience

The forgetting of information over time.

Blocking

The inability to retrieve a memory due to interference from other memories.

Misattribution

Assigning a memory to the wrong source.

Suggestibility

The tendency to incorporate misleading information from external sources into personal recollections.

Persistence in Memory

The continued ability to remember certain memories long after they were formed.

Interactive Processes in Memory

How different types of memory interact to facilitate recall.

Encoding Strategies

Techniques used to facilitate the transfer of information into memory.

Metamemory

Awareness and understanding of one’s own memory processes.

Chunking vs. Spacing Effect

Chunking organizes information while spacing effect enhances retention through distributed practice.

False Memories

Memories that individuals believe to be true but are actually distorted or fabricated.

Mind-Body Connection

The link between psychological processes and physical health.

Biological Rhythms

Regular fluctuations in biological functions, influencing memory and cognitive function.