Cognitive Psych Memory PT 2

encoding

initial stage of memory; where sensory input is transformed into a neural code where the brain can store and retrieve later; active attention and processing of information

storage

second stage of memory; the brain retains, organizes, and maintains encoded information over time; transfers info. from short-term to long term storage

retrieval

last stage of memory; bringing stored information from long-term memory into conscious awareness; bridge between stored knowledge and active use

shallow processing

encoding on a basic level based on the structure or appearance of words (i.e. processing a word by paying attention to it being written in all caps TABLE)

deep processing

encoding semantically, based on the meaning of the words; connecting new concepts to existing knowledge (i.e. processing a word by paying attention to the semantics of the word DAFFODIL, is the word a type of plant?)

elaborative rehearsal

creating an association between new information and knowledge that's already been learned

What did Godden and Baddeley (1975) find?

(study of context and memory) conclusion was: divers who learned word lists on land/ underwater showed better recall in the same environment they learned it in

state-dependent

theory that information learned in a particular state of mind (i.e. drunk or sober) is more easily recalled when in that same state of mind.

Smith & Rothkopf (1984)

experiment that consisted of participants having massed and spaced practices in varying environments and received the same total study time; conclusion: spaced practice in different locations is most effective for better recall bc w/ the varying locations, the more information you can remember

What are the two types of long-term memory?

explicit and implicit

implicit memory

unconscious and automatic; knowing how to do tasks without intentional recall (i.e. knowing how to brush your teeth)

priming

cognitive process where exposure to a stimulus (words, images, or experiences) subconsciously influences a person's response to a later stimulus (i.e. if I show you a bunch of medical-related words, and ask you to fill in the blank of another word, you'd assume it's related to the medical field)

procedural memory

AKA muscle memory; unconsciously remembering how to perform actions; used for skills such as sports, playing an instrument or driving; this is in intact in patients w/ amnesia

retrograde amnesia

loss of memories that occurred before an injury or the onset of a disease

anterograde amnesia

loss of the ability to create new memories

HM

patient w/ severe epilepsy who had the front half of the hippocampus and amygdala removed, which caused immediate anterograde amnesia

Star Task

used in researching amnesia; task where participants are asked to trace the outline of a star shape while viewing their hand and star through a mirror reflection; helps distinguish between explicit and implicit memory systems

conclusion: increased performance in procedural task, but no recollection of performing the task before

explicit memory

conscious and intentional recall of memory; divided into semantic and episodic memory; actively thinking to recall details

semantic memory

memory for facts and general knowledge

episodic memory

memory for events that occur in a particular time, place, or context

misinformation effect

a memory error in episodic memory; the language used to describe an event can alter the memory of that event (i.e. when asked to describe how fast a car went when it bumped into the other car or crashed into the other car would affect people's answers despite seeing the same thing)

false memory recall

experiment: participants are asked to read a list of semantically related words and are asked to recall them i.e. bed, rest, awake, tired, dream; participants reported seeing the word sleep but that was because people associate words that belong to the category of sleep to the word sleep

planting false memories

process of creating, altering, or fabricating memories of events that never occurred or occurred differently

suggestive interviewing

technique where the interviewer intentionally introduced information, biases, or desired answers into a witness's account which leads to the participants recalling false details or agree w/ inaccurate statements

hippocampus

structure that converts short-term memory into long-term ones forming new episode memories and spatial navigation; located in the medial temporal lobe

neocortex

brain's long-term storage site for knowledge and complex memories; essential for memory consolidation; temporarily stores new memories

cerebellum

facilitates intentional, timed movements; supports working and episode memory retrieval

motor cortex

structure that encodes, stores, and retrieves motor skills (muscle memory) and contributes to working memory

memory consolidation

brain's process of stabilizing temporary memories into long-term storage

encoding process

first step in memory consolidation; connections between cortex and hippocampus are created; stronger in hippocampus, weaker in cortex

synaptic consolidation

connections between the hippocampus and the cortex weaken and cortical connections become stronger

cortical integration

cortical regions take over storage and retrieval becoming independent of the hippocampus; highly dependent on slow-wave sleep