Final Exam Notes!

Learning

Process of acquiring new, enduring information or behaviors.

Memory

Ability to encode, store, and retrieve information.

Amnesia

Severe impairment of memory function.

Declarative Memory

Explicit memory that includes episodic and semantic memory.

Episodic Memory

Personal experiences tied to specific times and places.

Semantic Memory

General knowledge and facts.

Nondeclarative Memory

Implicit memory including skill learning and associative learning.

Anterograde Amnesia

Inability to form new long-term memories.

Sensory Buffers

Extremely brief memory traces.

Short-Term Memory (STM)

Memory that lasts approximately 30 seconds, requires active rehearsal.

Long-Term Memory (LTM)

Potentially lifelong storage with vast capacity.

Encoding

Converting sensory information into memory.

Consolidation

Transferring information from short-term memory to long-term memory.

Retrieval

Accessing stored memories.

Hippocampus

Brain structure critical for declarative memory formation.

Long-Term Potentiation (LTP)

Mechanism for strengthening synaptic connections.

Emotional Memory

Memory formation enhanced by strong emotions.

Classical Conditioning

Learning process where a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a response.

Attention

Selective process of focusing cognitive resources on specific stimuli or thoughts.

Overt Attention

Directing gaze and focus to the same target.

Covert Attention

Shifting mental focus without moving eyes.

Voluntary Attention

Consciously directed, top-down control.

Reflexive Attention

Involuntary capture by novel or salient stimuli.

Hemispatial Neglect

Inability to perceive stimuli on one side of space due to right-hemisphere damage.

Schizophrenia

A complex neurobiological disorder characterized by positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms.

Positive Symptoms of Schizophrenia

Include hallucinations, delusions, and excited motor behavior.

Negative Symptoms of Schizophrenia

Loss of normal functions such as emotional withdrawal and social isolation.

Depression

A mood disorder characterized by persistent unhappy mood and loss of interest.

Anxiety Disorders

Types include phobic disorders, panic disorder, and PTSD.

Bipolar Disorder

Characterized by alternating periods of depression and mania.

Suicide Prevention Warning Signs

Includes talking about self-harm, substance use increase, and feeling hopeless.