cog neuro final terms

topics 9-12

memory

the ability to capture each successive "present moment" within the nervous system so we are forever changed by it

encoding

translating a stimulus into internal code to form a memory representation of the stimulus

consolidation

changes in the brain stabilize memory over time, resulting in long-term memory

storage

permanent record, results from acquisition and consolidation

retrieval

finding and reproducing a stored memory representation or executing a learned behavior -\> anything that bring a memory back into its active state

sensory memory

high capacity, very short duration, can be ionic (visual) or echoic (auditory)

short term memory/working memory

short duration (60 secs) -\> whatever you are currently thinking about or aware of based on sensory inputs (where your attention is)

long term memory

theoretically there is no limit to how much we can remember

amnesia

the inability to recall old and/or store new long-term memories

retrograde amnesia

the impairment in memory for information that was acquired prior to the event that caused the amnesia

anterograde amnesia

the deficit in learning new information after the onset of amnesia

perirhinal cortex

who and what, information comes from unimodal association areas in the cortex

parahippocampal cortex

where and when (context), information comes from polymodal association areas

hippocampus

binds information together, relational memory

ribot's law (1882)

greater compromise of more recent memories than more remote memories

anterograde loss

new memories cannot be consolidated

retrograde loss

recent memories were not fully consolidated at the time of brain damage

place cells

fire to the relative location within an environment

grid cells

in entorhinal cortex, fire when the animal is a certain location in the environment aligned along a hexagonal grid

time cells

provide information on the temporal associations, fire to the same relative location, but in time, not space

synaptic plasticity

ability of synapses to change as a result of learning

donald hebb's idea (1985)

neurons that fire together, wire together

long term potentiation

long-lasting enhancement in signal transmission between two neurons -\> considered one of the major cellular mechanisms that underlies learning and memory

amyloid angiopathy

increased risk of hemorrhage

attention

an umbrella term for processes that allow us to select information for further processing

bottom up attentional selection

some intrinsic aspect of the stimulus itself causes it to be attended (ex// a sound that is particularly loud or of emotional significance might grab one's attention)

top down attentional selection

the person determined how to direct his or her attention (ex// you might direct your attention to a particular point in space or to a particular object or person)

dichotic listening

a different message is presented to each ear, participants are to told to attend to and "shadow" one ear

broadbent's filter model

sensory memory, filter, detector, short term memory

filter model sensory memory

holds all incoming information for a fraction of a second, transfers all information to the next stage

filter model filter

identifies attended messages based on physical characteristics (pitch, sex of speaker, etc.), only attended messages are passed on

filter model detector

processes information to determine higher-level characteristics of the message

filter model short-term memory

receives output of detector, holds information for 10-15 secs and may transfer to long-term memory

task load

how much of a person's cognitive resources are used to accomplish a task

high load

uses almost all, no resources for other tasks

low load

uses few, resources left for other tasks

social brain hypothesis

the primate brain evolved to be disproportionately large compared to other species in order to support processes of social cognition that are necessary for successful group living

anterior cingulate cortex

bridge between cognition (PFC) and emotion (limbic system)

conformity

the tendency for people to shift their own opinions, beliefs, and actions such that they are in agreement with others

informational conformity

in uncertain situations, we rely on other people's opinions as a helpful source of information

normative conformity

people may conform to be liked by others

social norms

written and unwritten rules that govern social behavior (ex// how to behave at a job interview or funeral)

pulling the lever (impersonal dilemma)

brain areas associated with working memory (prefrontal cortex)

pushing a person (personal dilemma)

brain areas associated with memory and emotion (amygdala)

pity

elderly, disabled

disgust

homeless, drug addict

pride

student, american

envy

rich, professionals

rogers hypothesis (1977)

self is a unique cognitive structure with unique mnemonic and organizational elements

klein and hkilstrom hypothesis (1986)

we have more knowledge about ourselves, and therefore more elaborative encoding

self descriptive personality traits

when deciding if adjectives are self descriptive, ppl rely on self perceptions that are summaries of their personality traits

simulation theory

posits that we understand the mental states of others through simulation, intimacy, mimicry, or acting "as if" we are them

theory of mind

posits that we have a cognitive representation of other ppls mental states, including their feelings and their knowledge

superior temporal sulcus

tracks the intention behind shift in eye gaze rather than all shifts in eye gaze

stereotyping

the tendency to assume that certain characteristics are universally true of group members

prejudice

a negative attitude about a particular social group

discrimination

behavior that is biased against a particular social group

error related negativity

large negative potential observed around 150 ms after an "incorrect" response in response in tasks that require "correct" identification of a stimulus present -\> studied in relation to racial bias

emotions

valanced responses to external stimuli or internal mental representations

hypothalamus

governs the level of activity in the autonomic system, determining the extent to which the fight or flight response is activated

amygdala

early detection of emotional information, rapid response to information, learning the emotional significance of information

basolateral nuclei

project to the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, as well as brain regions involved in reward and punishment

central nucleus and corticomedial nuclei

connect to the hypothalamus, enable emotional modulation of these responses

fear conditioning

a form of classical conditioning, a neutral stimulus develops a negative emotional connotation through association with an aversive stimulus

ohman (2004)

flashed 16 snake and spider phobics with pictures of snakes and spiders

capgras syndrome

patients claim that relatives/loved ones are imposters

ekman and friesen (1976)

ethnographic studies identified six basic "universal" emotional expressions

interoception

ability to perceive and represent the internal state of the body

somatic marker hypothesis

complex and conflicting choices - cognitive overload

somatic markers

emotions that mark certain outcomes

olds and milner (1954)

implanted electrodes into rat brains, gave rats opportunity to turn on electrodes by pressing lever

super potency

reinforcement from direct electrical stimulation is more potent than other rewards, such as food and water

lack of satiation

animals respond continuously, taking only brief breaks from lever pressing