EXAM 3 EXP

Tomorrow

declarative memory

the ability to store and retrieve both personal information (episodic memory) and general knowledge (semantic memory)

explicit memory

the ability to recall a specific event or piece of information. Things we intentionally try to recall or remember, such as formulas and dates.

episodic memory

the collection of past personal experiences that occurred at a particular time and place

mental time travel

the unusual form of human episodic memory that allows the mind to recollect the specific time and place of a past event in one's personal history

semantic memory

general knowledge that encompasses memory for concepts, facts, and different communication systems

consolidation theory

An idea in human motor learning that there is a consolidation period during which motor memories are transformed from a fragile to a permanent state, no longer susceptible to interference from new learning

consolidation

the process by which the hippocampus guides the reorganization of the information stored in the neocortex such that it eventually becomes independent of the hippocampus

reconsolidation

a process in which previously stored memories, when retrieved, are potentially altered before being stored again

labile memory

the early stage of memory formation that can be easily disrupted by factors influencing brain activity

standard consolidation theory

Theory that memories are temporarily stored in the hippocampus until they can be transferred to a more stable cortical storage system; Squire and Alvarez (1995)

multiple memory trace theory

each time some information is presented to a person, it is neurally encoded in a unique memory trace composed of a combination of its attributes

free recall

a method of measuring the vitality of attention and memory

cued recall

the retrieval of memory with the help of cues

recognition

a form of remembering characterized by a feeling of familiarity when something previously experienced is again encountered

directed forgetting

active process to forget information, works best for semantic information, hard to use for episodic

directed remembering

channeling your memory in order to think about a past experience or knowledge that meets a certain criteria

depth-of-processing effect

cognitive processing of a stimulus that focuses on its meaningful properties rather than its perceptual characteristics.

processing at this semantic level, which usually involves a degree of elaboration, produces stronger, longer-lasting memories than shallow processing

transfer-appropriate processing effect

a theory stating that memory performance is better when the cognitive processes engaged during retrieval match the cognitive processes that were engaged when the material was encoded

Ribot's Law

law of retrograde amnesia states that brain damage impairs recently formed memories to a greater extent than older memories (1881)

gradient

a rate of inclination; a slope

anterograde amnesia

a type of memory loss in which one is unable to form new memories

retrograde amnesia

when you can't recall memories that were formed before the event that caused memory loss

agnosia

a rare disorder; when a person is unable to recognize and identify objects, people, or sounds using one or more of their senses despite otherwise normally functioning senses

proactive interference

the interference effect of previously learned materials on the acquisition and retrieval of newer materials

retroactive interference

occurs when the learning of new information interferes with the recall of old information from long-term memory

misattribution

an incorrect inference as to the cause of a person's or group's behavior or of an interpersonal event

source amnesia

the inability to recall where, when, or how one has learned knowledge that has been acquired and retained

cryptomnesia

a type of misattribution that occurs when a person thinks he or she has come up with a new idea, yet has only retrieved a stored idea and failed to attribute the idea to its proper source

false memories

Inaccurate memory created by the power of imagination or suggestion

eyewitness memory

Remembering and reporting events the person has witnessed or experienced personally

basal forebrain

contains cholinergic neurons to the cerebral cortex and hippocampus and are important in learning and memory and attention

diencephalon

"between brain" between the telencephalon and brainstem

Contains thalamus, subthalamus, hypothalamus, and epithalamus

frontal cortex

associated with decision making, planning, insight, judgment, the ability to concentrate, and impulse control

medial temporal lobe

(includes hippocampus)

a system of anatomically related structures that are essential for declarative memory

Herman Ebbinghaus

pioneered the experimental study of memory, and is known for his discovery of the forgetting curve and the spacing effect

Nicola Clayton

evolution of intelligence and problem-solving in corvids and humans

Patient H.M. (Henry Molaison)

A patient who, because of damage to medial temporal lobe structures, was unable to encode new declarative memories. subject of study for five decades.

short-term memory

activated memory that holds a few items briefly (often up to 30 seconds), such as the seven digits of a phone number while dialing, before the information is stored or forgotten

Atkinson-Shiffrin model of memory

if memories in the short-term store are rehearsed, they will be encoded into the long-term store

sensory memory

a mental representation of hoe environmental events look, sound, feel, smell, and taste.

includes long-term component useful for such activities as recognizing a color or a familiar voice

working memory

the small amount of information that can be held in mind and used in the execution of cognitive tasks

Baddeley model

A model, proposed by Alan Baddeley, positing that working memory consists of three memory buffers (the phonological loop, the visuospatial sketchpad, and the episodic buffer) that briefly maintain information, as well as a central executive that allocates attentional resources to the buffers.

phonological loop

the part of working memory that holds and processes verbal and auditory information

visuo-spatial sketchpad

Codes visual information in terms of separate objects as well as the arrangement of these objects in one's visual field

central executive

the part of working memory that directs attention and processing, or the phonological loop and the visuo-spatial sketchpad

word-length effect

memory for lists of words is better for short words than for long words

chunking

the recoding of smaller units of information into larger, familiar units

recoding

taking the information from the form it is delivered to us and then converting it in a way that we can make sense of it

interference

the blocking of learning or of memory retrieval by the learning or remembering of other conflicting material

delayed non-match to sample

a behavioral task in which animals are trained to displace one of two alternative objects that does not match a previously seen sample object

N-back task

continuous-recognition measures that represent stimulus sequences such as letters or pictures

digit span

a simple behavioral measure of working memory capacity, the cognitive ability to store and manage information on a transient basis

self-ordered memory task

a test of non-spatial executive working memory requiring the ability to generate and monitor a sequence of responses

Tower of Hanoi

a mathematical puzzle applied in the psychology of problem solving and skill learning

Wisconsin Card Sort Test

a neuropsychological test that is frequently used to measure such higher-level cognitive processes as attention, perseverance, WM, abstract thinking, CF, and set shifting

Stroop task

A task invented in which a subject sees a list of words (color terms) printed in an ink color that differs from the word named. The subject is asked to name the ink colors of the words in the list and demonstrates great difficulty in doing so, relative to a condition in which non-color words form the stimuli

cognitive control

the ability to direct thoughts. emotions, and behaviors in accord with one's intentions

manipulate working memory

the small amount of information that can be held in mind and used in the execution of cognitive tasks

switch tasks

a procedure in which the participant switches between two or more tasks, typically according to a regular schedule in experimental situations

setting goals and planning

- broad statement about wants to achieves

- developed in the strategic planning process: they form the basic plan or direction toward which decisions & activities are focus

-are motivational in nature & are usually stated in broad general terms without reference to a time period

stimulus attention

play a role in the detection of behaviorally relevant stimuli and act as a "circuit breaker" to redirect attention to salient or important events outside the current focus of attention

response inhibition

the suppression of a behavior that is inappropriate or no longer required, or interfere with goal-driven behavior

dorsolateral prefrontal cortex

a brain area associated with domain general executive control functions such as task switching and task-set reconfiguration, prevention of interference, inhibition, planning, and working memory

ventrolateral prefrontal cortex

a region of the frontal lobes that is typically associated with response inhibition and goal-appropriate response selection

dopamine

a chemical released in the brain that makes you feel good

anterior-posterior gradient

the lower amplitudes and faster frequencies are seen in the anterior channels and the higher amplitudes and slower frequencies are seen in the posterior channels

abstract-concrete gradient

Concrete thinking involves facts and descriptions about everyday, tangible objects, while abstract (formal operational) thinking involves a mental process

frontal-posterior circuits

neural pathways that connect frontal lobe regions with the basal ganglia (striatum) that mediate motor, cognitive, and behavioural functions within the brain

dysexecutive syndrome

a condition in which damage to the frontal lobes causes impaired functioning of the central executive involving deficits in organizing and planning behavior

place versus state models of working memory

Richard Atkinson

Proposed a model to explain our memory forming process

Richard Shiffrin

proposed that we form memories in three stages: sensory, short-term, and long-term

Alan Baddeley

proposed the concept of a working memory that underlies human thought processes

Patricia Goldman-Rakic

Neural description of the circuitry of the prefrontal cortex and how it relates to working memory

non-declarative memory

long-term memory demonstrated in behavior

implicit memory

Memories we don't deliberately remember or reflect on consciously

priming

the activation, often unconsciously, of certain associations, thus predisposing one's perception, memory, or response

familiarity

a form of remembering in which a situation, event, place, person, or the like provokes a subjective feeling of recognition and is therefore believed to be in memory, although it is not specifically recalled

skill memory

memory for doing things that usually involve learned skills

cognitive skills

the core skills your brain uses to think, read, learn, remember, reason, and pay attention. Working together, they take incoming information and move it into the bank of knowledge you use every day at school, at work, and in life

perceptual-motor skills

skills that require the coordination of visual, auditory, and tactile sensory abilities; combined with emerging motor skills to develop; children

closed skills

occur in an environment that is stable and predictable

open skills

skills that occur in an environment that is unpredictable and frequently changing

power law of learning

a law stating that the degree to which a practice trial improves performance diminishes after a certain point, so that additional trials are needed to further improve the skill; learning occurs quickly at first, then slows

massed practice

a practice schedule in which studying continues for long periods, without interruption

spaced practice

a practice schedule that alternates study periods with brief rests

constant practice

a practice sequence in which only a single variation of a given class of tasks is experienced; repeat same skill over and over

variable practice

a schedule of practice in which many variations of a class of actions are practiced

skill delay

transfer specificity

transfer of skills and knowledge acquired in one task to a similar task in which they are directly relevant

Fitt's three stage model of skill learning

1. Cognitive Stage

2. Associative Stage

3. Autonomous Stage

basal ganglia

a set of subcortical structures that directs intentional movements