Psych memory&learning&sleep

Sensory information Function+Capacity+Duration

function/to be noted:

• entry point for sensory information in its raw form

• filters out unnecessary information

• stores information long enough so that we perceive the world as continuous

• we are not consciously aware of most info in sensory memory

• when one PAYS ATTENTION to the sensory info → STM

Capacity:

• vast, potentially unlimited

Duration:

• momentary — about 0.2 - 4 seconds

Short-term-memory Function+Capacity+Duration

Function:

• receives information from sensory information from sensory memory and transfers information to and from LTM

• Where we manipulate sensory memory or retrieve information from LTM

• Where all conscious perceiving, feeling, thinking, reasoning, and other mental processes take place

• Maintains information in conscious awareness for immediate use

Capacity:

• 7$\pm$ 2 (5-9) items or pieces of information

Duration:

• temporary — 18 - 20 seconds, possibly up to 30 seconds

• longer if renewed (maintenance rehearsal for working memory)

Long-term-memory Function+Capacity+Duration

Function:

• information storage for re-access and use at a later time when needed

Capacity:

• Vast, potentially unlimited

Duration:

• potentially permanent

• some information may be lost of inaccessible over time

• indefinite

Iconic memory (only sensory memory)

Funtion:

• exact replica of VISUAL information

Duration:

• 0.3 - 0.5 seconds

Capacity:

• potentially unlimited, vast

Echoic memory (sensory memory only)

Function:

• exact replica of auditory information

Duration:

• 3 - 4 seconds

Capacity:

• potentially unlimited, vast

when information enter STM

• it can be retained

  • occurs when manipulating or rehearsing information

• it can be discarded

  • Happens if the information is not encoded, used or consciously rehearsed

• it can be encoded to LTM for storage

explicit memory

• occurs when information can be CONCIOUSLY or INTENTIONALLY retreived and stated. → ‘knowing that’

• tends to be expressed as words or symbols and is easily verbalised

• subcategories:

  • semantic memory

    • memory of facts, wordly knowledge, eg. knowing what ANZAC stands for

  • Episodic memory

    • memory of specific events or personal experiences

Implicit memories

• does NOT require conscious or intentional retrieval

• usually stored routins or emotional responses → the ‘how to’

• subcategories

  • procedural memory

    • skills, habits or actions

  • coditioned emotional response

    • a LEARNED emotional reactions in response to a stmiulus or event that you have formed an association with.

      • typically negative, can be both

      • implicit because we CANNOT control the experience of fear or excitement when exposed to stimulus.

Hippocampus

• formation, consolidation and retrieval of EXPLICIT MEMORIES

• transfers new memories to relevant parts of the brain (neocortext) for permanent long-term storage.

• interacts with neocortex when storing and retrieving long term explicit memories

• links memories to emotions, can interact with amygdala when encoding LTMs (such as emotional responses)

Neocortex

• STORING explicit memories, usually in areas relevant to specific sensory processing.

• During retreival, different components of a memory are linked here.

Amygdala

• formation and consolidation of implicit, EMOTIONAL-BASED memories mostly related to fear/agression (strong emotions)

• can ENHANCE MEMORABILITY of an event from emotions experienced (when, where, how etc), encoded by the hippocampus.

Basal Ganglia

• encode and consolidate IMPLICIT memories related to HABIT formation and PROCEDURAL sequences of movement

• communicates with the neocortex and cerebellum, by receiving and sending messages to coordinate smooth movement without conscious thought or effort.

Cerebellum

• encoding and storing of procedural memories of motor skills and simple reflexes (implicit memories), eg. eye blinking.

• coordinates fine muscle movement

• interacts with basal ganglia, and movement related areas of the neocortex to encode, store and retrieve long-term memories associated with habit formation, movement and simple reflexes.

Maintenance Rehearsal

Process of actively manipulating information so that it can be held in STM for longer

• mental repetition of information

• does not always lead to LTM retention

Elaborative rehearsal

Makes information memorable by actively associating it with information already in LTM

• makes it more meaningful and memorable

  • therefore, more likely to store in LTM

• generally, more effective than elaborative rehearsal

Autobiographical memory/events

Semantic and episodic memory stores different information but work together in forming and retrieving autobiographical memories

• semantic and episodic memories link together to construct a complete narrative of an event

  • Supports a sense of self and is more constructive and integrative than episodic memory alone

imagined future thinking

mentally experiencing an event that might oocur in one’s personal future

• semantic autobiographical + episodic autobiographical knowledge to construct a mental simulation of a hypothetical event

• eg going to paris:

  • semantic: language spoken, location of paris

  • episodic: details of what you will do/who you will meet etc.

Alzheimer’s disease

neurodegenerative disease due to the progressive deteoriation of brain neurons, causing memory loss, decline in socicognitive skills + personality changes

• form of dementia (most common form)

• no diagnosis test, only accurate diagnosis can be made during autopsy

• symptoms different for each person.

biological aspects of alzheimer’s disease

amyloid plaque build-up

• proteins forming between synapses (OUTSIDE NEURONS) interferring with neural communication

Neurofibrillary tangles build-up

• abnormal proteins WITHIN neurons that cause cell death

$\lrArr$ causes brain atrophy

• amyloid plaque+neurofibrillary tangles buildup progressively damage neurons, which die, causing brain tissue shrinkage.

1. hippocampus 2. neocortex 3. cerebellum

Aphantasia

A CONDITION (not disease) where one cannot mentally visualise imagery.

• trouble remember everyday things, imagining future events, episodic memories, reocgnising faces etc

• visual cortex may be underactive

Classical conditioning

form of learning in which a previously neutral stimulus (NS) becomes associated with a naturally occuring stimulus, so that it triggers an AUTOMATIC LEARNED response

3 phase process:

• before conditioning (1)

  • UCS produces UCR

  • a NS produces no response

• During conditioning (2)

  • the NS is REPEATEDLY presented right before UCS

  • UCS produces the UCR

• After conditioning (3)

  • The NS is now the CS alone, as it produces the UCR

  • in which, the UCR is now the CR.

Operant conditioning

A learning process in which the likelyhood of a VOLUNTARY behaviour occuring is determined by its consequence

• Antecedent: any environmental stimulus that triggers an action

• Behaviour: any action

• Consequence: something that makes the behaviour more/less likely to happen again

Consequences:

• Positive reinforment: $+$ desirable stimulus

• Negative reinforment: $-$ UNdesirable stimulus

• Positive punishment: $+$ UNdesirable stimulus

• Negative punishment: $-$ desirable stimulus

Similarities and differences between operant and classical conditioning

similarities:

• Both involve forming associations between stimuli/behaviors and consequences

• Both types of learned behavior can disappear over time when the association is no longer reinforced or paired

Differences:

• classical: involuntary, Operant: voluntary

• classical: passive learning, Operant: active learning

• Classical relies on the pairing of two stimuli (NS+UCS). Operant relies on reinforcement or punishment

Observational learning

Occurs when someone uses observation of another person’s actions and their consequences to guide their future actions

ARRMR

• Attention$→$ actively observes ____

• Retention$→$ mental representation od model’s ____

  • stored in LTM for later recall

• Reproduction $→$ physical, mental capabilities of ____ (be specific to case)

  • Imitation of the behaviour

  • Ability may be limited as responses depend on the individual having the right physical/intellectual ability to replicate the behaviour correctly

• Motivation $→$ ____ desire to ____

• Reinforcement $→$ ____ likelyhood of REPRODUCING behaviour

  • must outline consequences in response