Psyc 213 - Memory

4 functions memory performs

1. routines + habits

2. sense of self

3. social functions

4. solving problems

Memory is not one thing - what happened to Clive Wearing

episodic memory = impaired

other forms of memory remained intact

- knew his wife (semantic memory)

- could play piano (procedural memory)

what are the distinct memory systems supported by

different neural circuits

what are the three stages of memory

1. Encoding

2. Storage

3. Retrieval

encoding definition

learning new information; forming new "memory trace" as a neural code

storage

retaining encoded memory trace/neural code

retrieval

activating a memory trace via a cue (probe for that memory) for a purpose

the process of going from encoding to retrieval is called

memory consolidation

what is encoding formed as

memory trace formed as a hippocampal-cortical activity pattern

what is storage in the brain and another word for it

consolidation

when a memory is transformed into a stable cortical pattern

what is retrieval in the brain

when a cue (part of a memory trace) triggers pattern completion of the brain pattern

the multi-store model: memory as systems

3 types of memory

sensory, short term, long term

3 aspects of sensory memory

iconic

echoic

haptic

what 2 things does the short term memory consist of

attentional control

working memory

what are the 2 major categories within long term memory

implicit

explicit

what are the 4 (ish) aspects of implicit memory

non-declarative; non-conscious memory

procedural

priming

what are the 4(ish) aspects of explicit memory

declarative; conscious memory

episodic

semantic

what is sensory memory

automatic reflections of a sense

what are the 5 subcategories of sensory memory - elaborate on the last 3

1. gustatory memory

2. olfactory memory

3. echoic memory

- sound-byte held for ~3s

4. haptic memory

- very brief memory of touch

5. iconic memory

- millisecond vision memory

- a 'persistence of vision'

iconic memory have what after

afterimages

what is a positive afterimage

visual memory that represents the perceived image in the same colours

why is it helpful and an example

helpful for seeing things smoothly

eg

- see 75 frames/second, movies are 24 frames/s, but view movies as a smooth event due to afterimage filling in holes

what is a negative afterimage + duration

visual memory is the (colour) inverse of the perceived image

slightly longer than positive afterimage (few seconds)

how long sensory memory lasts Sperling study

pps briefly (0.05s) viewed a visual display (3x4 letters)

recall the letters

1. whole report

- reported any letters from the whole display

2. partial report

- reported only one row of letters at a time over trials

where does short term memory come from

attended info moves from sensory to short term

where is short term memory in the brain

prefrontal cortex

STM time capacity

limited: ~20-30s

STM capacity

limited

7+/-2

what is the serial position effect

remember the first and last items in a list better than those in the middle.

primary effect

tendency to recall the first terms of list

rehearsal --> into long term

recency effect

tendency to remember words at the end of a list especially well

when is the recency effect eliminated

if the study-recall delay duration > 30s

how to overcome short term memory limits

chunking strategy

- grouping items together in a meaningful way so more information to be represented at one time

chunking increasing with knowledge example

expert chess players recall more pieces on chess board than new players

experts use knowledge of moves to 'chunk' pieces together

effect = not present if pieces on board randomly

what 3 aspects make the working memory important

1. retention + manipulation of info = not in our environment in conscious awareness

2. guides behaviour

3. essential for many cognitive functions

what 2 aspects are in the phonological loop

phonological store

articulatory control loop

what is the phonological store

passive store for verbal info

- the inner ear

what is the articulatory control loop

active rehearsal of verbal information

- the inner voice

used to convert written material into sounds (reading)

- specialised role in language

what 2 aspects are in the visuospatial sketchpad

the visual cache

the inner scribe

what is the visual cache

info about visual features

what is the inner scribe

info about spatial location, movement and sequences

what 2 types of evidence is there for separate short term memory stores

neuroimaging evidence

double dissociation in neuropsychological cases

neuroimaging evidence

difference areas of the brain are active for visual and verbal short term memory tasks

2 double dissociation in neuropsychological cases

1. Patient ELD

- problems recalling visual-spatial but not verbal material in short term

2. Patient PV

- problems recalling verbal but not visual material in short term

what is the episodic buffer

integrates information from short- and long-term memory

what is the central executive

Attentional process that monitors incoming data. Allocates data to certain slave systems. Has limited processing capacity.

what did Ebbinghaus do

learnt nonsense syllables, tested memory at various intervals, examined what was retained (forgotten)

Ebbinghaus study

2000 cards with nonsense syllables

learnt sets under strict testing conditions

- read without any inflection

- read consistently fast pace: 2.5 items/s

- do nothing else = remove confounds

what does it mean that the forgetting curve is exponential

memory loss is largest early on and slows down

what is the spacing effect

forgetting is reduced when learning is spread over time

spacing effect explanation

repeated info is more valuable = eg don't cram

active rehearsal: the testing effect study

pps studied a text passage

between group manipulation (studied more; practice test)

both groups took final test

retrieving memories after test leads to deeper encoding

what does the strength of a memory depend on

processes engaged at encoding

what are the 2 levels of processing theory

1. shallow

- focus on sensory info

2. deep

- integrate higher-level knowledge (things we know) with learned info

when is memory stronger

with deep processing

more elaborate memory traces

what is the self-reference effect

the tendency for people to better remember information when it has been encoded in reference to the self

what is the self-reference effect (link to identity) study

1. do these adjectives describe you? - happy, talkative

2. are these common words? - happy, talkative

first condition led to better memory

what is the generation effect (active rehearsal) study

1. read these pairs: king - crown; horse - saddle

2. generate the word: k___g - crown; H____e - saddle

second led to better memory

mnemonics use deep processing

organisational strategies to help encode info

involves linking new info to prior (semantic info) knowledge

- chunking

- acronyms for lists

imagery + method of Loci = use familiar image to link encoded info together

decay theory

memories are lost over time due to disuse

interference theory

interference is responsible for much of forgetting

- encoded memories are labile + need consolidating into stable long-term memories

- during pre-consolidation period = memories are susceptible to disruption + effects of interfering info

proactive interference

prior info interferes with encoding new memory

retroactive interference

newly learned info overwrites or interferes with prior encoded memory

similarity effects

the more alike something is to what already learnt = more they will mingle + interfere with memory