AP PSYCH 5.6 Biological Bases of Memory
Biology of Memory
- Changes happen at the cellular level when learning occurs
Long-Term Potentiation
- Increased efficiency in the synapse when repeatedly stimulated
- The neuron will need less activation
- More connections are made and so the memory is easier to access
- Can last from hours to weeks
Explicit Memory
- Memory for experiences and facts
- Associated with the hippocampus and the frontal lobe
- The hippocampus is the hub through which complex neural memory networks are made
Implicit Memory
- Memory for procedures, conditioning, timing
- The cerebellum is associated with this type of memory
- Also associated with classical conditioning
- The basal ganglia in the deep brain are associated with procedural motor skills like walking
Emotional Memory
- The limbic system is the center of emotion in the brain
- Including the hippocampus and amygdala
Flashbulb Memories
- Extremely vivid and emotionally potent memories
- Typically of a personal, impactful experience
- For many American adults, the moment they heard about 9/11 is a flashbulb memory
- So vivid, you can often recall the smells, the temperature, the weather, and other small details
- Not immune to distortion
- Thought to occur because of the immense emotional meaning
- The limbic system kicks in and recognizes this as a very important event
- Because of that, every detail is encoded