Brain and bevhaviour

Brain and bevhaviour

1. What is memory?

   • memory involves:
     • encoding: conversion of information into a form that is stored in memory
     • Storage: the creation of a trace of information within the nervous system
     • Retrieval: an attempt to recover a memory trace
   • recording of the past for later use in the future
   • episodic memory: stored knowledge concerning personal experiences
   • Unitary model of memory:
     • input: encoding-storage- retrieval
       • output-retrieval- forgetting
         • supposedly - retention for decades
     • not accurate at all
       • it suggests that memories are stored and processed in a singular, undifferentiated system
       • memory is composed of multiple cognitive systems that have different functions for different processes, functions, structures and mecganisms

2. studies-

   • Herman Ebbinghaus(1850-1909)
     • first to investigate memory scientifically and systematically
       • 'the forgetting curve'
         • created over 2000 nonsense syllables (gof, twe, buj, tze, etc.)
           • this is to study memory with minimal influence of prior learning
             • 'nonsense' syllables showed that meaningless information won't stay once learned one time.
               • rapid decline is presented 'the forgetting curve' is created.
                 • forgetting information overtime/rapidly is determined by how much effort is put into learning and if it is useful for future situations
   • Peterson and Peterson's (1959)
     • stimulus presentation study
       • presented with 3 numbers and 3 letters
         • green light given to remember the sets of stimulus after being briefly flashed
           • retention interval-
             • participant counts backward 3-18 seconds in 3's
               • recall signal & retrieval
                 • two lights to signal:
                   • green light= remember
                   • red light= to recall
                   • to recall stimulus letters and numbers from the start of experiment
       • results of study: participants had renetion of stimulus quite well when given to them and is asked to recall what the stimulus is after a short period of time
         • the longer they waited to recall, the more they struggled to retain the information
   • Miller(1956)
     • The magic number 7+2 experiment
       • study explored the capacity of :
         • Short term memory (STM)
       • used various memory tasks -digit span, absolute judgement and chunking
         • chunking: grouping elements/stimulus items together into larger/distinct units
           • increases memory efficiency
           • 2348, 1974,7763
       • distinct pattern shown:
         • approx. 7 items can be stored in STM at one time
         • discovered that STM capacity is typically between 5-9 items can be remembered

3. Semantic Memory

   • the recollection of ideas, concepts and facts
     • this is general knowledge and facts that is shared with others
   • this is also connected to 'declarative memory'
     • declarative memory is the combination of semantic and episodic memory
       • both demonstrate wealth of knowledge

4. Autobiographical memory

   • recollection of personal experiences
     • this is the stories that make up our daily lives
   • has the same qualities as semantic and episodic memory

5. Emotional memory

   • emotional interaction within the memory
   • quite important in episodic memory-
     • with helping remembering the experience of creating the memory
       • emotions (happy, sad, angry, disgust, etc.

6. the stage theory of memory

   • sensory memory-
     • lasts for 0.3-3 seconds
     • the processing that captures and holds sensory information for a short duration
     • allows individuals to retain impressions of sensory stimuli
       • sight, sound, smell