L1&2: MEMORY, MEMORY LOSS & UNLEARNING

Question 1

define learning

Answer 1

the process of acquiring factual knowledge

Question 2

the 2 definitions of memory

Answer 2

• a store in which information can be retained for later use
• a particular item of stored information

Question 3

which synaptic connections does memory affect the strength of?

Answer 3

between neurons in sensorimotor pathways which mediate stimulus elicited behaviour

Question 4

define autobiographical memories

Answer 4

memories of things we did or that happened
- memories are formed without learning

Question 5

define procedural memories

Answer 5

improvement in ability, we cannot recall or describe but we have the knowledge
- learning takes place without memory formation

Question 6

define declarative (explicit) memory

Answer 6

memory from which we can consciously recall items and describe them in words
- we know something is the case

Question 7

define non declarative (implicit) memory

Answer 7

memory which does not involve conscious recollection, demonstrated by performance

Question 8

how is declarative and non declarative memory distinguished?

Answer 8

the ability to consciously recall items or not

Question 9

define anterograde amnesia

Answer 9

the inability to form new memories
- intact STM but impaired LTM

Question 10

which area of HM’s brain was removed?

Answer 10

medial temporal live including the hippocampus

Question 11

what did the star trace task show evidence for?

Answer 11

HM improved
- motor skills = non declarative

Question 12

what did the rotor task show evidence for?

Answer 12

retention of a motor skill = non declarative

Question 13

what did the delay conditioning eye blink experiment show evidence for?

Answer 13

declarative memory is not required to produce non declarative memory because they were unaware of the relationship but still produced blink CR

Question 14

which brain region is involved in delay conditioning?

Answer 14

cerebellar cortex

Question 15

which brain region is not important in delay conditioning?

Answer 15

hippocampus

Question 16

what brain region is involved in trace conditioning?

Answer 16

hippocampus
- retain info over the trace interval (time)

Question 17

define retrogade amnesia

Answer 17

loss of existing memories

Question 18

what is natural forgetting?

Answer 18

passive process of decay which occurs when you do nothing

Question 19

define retroactive interference

Answer 19

learning something new interferes with the memory of something you previously learned

Question 20

define repression

Answer 20

suppressed declarative memory - prevents recollection into consciousness to defend against traumatic recollection

Question 21

what does the pavlovian extinction procedure involve?

Answer 21

after acquisition of the conditioned response, the conditional stimulus is presented without the unconditional stimulus so that the conditional response is no longer elicited

Question 22

define spontaneous recovery

Answer 22

an extinguished conditional response reappears after extinction procedure

Question 23

define renewal

Answer 23

a previously acquired conditional response is extinguished in one context but still may reappear in the original or new contexts

Question 24

define reinstatement

Answer 24

conditional responses are restored after an extinction procedure and then immediate presentation of aversive stimuli in quick succession

Question 25

what does an extinction procedure cause?

Answer 25

the inability to express behaviour even thought the previous learning has not been erased