Selective Memory & Motivation Flashcards
Briefly describe what Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory is
Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory (HSAM)
people used to remember practically every detail of their life
drawbacks: scarred by bad memories, entire life through head every day, constantly thinking about past, isolating
Name some factors that might affect why remember some things and not others
memory is SELECTIVE: factors like attention, meaning, motivation, practice, emotion, surprise, etc. all play a role
MEANING
EMOTION
MOTIVATION
PRACTICE
Describe the level of processing effect
deeper processing creates more meaning, which leads to better memory
Ex: look at list of words
—> capital or lowercase? — (structural) shallow processing
—-> does the word fit into this sentence? — semantic deep processing
participants were better able to recall words which had been processed more deeply, that is, processed semantically, supporting level of processing theory
greater activity in HIPPOCAMPUS (memory) and INFERIOR FRONTAL GYRUS (language processing)
deeper processing — and better subsequent memory — associated with greater activity in the hippocampus and inferior frontal gyrus when people first see the word
Describe the methods and findings of the Branford & Johnson study
without meaning —> couldn’t remember well
needed prior knowledge
made to difference if showed after —> only before
Describe the methods, results, and significance of the self-testing study
Self-testing is better than studying alone
S-S-S-S
S-T-T-T
T-T-T-T
(retention highest in S-S-S-S for five minutes time scale)
(retention highest in T-T-T-T for one-week time)
Define what a reward is, what primary and secondary rewards are, and be able to give examples
reward: any stimulus that moves the overall
balance of the organism closer to its ideal set
points
two types of rewards:
(1) primary rewards: directly address organism’s needs
ex: water if you’re thirst, food if you’re hungry
(2) secondary rewards: more abstract
ex: money, consumer goods
Define what a reward is, what primary and secondary rewards are, and be able to give examples
(1) primary rewards: directly address organism’s needs
ex: water if you’re thirst, food if you’re hungry
(2) secondary rewards: more abstract
ex: money, consumer goods
Describe a positive PE, negative PE, zero PE
RPE = Actual outcome - expected outcome
monkey pulls lever:
no expectation —> treat comes out —> large positive prediction error +PE
(the more times lever is pulled, the smaller the positive PE is, until it hits zero)
positive expectation —> no treat —> large negative prediction error -PE
(the more times lever is pulled, the smaller the negative PE is, until it hits zero)
Describe how midbrain dopamine neurons seem to reflect these prediction error signals proposed in computational models of reward
dopamine provides a reward prediction error signal, teaching the brain to predict the optimal outcome and select the optimal response
midbrain dopamine neurons fire in a pattern that closely matches prediction error signals used in computational models of reward learning
~~~assigns values to rewards
Roughly locate and identify key areas in the processing of reward: VTA, substantia nigra, nucleus accumbens, ventromedial prefrontal cortex (but also understand broadly that while these areas are incredibly important, it would be overly reductionist to say that they alone process reward as many, many other brain areas are also involved)
dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and substantial nigra project dopamine neurons into the nucleus accumbens (reward learned) and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (decision making)
-VTA — sends widespread projects to prefrontal cortex
substantia nigra
- nucleus accumbens —important for reward learning
- ventromedial prefrontal cortex — key role in valuation and decision making
It’s useful to focus on the VTA and nucleus accumbens, but keep in mind that lots of other areas of the brain are involved in reward processing
Describe the methods, results, and significance of the “Google effect” study
tendency to forget information that can be found readily online by using Internet search engines such as Google
according to the first study about the Google effect people are less likely to remember certain details they believe will be accessible online
if the information is saved, people are much more likely to remember where the information is located than to recall the information itself
