Test # 4, memory Flashcards
(44 cards)
Darwin
evolution of both physical and mental traits
what is intelligence
the ability to make adjustments, or modify old ones, in accordance with the results of its own individual experience. it is hard to learn without some intelligence-like construct
cognition
latin for knowledge or thinking. cognition may lead to actions not clearly explained by external stimuli
cognitive ethology
the study of the ability of animals to express conscious thought and intention
animal cognition
models and constructs used to explain behaviors not characterized by simple s-are associations. think mark test
memory
our ability to respond to or recount information that was experienced earlier.
three components to memory
acquisition, retention, retrieval
acquisition:
exposure to stimuli or information
retention
the time period which information is retained in between acquisition and retrieval
retrieval
tests of memory for the original exprerience
how do we distinguish between learning and memory
in learning we manipulate the acquisition parameters. studies of memory will more likely focus on retention and retrieval.
in studies of learning often acquisition is varied between groups, retention is constant and long, and retrieval is constant. in memory acquisition is constant but retention is varied often between short and long and retreival is varied
studying memory in animals hunter 1913
subjects: raccoons, dogs, rodents
phase 1: training; subjects placed in a start box, light on above baited box immediate choice.
phase 2: memory; subject placed in start box, light on above baited box, delayed choice. can they remember which box hd the light on after the delay
results: dogs could remember for five I think, rats for ten, raccoons for twenty five
working memory
operates when info needs to be maintained long enough to complete a task (each individual test trial)
reference memory
long term retrieval of rules necessary for the use of incoming and acquired information (training)
Bloody Mary
remembering the items you just put in a Bloody Mary is your working memory. remembering the items needed o make a Bloody Mary is your reference memory
memory task delayed matching to sample test
first, the sample identifies the correct response on a trial, then the sample is removed before the subject is allowed to respond. the period of time in between seeing the correct sample and seeing the next samples is the delay. after the delay you are presented with a choice of samples and they are asked to identify the sample that matches the initial correct sample. this is done in free operant. chance alone is 50%. we need to see at least 80% to unsure learning above chance.
test sample duration
the amount of time they have initially to see the correct sample choice
test sample trial delay
the interval between the correct sample turning off and the choices appearing
grant 1976
has a 1, 4, 8, or 14 second test sample duration. then had a 0, 20, 40, or 60 second test sample trial delay. then had choice.
results: as test sample duration increased, accuracy increased. as test sample trial delay increased accuracy decreased
do the test stimuli in the dms determine accuracy? trace decay hypothesis:
presentation of a stimulus produces changes in the cns that decay after the stimulus is removed
weak stimuli will decay quickly: what did I eat for lunch last Wednesday
strong stimuli will be maintained in memory: what did you eat when you got food poisoning
does training impact the dms: sarigson and white
trained on dms, test sample trial delay 0, 2, 4, 6 seconds, trained to 80% correct
test with 0-10 second sample trial delay
results: decay prominent in 0 second there was an immediate drop off after 0 for this group because they never learned that they need to remember so they would never remember for more than 0 seconds.
each group performed best when tested with their training delay
what is learned on the dms task
general rule: ie choose the stimulus that is the same as the sample
specific rule: select green after green
test of transfer
a test used to determine if a specific or general rule was learned.
once the dms is learned with two samples a new pair is umped with the same rule. does the subject generalize the rule?
for example, if it learns that when green shows in the test sample duration, then green shows over a box it will get food, then you try the same with yellow and see if it generalizes that any light means there is food, or if it remains specific and only learns green means food
oden et al 1988 trials unique procedure
on each trial different stimuli serve as matching and non matching samples. do they learn the dms, this forces the organism to learn the general rule. if the organism can get to 80% you have guaranteed the organism has learned the general rule
