Week 11 - Memory and learning - finished Flashcards
Define learning
The acquisition of new knowledge.
The perception of an association between ourselves and our environment or between various elements of our environment.
Define memory
Retention of learned information.
Adaptation of our brain circuitry to interact with our environment.
Allows us to respond appropriately, as quickly as possible, by anticipating outcomes.
What are the 2 systems of learning? What types of information as applied to each of these systems?
Implicit and Explicit
Implicit:
- Declarative
- Facts
- Events
Explicit:
- Non-declarative
- Procedural
- Behaviours/skills
What is declarative learning?
Recall is deliberate and usually has to do about people, places and things.
It can be easily stored and is easily forgotten.
Classified as either semantic or episodic
What kind of information is classified in episodic declarative learning?
The recall of events and personal experience
What kind of information is classified in semantic declarative learning?
The recall of facts and objective knowledge
What is declarative working memory? When is it used? How is that space used? (is it always full?)
The working memory is perpetually used.
It stores many memories at once in multiple areas of the brain so that we aren’t consciously aware of everything.
Long term memories can be brought into the working memory as required, but are then returned to the long term memory.
The space allocated to working memory is recycled as soon as we turn our attention to something else.
Are all working memories stored in the long term memory?
Working memories aren’t automatically consolidated into the long term memory, but can be stored in the short term memory with repetition, and the consolidated to the long term memory
How many items can the average person hold in the short term memory at once?
5-9
How can the volume of the short term memory be increased temporarily?
By chunking or categorising the information.
How does information get consolidated from the short term memory to the long term memory? Does this vary between people?
It undergoes sufficient repetition, although, ‘sufficient’ repetition varies highly between people.
Is the long term memory limited in its capacity?
No
How are some better at their long term memory than others? (those special few)
They consolidate information directly to the long term memory without the need for repetition in the short term memory.
How are memories stored?
What does this mean when parts of the cortex are damaged?
‘Cells that fire together wire together”
Memory is fragmented:
Stimulation of high order visual association cortex: patient sees things, faces or experiences
Stimulation of high order auditory association cortex: patient hears things, re-experiences conversations
The same cells that allow us to experience or perceive sensations record our experiences of them via interconnections to the cells that were simultaneously active perceiving other elements of our experience
Damage to the cortex typically only effects fragments of memories
What are the 2 types of non-declarative/ procedural learning?
Associative learning:
Non-associative learning
What is associative learning?
Is timing important?
What are the 2 types?
The subject learns about the relationship between two stimuli or a behaviour and its consequence
The temporal/timing relationship between the two stimuli is critical
2 Types:
- Operant
- Classical conditioning
What is non-associative learning?
Is timing important?
What are the 2 types?
The subject learns about the properties of a single stimulus. Subjects learn about the properties of a single stimulus so that repeated administration of the same stimulus results in a different response
The timing of the stimulus is inconsequential
2 Types:
- Habituation
- Sensitisation
What is operant associative learning? E.g.?
Trial and error: spontaneous behaviour which occurs in the first instance without identifiable stimulus
e.g.
Rat in a cage. Accidentally pulls lever. Food drops. Will repeat.
What is classical conditioning? What type of learning is it? E.g.?
It is procedural/non-delcarative associative learning
Learning to associate two stimuli
Unconditioned stimulus (US) typically evokes a strong response in subject without training, this will become the learned response to the conditioned stimulus. Pavlov’s dog: US = meat
Conditioned stimulus (CS) typically evokes a weak response in subject which is not related to the response which will be learned Pavlov’s dog: CS = bell
Conditioning
repeatedly ring bell & present the dog with meat ie. Train the dog to associate the two stimuli
Post conditioning
dog has learned to associate the two stimuli…ring bell, withhold meat….dog still salivates
What is extinction in terms of classical conditioning?
Extinction is the undoing of classical conditioning
Procedure:
- CS
- Withhold US
- Repeated
- Results in no response to CS
What is Habituation?
A decrease in a response to a benign stimulus when repeatedly applied.
E.g. when you first hear fireworks they might be scary but if you hear them a few times they don’t provoke the same scary response because you have been conditioned to recognise that they are not threatening.
What is the physiological process involved in habituation?
This is the depression of the synaptic transmission through the reduction of neurotransmitter released from the input neuron. This requires presynaptic modification.
The presynaptic membrane ion channels are inactivated by:
- a decreased ability to mobilise synaptic vesicles into active zones.
- a decreased ability to release neurotransmitters.
Is habituation short or long term typically?
Short term and usually only lasts for a few minutes after the stimulus is withdrawn
How does long term habituation occur? What is the physiological process that happens?
It happens after long term exposure to a stimulus and results in long term changes to the synapse.
This happens by:
- a decrease in the number of synapses due to a withdrawal of axons
- a decrease in active zones in the remaining synapses