PSY 211 Exam 3: Learning and Memory

Gradient Degradation

Forgetting shown by generalizing to incorrect but similar stimuli

Delayed extinction

Forgetting shown by rapid extinction following a delay

Implicit

Unconscious

Iconic Storage

Visual sensory memory, momentary memory for visual information

Iconic

Visual shorter than auditory

Cognitive approaches to learning and memory try to identify mental states (such as "memory," or "thought") by studying the genetic makeup of organisms. (true or false)

false

Forgetting a response is the same thing as extinguishing the response (true or false)

false

The three basic types of memory are sensory memory, short-term memory, and working memory. (true or false)

false

Prompts (prompted recall)

fill in the blank tests

Overlearning

learning event after achieving mastery

Remembering exactly where you were and what you did on the day that Michael Jackson died is an example of episodic memory. (true or false)

true

Paired Associates

Names and faces, flash cards for terms and definitions

Retention

- Being able to recall something out of memory - Amount of information that can be remembered from memory following a time delay - amount of information encoded and stored (acquired) into memory - The persistence to perform a learned behavior (facts or experiences) after an interval has elapsed in which there has been no performance or practice of the behavior

Long-term Memory

- procedural - episodic - semantic - implicit

Principle features of short-term memory

- short duration (30 seconds) - limited capacity (7+/-2 words/numbers at a time)

Three stages of memory

1) encoding 2) storage/consolidation 3) retrieval

What are the three major reasons memories fail?

1) not paying attention during encoding 2) distortion 3) retroactive interference

Three types of memory

1) sensory 2) short-term 3) long-term

7 ways to improve memory

1. overlearning 2. shorten the retention interval 3. protect against interference - PI: don't learn too much confusing material prior to studying - RI: don't learn too much confusing material between studying and testing 4. Relate material to prior experience - elaborative rehearsal: thinking about the meaning of a term to remember it as opposed to repetition 5. Reproduce the internal or external learning context during testing - state dependent learning (mood, drugs) - cue dependent learning (encoding specificity) 6. mnemonics 7. external aids - string -timer

Peg Word System

A memory aid that involves linking words with numbers. Mental associations between items to be remembered and items already remembered

Mnemonics

Any system that aids recall

Echoic

Auditory longer than iconic because need a longer time to process and produce speech

Cognitive Psychology Premises

Behavior is the result of environmental changes mediated by mental operations within an organism - genetics determine capacity - conscious and unconscious internal operations can be studied although not directly observable - identify important environmental conditions - observe changes in behavior - infer the mental processes require to explain the behavior

State Dependent Learning

Behavior that is learned during a particular physiological state is lost when that state passes

Black Box

Behaviorist approach where only the stimulus and response are accounted for and the processing stages that happen in the "black box" do not matter. Cognitive psychologists want to know what is happening in that black box, and look at how people process information. People today are leaning towards the cognitive approach

Sensory Memory

Brief iconic and echoic traces - shortest - term element of memory - ability to retain impressions of sensory information after the original stimuli have ended

Forgetting

Deterioration in learned behavior following a period without practice

Free Recall

Essay exams

Working Memory

Executive and attentional aspect of short term memory involving integration, processing, disposal, and retrieval of memories. A system for temporarily storing and managing the information required to carry out cognitive tasks such as learning, reasoning, and comprehension. It is the part of short-term memory that is concerned with immediate conscious perceptual and linguistic processing.

Cue dependent Learning

Failure to remember something without cues. Cues aid in memory

Primary Effect

Have more time to focus on memorizing items at beginning of list

Procedural

How to complete activities

Information Processing

Humans process information in the same way that computers do. When a problem is presented as input, the organism processes the information the same way as a computer

Procedural Memory

Learned skills like how to ride a bike

Implicit Memory

Memories that are unconscious, they are there but you don't realize it. i.e. Recovered memories from a post traumatic amnesia

Episodic Memory

Memory for specific events i.e. where you were on 9/11

Semantic

Memory of concepts

Episodic

Memory of events

Echoic Storage

Momentary storage of auditory information

Recognition

Multiple choice, true or false, criminal lineup

Retroactive Facilitation (RF)

New learning facilitates the retention of old learning. New material makes it easier to remember older content. i.e. music theory course helps with the learning of piano

Retroactive Interference (RI)

New learning interferes with the retention of old learning. Trouble remembering what we new in the past especially if new and old material are similar in nature. Old information still stored but cannot be retrieved due to competition with newly acquired information. Decreases over time.

Proactive Interference (PI)

Old information that interferes with the retention of new information. When you memorize a list of information and when remembering a later part the learning of the early part gets in the way. Increases or gets worse over time.

Proactive Facilitation (PF)

Old learning facilitates the process of new learning i.e. using information and concepts learned in PSY 101 to help you learn concepts in PSY 201

Behaviorism

Only study observable behavior and not mental concepts. - dont infer mental states from behavior - describe the behavior itself measure the response (whatever it takes to press a bar) - specify the setting (what are the stimuli) - identify the reinforcers and punishers that control behavior --> it is the lawful function of environmental changes, genetics play a role but are not part of psychology

Reminiscence

Performance sometimes improves with passage of time

Method of Loci System

Recall a particular familiar location or spatial information

The basic premise behind radical behaviorism is that we should only study observable behavior and that mental concepts are unnecessary (true or false)

True

Short-term memory

Short duration, limited capacity, working memory. - 30 seconds - approximately 7 +-2 numbers at a time - active: working memory (problem solving/learning)

Delayed matching to sample

Simplified recognition for animals

Semantic Memory

Store facts or basic concepts i.e. remembering a theory or names

Keyword Method

Term used as a keyword to retrieve information from a memory bank

Flashbulb Memory

Vivid, precise, concrete, long lasting memories of personal circumstance. A highly detailed, exceptionally vivid snapshot of the moment and circumstances in which a piece of surprising and consequential or emotionally arousing news was heard. i.e. On 9/11 you can remember what you were doing and where you were but not necessarily the actual event. - autobiographical memories (highly personal memories of how a fact or event is related to you)

Primary Effect

When learning a list of things the things you learn first you will remember because they will be stored in your long-term memory

Recency Effect

You will remember the last things you learn on a big list because they will be stored in your short term memory

If you get perfect scores on your psychology exams only when you do all of your studying in the examination room, this fact would provide strong positive evidence for a) overlearning b) mnemonics c) proactive interference d) encoding specificity e) the shortage of housing at SDSU

encoding specificity

In most cases, forgetting of a response a) decreases as the retention interval is lengthened b) increases as the retention interval is lengthened c) stays the same no matter what the retention interval d) remains stable for the first hour then drops off quickly e) is so fast it will make your head spin

increases as the retention interval is lengthened

What are the four processing stages for information retention and retrieval according to the cognitive approach to learning?

input stimulus->search/compare (search memory that matches)->decision (have enough info?)->output(demonstration of correct or incorrect answer)

Four processing stages for information acquisition (Cognitive approach)

input stimulus->sensory memory (iconic and echoic)->short term->encoding

relearning

prerequisites/ review session

Experimental group performs better on task B than the control group

proactive facilitation

Experimental group performs worse on task B than the control group

proactive interference

Experimental group performs better on task A than the control group

retroactive facilitation

Experimental group performs worse on task A than the control group

retroactive interference

If learning students' names in this semester's class makes it harder for me to remember the names of students in last semester's class, we have a case of a) retroactive interference b) delayed matching to sample c) positive transfer d) proactive interference e) an absent-minded professor

retroactive interference

Lester Lush meets the girl of his dreams while he is inebriated at a party and asks her to marry him. The next day at the altar, when he is sober, he does not recognize her. This is an example of a) recency effect b) retroactive interference c) serial position effect d) state dependent memory e) don't store marital propositions in memory when you drink

state dependent memory