Retrieval

Memory is Synaptic Change  New memories = physiological changes in the brain making networks easier to fire by adjusting the dendrite/neurotransmitters system. making networks easier to fire by adjusting the dendrite/neurotransmitters system. The easier to fire, the easier linked memories or concepts are to remember. The easier to fire, the easier linked memories or concepts are to remember. Illustrate? Illustrate?

Neurological Basis for memory  This stored ability for a circuit to fire is called: Long Term Potentiation (LTP) Lack of neural connections explains Infantile Amnesia: the inability to remember episodic memories before age 3. Lack of neural connections explains Infantile Amnesia: the inability to remember episodic memories before age 3. you can, however, remember implicit: skill memory you can, however, remember implicit: skill memory Where is that located in the brain? What does that lead us to believe about brain development?Where is that located in the brain? What does that lead us to believe about brain development?

Memory Retrieval  To retrieve a memory you must first have some kind of retrieval cue Examples? Examples?

Retrieval  Activating one strand of a schematic memory is called priming. Mnemonic devices encoding and mnemonic retrieval Mnemonic devices encoding and mnemonic retrieval

Speaking of schema…  What is a schema?  Framework that organizes ideas “This is a cow”  What is assimilation?  Interpreting new experience in terms of existing schema: looks at moose, calls it a cow  What is accommodation?  Modifies schema to include items after learning – discriminates between mama moose and baby moose

Forgetting as Retrieval error.  If we cannot remember something, it could be that: never encoded never encoded difficulty retrieving it difficulty retrieving it Interference of other memories are common retrieval errors.Interference of other memories are common retrieval errors.

Interference Theory =  Proactive  Old  Retroactive  New

 pro= ahead, someone shooting an arrow out ahead and it kills all the stuff up front  Retro = rocket, the after-burn kills all the stuff behind it

Forgetting as Retrieval error.  Proactive interference: You studied French for three years and then decided to take Spanish in college. You may find yourself retrieving French words or pronouncing Spanish words with a French accent. You studied French for three years and then decided to take Spanish in college. You may find yourself retrieving French words or pronouncing Spanish words with a French accent.

Forgetting as Retrieval error  Retroactive Interference: Say you’ve been driving for a while and then decide to learn a stick shift. Then when you start driving an automatic, you slam on the break with your left foot thinking it is a clutch. Say you’ve been driving for a while and then decide to learn a stick shift. Then when you start driving an automatic, you slam on the break with your left foot thinking it is a clutch.

Jill Price: The Woman Who Could Not Forget  U U U  The Real Rain Man 

BREAK

Prospective vs. Retrospective MEMORY

Memory Construction is like a mosaic  Our memories are what we encode as well as how we retrieve them. Remember we encode information semantically and may fill in the blanks with details that aren’t correct, or color the memory by the mood we are in. Remember we encode information semantically and may fill in the blanks with details that aren’t correct, or color the memory by the mood we are in.

Memory Construction: like a mosaic  Déjà vu is often caused by the firing of network by a cue that makes you believe you’ve experienced the whole picture before, recall vs. recognition recall vs. recognition

Tip of Tongue  Problem of retrieval

Retrieval  Context effect : Putting yourself back into the context where a memory was formed may trigger that memory.  Going by an old house, a smell of perfume from a former girlfriend, or the smell of autumn football, may bring back a flood of memories.

Retrieval  State dependent memory: the state we are in influences the memories that are retrieved. When sad, happy, drunk whatever, these become a retrieval cue. When sad, happy, drunk whatever, these become a retrieval cue.

 Mood Congruence: when sad, we are likely to remember events as being sadder than we thought at the time or happier if happy. when sad, we are likely to remember events as being sadder than we thought at the time or happier if happy.

Source Amnesia  Where we got a memory from, the source, on of weakest areas of memory. Child studies Child studies Piaget? Piaget? Neuro brain development? Neuro brain development?

Eyewitness Memory  Because of source amnesia and misinformation effect, eyewitness memories are notoriously bad.

Elizabeth Loftus: Eyewitness  Faculty recall confabulation  ORySA ORySA ORySA

Misinformation Effect  Similarly, we can encode a false memory if we are led to believe something occurred that didn’t. That memory will become just as real as memory of an event that actually occurred. That memory will become just as real as memory of an event that actually occurred.  We also fill in the gaps when retrieving memories retrieval cues offered can change the memory as it comes out. retrieval cues offered can change the memory as it comes out. Retrieval activity Retrieval activity

Repression or Motivated Forgetting  People seem to purposefully forget things (motivated forgetting), but many repressed memories that are recovered seem to been planted, usually unknowingly.  What do you believe?

Amnesia  Retrograde amnesia – unable to recall before amnesia (cases amnesia) Damage to areas associated with declarative memories Damage to areas associated with declarative memories Tumors, strokes, hypoxia, damage to prefrontal cortex Tumors, strokes, hypoxia, damage to prefrontal cortex  Anterograde amnesia – unable to recall after trauma Concussion, car crash, ECT Concussion, car crash, ECT Usually happens in hippocampus Usually happens in hippocampus  Infantile amnesia  Source amnesia  Alzheimers  Clive Wearing: