Learning and Memory

1. Learning and Memory Cognition : How we process ‘Information’ The 3 principles of Cognitive Neuroscience : -DISTINCTcognitive processes that can be dissociated --boxology -INDUCTION OF ERRORS --Nature and Extent of deficit -Two TYPESof measures -Performance -Reaction Times

2. How do we learn and memorize? So, recall = RECONSTRUCTIVE process Ex. Reconstruction + Emotion : Loftus ‘crash vs bump’ Memory = Active, temporal process

3. CONSOLIDATION ENCODING RETRIEVAL The temporal acquisition of information LAW #1: ...We can recall only what we correctly encoded (ex. planet Mars). Ex. Repressed memories.... was it ever encoded or was it reconstructed from information in long-term stores? … Problem of Recall as the only measure of memory….

4. Information processing model The beginning of a model…... Information that comes in your senses -EXACT replicate of what was taken up by the senses -VERY SHORT active period (500 msec. to 2 sec) -Time to pay ATTENTION, if not, loose the information Sensory Registers

5. LAW #2: …In order to encode, we have to be vigilant : -SUSTAINED ATTENTION Capacity to sustain our attention for long periods of time ex. During a class! How do we measure SUSTAINED ATTENTION? -One target and one distraction at a time -Very long interstimulus interval (unpredictability) -Very boring task. Results : deficit normal Detection Time

6. LAW #3: ...We can encode only what we attend to : Pertinent Relevant Attention Sélective Non-Pertinent Irrelevant xxx xx xxx xx 2/3 3/3

7. Selective Attention How do we measure SELECTIVE ATTENTION? -One target, many distractors -Half/Half Present and absent-target trials -Target : share one or more attributes with distractors -One attribute : Pop-out effect -More than one attribute : Illusory Conjunction

8. Expected Results: One attribute shared Two attributes shared Absent Absent Present Present Reaction Time Reaction Time 1 10 1 10 # Distractors # Distractors Parallel Exhaustive Search Serial Self-terminating search

9. LAW #4: ...We can hardly encode two things at the same time -Capacity to perform two tasks at the same time -This can have detrimental effect on encoding How do we measure DIVIDED ATTENTION? -Have the subject perform two tasks simultaneously -Important that the 2 tasks tap on the SAME processes Demo : List #1 : simple List #2 : Double-tap List #3 : Double-bla

10. Divided attention and same modality Expected Results # Correct Recall SIMPLE TAP BLA

11. Information processing model….. continued Information that comes in your senses -EXACT replicate of what was taken up by the senses -VERY SHORT active period (500 msec. to 2 sec) -Time to pay ATTENTION, if not, loose the information Sensory Registers -Sustained Attention -Selective Attention -Divided Attention

12. Information processing model….. continued Information that comes in your senses -EXACT replicate of what was taken up by the senses -VERY SHORT active period (500 msec. to 2 sec) -Time to pay ATTENTION, if not, loose the information Sensory Registers -Sustained Attention -Selective Attention -Divided Attention Working Memory

13. Encoding Working Memory Consolidation -Limited Capacity -Storage & manipulation -Sensitive to Interfernce -Forgetting (15-30sec) Long-Term Memory Recall -Limited Capacity of STM : 7 ± items Demo : Digit Span Demo : Trigrams

14. Working Memory : Short-term memory So, working memory = 7± items Item : any information ; chunking increases capacity for storage ex. Chess players So, role of short-term memory : Keep ACTIVE the information encoded in order to be able to transfer it to long-term memory

15. WM WORKING MEMORY Sustained in large parts by the frontal lobes

16. Information processing model….. continued Information that comes in your senses -EXACT replicate of what was taken up by the senses -VERY SHORT active period (500 msec. to 2 sec) -Time to pay ATTENTION, if not, loose the information Sensory Registers -Sustained Attention -Selective Attention -Divided Attention Encoding Working Memory

17. Probable Results! #Words Recalled Related Words Voluntary Encoding Letter T Letter T : Incidental Encoding : SHALLOW Related Words : Incidental Encoding : DEEP Voluntary Encoding : Intentional Encoding

18. Superficial Incidental Encoding Deep ELABORATION Intentional ELABORATION

19. Information processing model….. continued Sensory Registers -Intentional vs Incidental -Deep vs Shallow …. Effect on recall Long-term Memory Encoding Short-term Memory

20. CONSOLIDATION ENCODING RETRIEVAL CONSOLIDATION : Process that takes the information just encoded, and tranfers it to long-term memory In order to help this passage, two things you can do : -REHEARSAL (phone #) -ELABORATION

21. Very Sensitive to Interference Rehearsal Consolidation Elaboration

22. CONSOLIDATION ENCODING RETRIEVAL After it has been successfully processed in STM, the information is transferred into long-term memory. During this passage, the information can also be lost Go back to Demo # 1 : What were the first 6 words given?

23. Primacy Effect LTM Recency Effect STM Correct Recall Word Order 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 CONSOLIDATION Recency effect : Last words of the list : still active in STM Primacy effect : First words of the list : already in LTM

24. Consolidation and passage from short term to long- term memory Sustained in large parts by the hippocampus

25. Primacy Effect LTM Recency Effect STM Correct Recall Word Order 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 CONSOLIDATION A tricky question: What was the problem of HM?

26. CONSOLIDATION ENCODING RETRIEVAL Once the information is consolidated, you will STORE it in long-term memory. Can go on for years without needing to retrieve this info. If happens... You have to go INTO the long-term memory store, and retrieve the information -Library with many books... need a good classification to retrieve efficiently

27. 4. Information processing: Long-term memory The “amnesia” Problem : My grand-mother lost her memory Question : Where did it go???? Long-term Memory Short-term Memory Different Access to LTM store -Story of a pin... Explicit Memory : Conscious recollection of previously learned information ex. list of words to recall Implicit Memory : Unconscious recollection of previously learned information ex. PRI ____ Recognition : Identification of information stored in LTM Recognition = better performance than recall

28. Information processing: Forgetting 3 possible causes of forgetting: 1- DECAY : Memory traces fade with time if not accessed 2- REPLACEMENT OF OLD MEMORIES BY NEW ONES : -Possibility of induction of “false” memories 3- INTERFERENCE : Forgetting occurs because similar items of information may interfer with one another ex. Importance of cue at the time of retrieval