Psychology Chapter on Memory Storage

Study Notes

Storage

Retaining encoded information over time is the essence of storage.

Memory Capacity

Long-term memory capacity is essentially limitless; old memories do not need to be discarded to store new ones.
Memories are not localized but distributed across various brain networks.
Recall activates the same brain cells involved during the original experience.
Complex memories are encoded, stored, and retrieved by interconnected networks in the brain rather than precise locations.

Explicit Memory Storage

Explicit memory refers to facts and experiences that can be consciously recalled.
The hippocampus registers and temporarily holds explicit memory elements before their transfer to long-term storage in other brain regions.
Explicit memories are categorized as semantic (facts) or episodic (events) and are processed primarily in the hippocampus.
Frontal lobes engage when recalling past experiences, coordinating inputs from various brain regions for working memory processing.

Implicit Memory Storage

Implicit memory involves the retention of skills and conditioned associations that occur without conscious awareness.
The cerebellum is crucial for forming and storing implicit memories through classical conditioning.
Basal ganglia are deep brain structures that support procedural memory formation but do not allow conscious awareness of the learned skills.

Emotions and Memory

Emotional memories can persist even without conscious awareness.
Emotional arousal triggers stress hormones that enhance activity in memory-forming areas of the brain.

Flashbulb Memories

Flashbulb memories are vivid recollections of emotionally significant events, influenced by emotion-triggered hormonal changes and rehearsal, such as memories of 9/11 or the JFK assassination.

Long-term Potentiation (LTP)

LTP refers to the increased firing potential at a synapse following brief and rapid stimulations.
LTP is thought to establish a neural basis for learning and memory, making it difficult for the brain to erase established memories.

Kandel and Schwarz (1982)

Experiment: Conditioned a California sea slug to withdraw its gills reflexively upon water squirted with electric shock.
Resulted in increased serotonin release into certain neurons, enhancing the efficiency of synaptic transmission.
Implications suggest that learning correlates with more synapses, greater serotonin release, and improved cell communication efficiency.
Studies with humans demonstrate that stimulating memory circuits can enhance their sensitivity for extended periods, from hours to weeks.

Description

Explore the fascinating concepts of memory storage, capacity, and the mechanisms of explicit memory in this quiz. Delve into how memories are encoded, retained, and recalled within the brain's intricate networks. Test your understanding of fundamental memory theories and brain functions related to storing and retrieving information.