Lecture 1

Question 1

Why is it difficult to study learning and memory processes

Answer 1

because they cannot be observed, only inferred. they are theoretical concepts that are proposed to explain the fact that behavior is influenced by our past experiences

Question 2

What is the psychological approach/general goal

Answer 2

1. derive set of empirical principles that describe how variation in experience influences behavior
2. provide a theoretical account that can explain the observed facts

Question 3

What is the significance of theorist Hermann Ebbinghaus

Answer 3

first scientific methods for assessing acquisition and retention to study “pure memory” which was to separate what the subject already learned and what the subject was now asked to remember, using nonsense syllables. He used the forgetting curve

Question 4

What was Ebbinghaus’ biggest criticism

Answer 4

that he was his only subject

Question 5

What is Ebbinghaus’ Forgetting Curve and what are the ways it can be explained

Answer 5

It is time by a function of trace strength which declines as time continues. Can be explained as single trace (continuous declining curve) or dual trace that consists of a rapidly declining first short term memory trace followed by a second long term trace that decays much slower.

Question 6

Explain the difference between psychologists and neurobiologists studying memory

Answer 6

psychologists study memory at a single level (experience to behavior) and neurobiologists study the relationship between them by looking at brain systems, synapses, and molecules

Question 7

Why are we in the midst of a neurobiological revolution (3 reasons)

Answer 7

1. the field is maturing/accumulating a body of evidence in many aspects (medicine, genetics, etc.)
2. maturation of theories and conceptual models
3. onslaught of technology advances (mostly in relation to animals)

Question 8

What ideas did Theodule Ribot propose

Answer 8

1. that during diseases in the brain, memories disappear in orderly fashion
2. that old memories are more resistant to disruptive influences of the brain (RIBOT’S LAW)

Question 9

What ideas did Serge Korsakoff propose

Answer 9

Korsakoff’s Syndrome - produced by long term consumption of alcohol, characterized initially by anterograde amnesia then later retrograde amnesia. 1. poor eating habits 2. problem converting thiamine into active form 3. serious impact on internal organs

Question 10

What movement did William James create

Answer 10

Functional movement - influenced by darwin, it is the use of consciousness, memory, and behavior to adjust to the environment

Question 11

What other importance did william james have

Answer 11

emphasized that humans were both rational and irrational (emotions) and pushed for the study of animals to help learn about humans.

Question 12

What did william james propose in regards to memory

Answer 12

that memories emerge in stages and an after image is supported by a short lasting trace then replaced by primary trace that also decays

(After image is shortly retained
Primary memory is partially retained and built into stream of consciousness
Secondary memory is retained and can be fished out again)

Question 13

Define the reticulum theory

Answer 13

the brain functions like a spider web, later denied and replaced with neuron doctrine

Question 14

What is Golgi most remembered for

Answer 14

his staining strategy to expose the morphology of the NS

Question 15

What was Cajal’s two big ideas

Answer 15

1. neuron doctrine - brain made up of discrete cells (nerve cells) each with the external membrane as its boundary
2. synaptic plasticity hypothesis - synaptic connection is strengthened/ modified by experience

Question 16

What are Cajal’s 3 main contributions

Answer 16

1. the neuron is an independent unit (refuted that nerve cells were linked in a continuous network
2. figured out logic of the brain’s wiring diagram (axons could travel short or long distances, always terminated at specific locations on the dendrites
3. the synapse (axons and dendrites were connected but not fused)

Question 17

what is the law of dynamic polarization

Answer 17

that electrical activity flows through the neuron in one direction (dendrites to axon)

Question 18

What theories did Edward Lee Thorndike have

Answer 18

did “animal intelligence” research - study of the associative processes in animals

connectionism - called the association between sense impressions and impulses to action a bond or connection

valued trial and error learning

Question 19

What was the first methodology for studying how we learn about consequences of actions called that thorndike developed

Answer 19

instrumental conditioning/learning - learning that a reward or reinforcer is a result on the occurrence of a particular behavior

Question 20

What is thorndike’s puzzle box and what did he conclude from the experiment

Answer 20

cat in a box and could pull string to let it escape. plotted time it took to solve as a function of the number of opportunities to solve, decreased time as increased number of trials

concluded - learning was direct and not mediated by thinking or reasoning

Question 21

define Thorndike’s law of readiness before 1930

Answer 21

satisfying = individual ready to learn and allowed to
annoying = ready to learn but prevented to or not ready and forced to

Question 22

Define law of use and law of disuse

Answer 22

law of use - connections between stimulus and response are strengthened after use
law of disuse - connections between are weakened when practice is discontinued

Question 23

Define law of effect

Answer 23

stimulus leads to a response which reinforces, SR connection strengthened
OR if leads to punishment, then connection weakened

Question 24

What are important secondary concepts before 1930

Answer 24

multiple response (first step in learning, remain active until solves an existing problem)
set or attitude (importance of what learner brings to the learning situation)
prepotency of elements (