2011 VN'ers Psychology U3 Questions Thread

[iNerd]

Can someone please outline the weaknesses of (and strengths if possible..)
a) retrieval failure theory
b) interference theory
c) motivated forgetting
TY

Weaknesses

a) Impossible to test.
b) None?
c) Only applies to some experiences.

[iNerd]

As people age they are likely to experience memory decline in:

B) declarative but not procedural memory
D) episodic but not procedural memory.

I put D as semantic memory is resistant to decline....but it's B

[Darren]

Odd question, it should be D.. where was this q? VCAA exam or?

[iNerd]

Odd question, it should be D.. where was this q? VCAA exam or?

TSSM 2010.

[Darren]

Oh actually, epiphany. D is correct but B is more correct, because procedural generally remains stable whilst declarative as a whole declines. Declarative semantic memory isn't AS affected as episodic, but it still has trouble in fluency of retrieval, however IF given time, it can match that of a younger person

[iNerd]

Oh actually, epiphany. D is correct but B is more correct, because procedural generally remains stable whilst declarative as a whole declines. Declarative semantic memory isn't AS affected as episodic, but it still has trouble in fluency of retrieval, however IF given time, it can match that of a younger person

Fluency of retrievel has nothing to do with memory decline though...? I don't get how 'time' comes into play.

[Darren]

Time as in, time allocated for more thorough encoding for an older person for semantic. Assuming they're correct, they probably wanted a stronger contrast as on a general level procedural memory is definitely unaffected whilst declarative does have it's downfalls.

[iNerd]

No....

I think it's D - and you did too, that was your gut response, and aren't we always told to listen to our gut-responses - right?

[iNerd]

Role of the hippocampus and amygdale in memory formation?

[Glockmeister]

Hippocampus
- Primarily involved in Long Term Memory, specifically episodic memory. You might want to talk about long term potentiation, the idea that neurons that "fire together, wire together" etc etc. I'm not sure if you guys go into the biology of it at all, and I don't want to confuse you if it doesn't.

Amygdala (note the spelling... you did get it wrong).
- Probably codes emotional nature of the memories. This obviously involved the modulation of neural signals for memory by this part of the brain.

[iNerd]

We do LTP - are you saying LTP is part of consolidation which the hippocampus is responsible for?

[poojas73]

does body temperature increase during REM sleep?

[Darren]

Agreed, but I think if it was on a real VCAA exam both marks should be awarded^

When talking about long-term potentiation must I include that neurons 'fire together'?
I just included the three main physical changes in the neurons e.g bushier dendritic spines, etc

Also when explaining the role of the temporal lobe.. does it have it's 'own' specific role? Or can it only be explained as working in conjunction with the hippo and amygdala?

[iNerd]

After a stroke that damaged the right parietal lobe of her brain, a 77 year old, ET, was diagnosed with spatial neglect. In order to understand more about the role of the brain in cognitive processes, ET was asked to participate in research which involved the researchers giving her a series of tasks. The findings of the research using ET were presented at a conference on the effects of brain damage.

Q: Describe one task involving cognitive processes that ET is unlikely to be able to do

Q: Identify the limitations of attempting to generalise any conclusions from this research.

[Glockmeister]

We do LTP - are you saying LTP is part of consolidation which the hippocampus is responsible for?

I think the important thing to understand is firstly LTP is something that happens all over the brain, not just the hippocampus. For example the cerebellum uses LTP (off the top of my head, it's for controlling balance, but don't quote me on that one). LTP is simply a chemical mechanism.

In saying that, in the hippocampus, we do believe that it is involved in Long-term memory, specifically the maintenance of long-term memory.

Do you guys talk about the physiology of it though? Like AMPA receptors and NDMA receptors and making Mg2+ ion disappear? (I apologise if I'm labouring the question too much, but I am majoring in neuroscience and I'm obviously studying these mechanisms in greater detail than you would in VCE. I just need to make sure that I'm talking about this at the VCE level so there isn't any confusion.)