Learning and Memory weekly blog - David Rodriguez

     Hello, welcome back to my blog! During week nine we had a continuation of the topic presented on week eight, but giving a more detailed focus to short term memory and its impact on learning. In the class we got divided in three groups to make an infographic about the assigned topic.       First, we went over the term “Short term memory” or STM as a general overview. STM also known as working memory, is a component of memory responsible for temporarily holding and manipulating information that is actively being processed. STM is essential for cognitive tasks such as comprehension, reasoning, decision-making, and problem-solving. It acts as a mental workspace where information is temporarily stored and processed before either being discarded or transferred to long-term memory for more permanent storage. (Resource obtained from: https://www.verywellmind.com/great-ways-to-improve-your-memory-2795356)      Enhance learning:  ...

     Hello, welcome back to my blog! During week eight we had the visit of a special guest, I believe her name was Professor Marce, she talked to us about short and term memory from the point of view of a psychology expert, we also made a fun activity in which we had to make a timeline of our lives.  (Resource obtained from:  https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/how-get-better-remembering-things-according-neuroscience-ncna882426) What is memory?   Memory, in the context of cognitive psychology and neuroscience, refers to the mental processes involved in encoding, storing, and retrieving information. It is the ability of the brain to retain and recall past experiences, knowledge, skills, and perceptions. Memory is a crucial aspect of cognition as it enables individuals to learn, adapt, and navigate through the world.   Memory can be categorized into several types based on various factors such as duration of retention, nature of information,...

       Hello, welcome back to my blog! Being really honest I do not properly recall what was covered during week 7 in class, I remember we had to create an infographic with the important information of chapter 4 and 5, therefore I will do this blog entry based on the readings for that week.   Verbal learning:   Verbal learning refers to the process of acquiring, storing, and recalling information that is presented verbally, typically through spoken or written language. It involves the use of language to encode, organize, and retrieve information from memory. Verbal learning often encompasses activities such as reading, listening, speaking, and writing.   (Resource obtained from:  https://www.time4learning.com/learning-styles/verbal-linguistic.html)                 Serial learning:   Serial learning is a type of learning or memory retrieval in which item...

       Hello, welcome back to my blog! The topic for this week six was the continuity of instrumental conditioning, this topic was divided in two weeks since first it focused in the classical conditioning with rewards and/or reinforcement and then it explains about the punishment or avoidance techniques.   (Resource obtained from: https://www.simplypsychology.org/positive-reinforcement.html) Non-reward reinforcement:   Non-reward reinforcement, also known as negative reinforcement, is a concept in psychology and behaviorism that involves increasing the likelihood of a behavior by removing or avoiding a negative stimulus. Unlike positive reinforcement, which involves the addition of a rewarding stimulus to strengthen a behavior, non-reward reinforcement focuses on the removal or avoidance of something unpleasant.   In non-reward reinforcement, the behavior that leads to the removal or avoidance of the negative stimulus is strengthened b...

       Hello, welcome back to my blog! The topic for this week five was instrumental conditioning, this topic was divided in two weeks since first it focuses in the classical conditioning with rewards and/or reinforcement and then it explains about the punishment or avoidance techniques.   Skinner’s operant conditioning:   Operant conditioning, also known as instrumental conditioning, is a theory of learning proposed by psychologist B.F. Skinner. In operant conditioning, behavior is modified by its consequences, which can either reinforce or punish the behavior.   Skinner introduced the concept of the "Skinner box," also known as an operant conditioning chamber, which is a controlled environment where researchers could study the principles of operant conditioning. In a Skinner box, an animal, typically a rat or a pigeon, learns to associate its behaviors with certain consequences, such as receiving food pellets or experiencing mild electric sho...

     Hello, welcome back to my blog! The topic for this week four was classical conditioning and the topic was initially explained by the students through an activity in which we had to make a presentation of the concept or concepts assigned to each group.  Definition of classical conditioning:       Classical conditioning, also known as Pavlovian conditioning, is a form of associative learning in which a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a meaningful stimulus and acquires the capacity to elicit a similar response. In classical conditioning, the neutral stimulus is paired with an unconditioned stimulus (US) that naturally elicits a reflexive, unlearned response known as the unconditioned response (UR). Through repeated pairings, the neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus (CS), eliciting a learned response called the conditioned response (CR), similar to the original UR. (Resource obtained from in class presentation made by the stud...

     Hello, welcome back to my blog! Habituation and other forms of stimulus learning was the topic covered during week 3 on class. I found this topic particularly interesting as it made me realize certain patterns or events a did not notice before, such as the situation when an annoying noise "disappears" once we get used to it. First, we started with the concepts of orienting response and habituation.  (Resourse obtained from: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/468791?language=spanish)      Orienting response: The orienting response is a natural reflexive reaction to novel or significant stimuli in the environment. When presented with something new or unexpected, an organism will typically orient itself towards the stimulus, directing its attention towards it. This response serves the purpose of gathering information about the stimulus and assessing whether it poses a threat or is of potential interest. It's an adaptive mechanism that help...

     Hello, welcome back to my blog! During week two we finished the topics that we did not have time to cover during week one. These topics were Basic and applied research & Conceptual approaches to the study of learning. (Resource found on: https://www.impactio.com/blog/the-differences-in-basic-research-vs.-applied-research)      We learned that basic research on learning and memory looks to understand the more theorical and fundamental processes by demonstrating cause-and-effect relationships between key variables, while applied research seeks to address practical problems or issues using psychological principles and theories, both types may need to simulate certain situations artificially to get the expected result. Both types of research play critical roles in advancing the field of psychology and improving people's lives.      Later in the class we also discussed about the conceptual approaches to the study of learning, wh...