Childhood AmnesiaDiscussion QuestionAssessing Earliest Memory- Method 1Assessing Earliest Memory- Method 2Assessing Child Memories: Deferred ImitationChildhood Amnesia FactsExplaining Childhood AmnesiaReminiscence BumpDiscussion QuestionPsychological ShiftWhat is Autobiographical Memory?Slide 12Importance of A.B. MemoryReasons for Childhood AmnesiaImmature Brain HypothesisHippocampus LocationHippocampus PurposeHow is Hippocampus related to childhood amnesia?Prefrontal Cortex LocationPrefrontal Cortex PurposeResearch confounding Immature Brain Hypothesis1. Prenatal/newborn learning2. Habituation3. Object Permanence4. Classical & Operant ConditioningDiscussionSlide 27Language HypothesisLanguage and A.B. MemoryEvidence for the Importance of Language in Development of A.B. MemoryAdult Role in Memory DevelopmentMaternal Role in Memory DevelopmentCultural & Gender Differences in Memory DevelopmentSlide 34Self-Identity HypothesisChild Development of SelfHowe: Development of SelfHarley & Reese, 1999: Linguists vs. Self-theoristsLinguists are RightSelf-Theorists are Right, tooSummary of Childhood Amnesia TheoriesChildhood AmnesiaClass 2Discussion QuestionDescribe your first memory?Include details such as:AccuracyPerspectiveCoherenceConfidenceAssessing Earliest Memory- Method 1Self-Report- very difficult for adults to provide precise date unless tied to a datable event. Structure-type interview- specific questions about sibling births, family move, death of relative, and overnight hospitalization.Assessing Earliest Memory- Method 2Adults asked to remember as many memories as possible from specific time points. This method has revealed a “forgetting curve”Assessing Child Memories: Deferred ImitationMeltzoff’s9 month-olds imitate unique toy play after delayDemonstrates that 9 month-olds have declarative, but not procedural memorySimcock & HayneMagic Shrinking Machine. Pre-verbal children can imitate procedure of magic shrinking machine. After developing language (and specific words needed for verbal recall) children cannot verbally recall information, can only imitate.Demonstrates that language is important to memory not only for recall, but also for encoding. Language provides a mnemonic structure.Deferred Imitation task passes amnesia testChildhood Amnesia FactsMost people have no memories before age 2.The average age of a first memory is 3 1/2No correlation between age of first memory and memory’s traumaExplaining Childhood AmnesiaFreud(1924/1953): memories too arousing for the ego are repressed or transformed into bland ones.James (1890): General weakness of infantile mind.Reminiscence BumpDiscussion QuestionWhy do you think childhood amnesia happens?Psychological ShiftThe “psychological shift” occurs around ages 3 to 4 yearsEarlier memories forgotten, later memories held with greater tenacityWhy?What is Autobiographical Memory?Autobiographical memory is defined as an explicit memory of an event that occurred in a specific time and place in one’s personal past (Nelson and Fivush, 2004).A.B. Memory also is related to the individual's emotions, goals, and personal meaningsDiscussion QuestionIs A.B. Memory different from episodic memory?Importance of A.B. MemoryWithout A.B. memory, there would be no sense of past or future (Dimasio, 1999).Without self-awareness and ability to change perspective (i.e., as third person or object), we would not know that memories are remembrance (Conway and Pleydell-Pearce, 2004).Reasons for Childhood AmnesiaA. Immature Brain HypothesisB. Language HypothesisC. Self-Identity HypothesisImmature Brain HypothesisPatricia Bauer: Through elicited imitation, we find that long-term recall is emergent by 9 mo., and is reliable over 2nd yearMemory is dependent on the development of two areas in the brainHippocampusPrefrontal CortexHippocampus LocationHippocampus PurposeCreating new episodic memoriesCase of H.M.Impairment to episodic memory creationNo impairment to procedural memoryH.M. could learn new tasks, but would not remember how he learned it (the learning episode)How is Hippocampus related to childhood amnesia?Full hippocampal network coalesces in 2nd half of 1st year of life- consistent with emergence of long-term recallHowever, babies still demonstrate learning and memoryDoes this research demonstrate an infant’s use of episodic memory or just procedural?Prefrontal Cortex LocationPrefrontal Cortex PurposeRecalling episodic memoriesCase of K.C.--damage to frontal lobes. Could remember facts learned in past, but not episodesPrefrontal Cortex begins to develop at age 1.Research confounding Immature Brain HypothesisInfant Learning & Memory Research1. Prenatal/Newborn learning2. Habituation3. Object Permanence4. Classical/Operant Conditioning1. Prenatal/newborn learningPreference to familiar rhyme (DeCasper, et al. 1994)Newborn preference to tastes & smells experienced in utero (Mennella, Jagnow & Beauchamp, 2001)Preference to mother’s voice--learned prenatally, demonstrated at birth (DeCasper & Fifer, 1980)QuickTime™ and aTIFF (LZW) decompressorare needed to see this picture.2. HabituationMethod for assessing infant (pre-verbal) learning (Thompson & Spencer, 1966)1. Baby is presented with one stimulus consistently until attentive time decreases (habituation) 2. Baby is presented with a different stimulus. 3. If baby’s attention time increases, baby has noticed change (dishabituation)www.psy.fau.edu/cdlfau/lab%20visit.htmQuickTime™ and aTIFF (LZW) decompressorare needed to see this picture.3. Object Permanence5 month olds remember objects that are not perceptually salientwww.aplaceofourown.org8 month olds motorically demonstrate object permanence (Piaget) 12 month-olds pass A not B task18 month-olds pass container transfer taskQuickTime™ and aTIFF (LZW) decompressorare needed to see this picture.4. Classical & Operant ConditioningInfants demonstrate learning through classical and operant conditioning Sucking more vigorously to hear familiar sounds or sweet tastes (DeCasper & Spence, 1986)Kicking feet vigorously to activate mobile (Rovee-Collier)mobile movieDiscussionWhat kind of memory do these experiments exhibit?How are these experiments related to the topic of childhood amnesia and the development of autobiographical memory?Reasons for Childhood
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