Explain+how+biological+factors+may+affect+one+cognitive+process.+(Elizabeth)

Learning means formation of a memory - growing new connections or strengthening existing connections between neurons to form neural networks.

To find out what areas of the brain are involved in memory, researchers cut away brain tissue (LESIONING) and experimented with rats/animals by making them run through a maze. Lesioning continues until the animal can no longer solve the maze.

Because researchers cannot do this to human beings, (lesioning) they perform these tasks on people who already have brain damage.



LTM (Long term memory) is split into EXPLICIT MEMORY (aka declarative memory) which consists of fact-based information that can be consciously retrieved. Focuses on "knowing what" LTM is also split into IMPLICIT MEMORY, which contains memories that we are not consciously aware of
 * Explicit memory is divided into 2 subsystems
 * Semantic memory - memory for general knowledge, i.e. Mick Jagger is a singer in the Rolling Stones
 * Episodic memory - memory for personal experiences and events
 * Implicit memory is divided into several subsystems
 * Procedural memory - non-conscious memory for skill, habits, and actions. Focuses on "knowing how"
 * Emotional memory - not yet well understood.
 * seems that emotional memories may be formed via the limbic system and that they may persist even when brain damage has destroyed other memories.

The HIPPOCAMPUS has been found to play a role in the formation of explicit memories. Case studies of people with hippocampal damage have shown that they can no longer form new explicit memories, but can still form new implicit memories.

There is also evidence that the amygdala plays a role in the storage of emotional memories - maybe because emotions are used to evaluate experience.
 * According to scientiest LeDoux, certain memories have emotional significance and this might explian why memories based upon emotional events are remembered better.
 * can also be a reason for PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder); people have problems forgetting, because emotional memories are difficult to get rid of.
 * Researchers have also found that when part of the pre-frontal cortex is damaged, emotional memory is very hard to eliminate, and it's difficult to control emotional outbursts.