Measures of Working Memory

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Measures of Working Memory
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Memory
The term memory is typically used to describe our
ability to accurately recount experiences which
occurred to us in the past. Animals, however,
cannot recount their memories no matter how vivid
and accurate they may experience them. To study
memory in animals the experimenter must look for
evidence that the current behavior can be
predicted by earlier experiences provided to
them.
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Working Memory
Memories that are useful for a short period of
time, and are then forgotten because they are no
longer useful are referred to as working memory
or short-term memory. Evidence of working memory
in animals and humans can be obtained if current
behavior can be predicted by exposure to an event
in the very recent past (e.g., seconds to a few
minutes). The delayed matching to sample task is
such a procedure. The demonstration that follows
shows the procedure as it would be done with
birds.. Study it carefully and then describe the
procedure in a well-written paragraph.
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First, the animals are trained on a
Matching-to-Sample procedure. Two example Trials
Follow
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Matching to Sample
Trial 1
Pecking is not Reinforced
Bird Pecks
Pecking is Reinforced
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Matching to Sample
Trial 2
Pecking is Reinforced
Bird Pecks
Pecking is not Reinforced
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Next, they are switched to a delayed
matching-to-sample procedure. Two example Trials
follow.
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Delayed Matching to Sample
Trial 1
Pecking is not Reinforced
Pecking is Reinforced
Bird Pecks
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Delayed Matching to Sample
Trial 2
Pecking is Reinforced
Pecking is not Reinforced
Bird Pecks
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Another Test of Working Memory
The demonstration that follows shows another
related procedure more commonly used to study
working memory in monkeys. When given a choice
between a familiar object and a novel, unfamiliar
object some animals prefer to choose the novel
object. This natural behavioral tendency leads to
a problem when using a matching to sample task.
Do you see the potential problem? Another task
that takes advantage of animals preference for
novel objects is the delayed non-matching to
sample task (also known as the oddity
discrimination task).
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First, the animals are trained on a
Non-Matching-to-Sample procedure. Two example
Trials Follow
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Non Matching to Sample (Oddity Discrimination)
Trial 1
Pecking is Reinforced
Bird Pecks
Pecking is not Reinforced
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Non-Matching to Sample (Oddity Discrimination)
Trial 2
Pecking is not Reinforced
Bird Pecks
Pecking is Reinforced
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Next, they are switched to a delayed
non-matching-to-sample procedure. Two example
Trials follow.
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Delayed Non-Matching to Sample
Trial 1
Pecking is Reinforced
Pecking is not Reinforced
Bird Pecks
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Delayed Non-Matching to Sample
Trial 2
Pecking is not Reinforced
Pecking is Reinforced
Bird Pecks