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Related Concept Videos

Cognitive Learning01:21

Cognitive Learning

432
Cognitive learning is based on purposive behavior, incidental learning, and insight learning.
E. C. Tolman's theory of purposive behavior emphasizes that much behavior is goal-directed. He argued that to understand behavior, we must look at the entire sequence of actions leading to a goal. For instance, high school students study hard, not just due to past reinforcement but also to achieve the goal of getting into a good college.
Tolman introduced the idea that behavior is influenced by...
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Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory01:26

Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory

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Memory is one of the most vital higher mental functions of the brain. Memory is closely related to learning because it enables us to retain information and experiences from our past to use them in our present life. It also helps us to remember facts, events, and skills, such as riding a bike or swimming. There are two types of memory — declarative memory, which involves memorizing facts or events, and procedural memory, which enables us to remember how to do something like writing or...
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Associative Learning01:27

Associative Learning

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Associative learning is a fundamental concept in behavioral psychology, wherein a connection is established between two stimuli or events, leading to a learned response. This process is critical in understanding how behaviors are acquired and modified. Conditioning, the mechanism through which associations are formed, can be divided into two main types: classical conditioning and operant conditioning, each elucidating different aspects of associative learning.
Classical conditioning, also known...
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Working Memory01:24

Working Memory

385
Working memory refers to a combination of components, including short-term memory and attention, that allow an individual to hold information temporarily as we perform cognitive tasks. It is an essential cognitive function that enables the execution of complex tasks such as problem-solving, comprehension, and reasoning. Unlike short-term memory, which simply involves the storage of information for a brief period, working memory involves the active manipulation and processing of this...
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Purposive Learning01:22

Purposive Learning

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E. C. Tolman emphasized the purposiveness of behavior — the idea that much of our behavior is goal-directed. For instance, employees who aim for a promotion work diligently to meet their targets. Tolman argued that when classical conditioning and operant conditioning occur, the organism acquires certain expectations. In classical conditioning, a child might fear a dog because they expect it to bite. In operant conditioning, a person might consistently work overtime because they expect a...
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Functional Brain Systems: Reticular Formation01:13

Functional Brain Systems: Reticular Formation

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The reticular formation is a complex network of gray and white matter located within the brainstem extending from the medulla to the midbrain.
Within the reticular formation, there are several distinct nuclei that can be classified into three broad categories. The Raphe nuclei are located along the midline of the brainstem. They are primarily known for their role in synthesizing and releasing serotonin, a neurotransmitter involved in regulating mood, appetite, sleep, and circadian rhythms. The...
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Working Memory Training for Older Participants: A Control Group Training Regimen and Initial Intellectual Functioning Assessment
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Dynamically shifting from compositional to conjunctive brain representations supports cognitive task learning.

Ravi D Mill, Michael W Cole

    Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
    |July 10, 2023
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    Learning transforms brain activity patterns from general (compositional) to specific (conjunctive) for better task performance. This shift, originating in the subcortex and spreading to the cortex, optimizes neural representations and reduces interference.

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    Area of Science:

    • Neuroscience
    • Cognitive Science
    • Computational Neuroscience

    Background:

    • Neural representations must adapt from novel to practiced cognitive tasks.
    • The geometric changes in neural representations during learning are not well understood.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the shift in neural representation geometry during cognitive task learning.
    • To test the hypothesis that practice shifts representations from compositional to conjunctive.

    Main Methods:

    • Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to monitor brain activity during the learning of multiple complex tasks.
    • Analysis focused on the geometry of neural representations, specifically the transition from compositional to conjunctive patterns.

    Main Results:

    • A dynamic shift from compositional to conjunctive neural representations was observed during task learning.
    • This shift was associated with reduced cross-task interference, improved behavioral performance, and enhanced pattern separation.
    • Conjunctive representations were found to originate in subcortical regions (hippocampus, cerebellum) and subsequently spread to cortical areas.

    Conclusions:

    • Cognitive task learning involves a fundamental shift in neural representation format from compositional to conjunctive.
    • This transition, driven by subcortical-cortical dynamics, serves as a computational signature of learning and optimizes brain function for practiced tasks.