User:Eclark8/Emotion and learning

Types of Memory
There are two different types of memory; short term and long term memory. Short term memory is also known as the working memory. Short term memory allows us to remember 7-8 sections of information. An example would be a phone number or a sequence of words in a sentence. Long term memory does not have a capacity so we can remember larger amounts of information. Long term memory can still be forgotten so the information that is held here is constantly changing over time.

Factors Affecting Information Transfer
There are four main factors that influence the transfer of information from short term memory to long term memory:


 * 1) Emotional State: we learned best when we are alert, motivated, surprised, and aroused due to the release of Norepinephrine which controls the memory of emotionally charges events
 * 2) Rehearsal: Repeating information enhances memory
 * 3) Association: Comparing new and old information helps us remember facts
 * 4) Automatic memory: impressions in long term memory that are not consciously formed

Effect of Emotions on Learning
Learning is directly linked to emotions. There are six main emotions: Anger, Fear, Disgust, Sadness, Joy, and Surprise. When tested, learning to associate a certain word with an emotion leads to a recall of the emotion when the word is presented again. Memory has been show to be better with arousal linked with emotion then without emotion. The use of a PET scan has allowed scientists to see that pictures with an "emotional-stimulus" have significantly larger amount of activity in the amygdala. In a study using fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG-PET) to examine the brain during recall of films that were both neutral and aversive, there was a positive correlation between the brain glucose and metabolic rate in the amygdala. The activity in the amygalda is part of the episodic memory that was being created due to the adverse stimuli.

Effects of Stress on Learning
Other stimuli, like stress, improved memory when it was related to learning the subject. Stress unrelated to the subject at hand, made the learning less productive. One example would be when you are trying to study for an test, if you are stressed about the test you are able to learn the material better but if you are stressed about your friends or family while you are studying you are less likely to remember the information. During times of stress the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis is activated which releases corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) from the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus then stimulates the anterior pituitary gland to secrete adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) which activates the adrenal cortex. The adrenal cortex produces cortisol. After 20–30 minutes of stress cortisol reaches its peak concentration and secretes into the brain which affects cognition and behavior. Stress that is around the time of learning actually enhances learning capabilities but stress long before the anticipated event, decreases learning capacity