Human cognition radiolab - Assignment Example

Response to Radiolab Podcast on Memory and Forgetting Response to Radiolab Podcast on Memory and Forgetting Part One Long-term memories are swayed by the emotion that exist or prevails during the learning process. Similarly, long- term memories are influenced by prevailing emotions during the retrieval process (Reed, 2013 p. 98). In radiolab podcast, it emerges that long term memories are retrieved, although not in a vivid manner, through the emotions that exist during the retrieval of the memory.

A story about two lovers in their youth is told. In the story, the painter happened to retrieve the memories, although, subconsciously, of a girlfriend through the emotions of love and passion that exists in the painter’s work. It is true, according to the podcast that memory over time becomes less vivid, but someone could to remember an occurrence based on the emotions that prevailed at that moment the memory was learnt. In the story from the podcast, the passion the painter has for painting evokes the memories the painter had experienced while in love in the past- emotion of passion; consequently, the painter paints the picture of a long-time girlfriend in vivid manner.

Long term memory has no capacity boundaries and could persist from minutes to a lifetime (Reed, 2013 p. 98). In the Radio lab podcast, it emerges that every time one remembers a memory, they are recreating them a fresh. In line with this, it means that long term memory cannot be exhausted regardless on the fresh formulation of the past memories. In essence, people reinterpret want they retrieve from long term memory in light with the present time. As a result, the capacity is limitless due to the refresh of memories, and a new restoration of the former memory.

Part TwoElizabeth Loftus is one of the researchers in the field of psychology that have set out to carry out experiments to discover the malleability of memory. The researcher established that 25 % of persons can be certainly persuaded to recall occasions that never occurred to them-- fabricated memories that feel unquestionably factual (Loftus, 2011). The results resonate with Reed (2013) that memory has no capacity, because regardless the number of memories, memory is malleable to absorb more memories.

Part ThreeCan we enhance long memory through the use of training and brain stimulation? Can this be possible owing to the fact that memory is linked to attention, and probably enhancing attention through training could make an individual remember an event or object for a significantly long time? The Radiolab asserts that every memory is created new every time one remembers it. In line with this, can one improve working memory through the improvement of intelligence? Because attention and working memory are intricately related, so can improved intelligence boost working memory has well?

It is in the working memory that memories are created afresh, so maybe, will greater intelligence lead to less distortion of working memory in future? Part FourI think it is ethical to remove some memories; if those memories cause psychological disturbance to a victim. In essence, there are traumatic incidences such as accidents, murder, and rape that invoke mental discomfort in a person. Such memories are better off erased through medication. If the drug in animals is perfected, the right time to use it is during post traumatic treatment and the wrong time to use it will be by suppressing the memory of court witness, abductees , and other criminal activities that impair memory at the expense of justice.

In reference to the radiolab podcast, I think doctors should be allowed to use it on patients who need it. ReferencesLoftus, E. F. (2011). Intelligence gathering post-9/11. American Psychologist, 66(6), 532.Reed, S. (2013). Cognition: Theories and Applications. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.