PSYC 100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 20: Simple Features, Visual Search, Fear Conditioning

• School: McGill University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 100
• Professor: Jens C Pruessner

Document Summary

The neural basis of this reinforcement is the release of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which plays an important role in the experience of reward and is crucial for positive reinforcement. Nucleus accumbens activation: the experience of pleasure results for activation of dopamine neurones in this region. Semon (1904) memories are stored through changes in the nervous system. Hebb (1948) learning results from alterations in the synaptic connections. When one neurone excites another, the synapse between the 2 strengthens. For both types of learning, presynaptic neurones alter their neurotransmitter release: a reduction lead to habituation and an increase leads to sensitization. Long term potentiation (ltp): the strengthening of a synaptic connection so that postsynaptic neurones are more easily activated. It occurs when the intense electrical stimulation increases the likelihood that stimulating one neuron leads to an action potential in the second neuron. The drugs that improve memory lead to increased ltp.