The Learning Brain

Professor Biography......Page 3
Acknowledgements......Page 5
Course Scope......Page 9
Lecture 1—Learning 101......Page 12
Defining Learning and Memory......Page 13
The Scientific Study of Learning......Page 15
Lecture 2—What Amnesia Teaches Us about Learning......Page 19
A Case of Amnesia......Page 20
Types of Learning and Memory Preserved in Amnesia......Page 23
Lecture 3—Conscious, Explicit Learning......Page 28
Learning about Explicit Learning......Page 29
Visual versus Verbal Information......Page 30
Previous Knowledge......Page 33
Effectively Learning Explicit Information......Page 36
Lecture 4—Episodic Memory and Eyewitness Testimony......Page 38
Making Inferences......Page 39
Studies of Eyewitness Testimony......Page 41
Improving the Quality of Eyewitness Testimony......Page 45
Episodic versus Semantic Memory......Page 50
Categorization......Page 51
Category Learning Systems......Page 54
Lecture 6—The Neural Basis of Explicit Learning......Page 58
Brain Anatomy......Page 59
Learning New Information and Memory Storage......Page 61
Information Processing and Memory Consolidation......Page 62
Lecture 7—Strategies for Effective Explicit Learning......Page 68
Ineffective Study Techniques......Page 69
Effective Study Techniques......Page 72
Lecture 8—Controversies in Explicit Learning Research......Page 78
Learning Styles......Page 79
The Mozart Effect......Page 81
Repression and Recovery of Traumatic Memories......Page 84
Lecture 9—Unconscious, Implicit Learning......Page 88
Nonassociative Learning......Page 89
Associative Learning: Classical Conditioning......Page 91
Associative Learning: Operant Conditioning......Page 94
Lecture 10—The Psychology of Skill Learning......Page 99
Skill Acquisition......Page 100
Stages of Skill Acquisition......Page 101
How Skill Acquisition Happens: 
A Theory......Page 104
Lecture 11—Language Acquisition......Page 108
The Problem of Language Acquisition......Page 110
Genetic Wiring and Linguistic Universals......Page 113
Language Development......Page 114
Lecture 12—The Neural Basis of Implicit Learning......Page 117
Neural Mechanisms Underlying Nonassociative Learning......Page 118
Neural Mechanisms Underlying Associative Learning......Page 123
Lecture 13—Strategies for Effective Skill Learning......Page 128
A Misconception about Effective Practice......Page 129
Space......Page 131
Challenge......Page 132
Randomize......Page 134
Qualifications on SCoRe Recommendations......Page 136
Lecture 14—Learning Bad Habits: Addiction......Page 138
Key Features of Addiction......Page 139
How Addiction Reflects Pathological Learning......Page 142
Lecture 15—Introduction to Working Memory......Page 148
Working Memory and Cognition......Page 149
The Phonological Loop......Page 152
Lecture 16—Components of Working Memory......Page 157
The Visuospatial Sketchpad......Page 158
The Central Executive......Page 160
The Episodic Buffer......Page 164
Lecture 17—The Neural Basis of Working Memory......Page 167
Studying Neural Mechanisms of Working Memory......Page 168
Applying Animal Results to Humans......Page 171
Lecture 18—Training Your Working Memory......Page 177
Improving ADHD Symptoms......Page 180
How Does Working Memory Training Affect the Brain?......Page 182
Lecture 19—How Motivation Affects Learning......Page 186
Self-Efficacy......Page 188
Perceived Control......Page 190
Intrinsic Motivation......Page 193
Perceived Control......Page 194
Lecture 20—How Stress and Emotion Affect Learning......Page 196
Emotional Memories......Page 197
How Feelings Affect Learning and Memory......Page 201
The Biological Basis of Stress and Emotion......Page 203
Lecture 21—How Sleep Affects Learning......Page 207
The Behavioral Effects of Sleep on Learning......Page 208
What Happens in the Brain while We Sleep......Page 211
Reactivating Memories while We Sleep......Page 213
Theories of Sleep’s Role in Memory Consolidation......Page 215
Lecture 22—How Aging Affects Learning......Page 218
How Learning and Memory Change as We Age......Page 219
How the Brain Changes as We Age......Page 222
Preserving Learning and Memory Abilities......Page 224
Lecture 23—Dyslexia and Other Learning Disabilities......Page 228
Specific Learning Disorders......Page 229
Dyslexia......Page 231
Dyslexia’s Cognitive Mechanisms......Page 233
Dyslexia’s Neural Mechanisms......Page 234
Lecture 24—Optimizing Your Learning......Page 239
1. Adopt a positive mindset.......Page 240
2. Be strategic and deliberate about your learning.......Page 241
3. Learn actively rather than passively.......Page 243
4. Identify good sources of information that will challenge you.......Page 245
5. Stay active, eat right, and get enough sleep.......Page 246
Bibliography......Page 249