Memory, Cognition, and Cognitive Neuroscience Discussion

During the late 1960s and early 1970s, cognitive psychology researchers conducted studies that offered new information about how memory is stored and processed. Findings suggested that memory is first encoded based on sensory data from the environment (sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell), moved to short-term memory, where it can be easily retrieved, and, when rehearsed (i.e., repeated thinking about the memory), moved to long-term memory, where it is stored and can be retrieved at a later date (Atkinson & Shiffrin, 1968; Craik & Lockhart, 1972).

The basic structural information about memory that arose from these early studies, along with the emergence of brain imaging technology, has led to major advancements in our understanding of cognition and cognitive neuroscience. For example, there is a body of literature on the association between PTSD and memory dysfunction. Traumatic memories are thought to be encoded differently than other memories, which helps explain symptoms such as flashbacks, nightmares, and anxiety. In addition, experiencing a traumatic event and then consistently reliving it through flashbacks and nightmares can damage the hippocampus, the area of the brain responsible for memory encoding, leading to deficits in short-term memory (Hays, VanElzakker, & Shin, 2012; MacIntosh & Whiffen, 2005). Fortunately, exciting new research on neuroplasticity suggests that the brain is malleable and that it is possible to reverse the damage to certain parts of the brain (Kays, Hurley, & Taber, 2012).

In this discussion, you will examine other studies on memory and consider how the findings contribute to our understanding of cognition and cognitive neuroscience.

Atkinson, R. C., & Shiffrin, R. M. (1968). Human memory: A proposed system and its control processes. In K. Spence & J.T. Spence (Eds.), Psychology of learning and motivation (Vol. 2, pp. 89–195). Cambridge, MA: Academic Press.

Craik, F. I., & Lockhart, R. S. (1972). Levels of processing: A framework for memory research. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 11(6), 671–684.

Hayes, J. P., VanElzakker, M. B., & Shin, L. M. (2012). Emotion and cognition interactions in PTSD: A review of neurocognitive and neuroimaging studies. Frontiers in integrative neuroscience, 6(89), 1–14.

Kays, J. L., Hurley, R. A., & Taber, K. H. (2012). The dynamic brain: Neuroplasticity and mental health. The Journal of neuropsychiatry and clinical neurosciences, 24(2), 118–124.

MacIntosh, H. B., & Whiffen, V. E. (2005). Twenty years of progress in the study of trauma. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 20(4), 488–492.

To prepare

• Review this week’s Learning Resources on cognitive evolution, memory, and cognitive neuroscience.Locate a peer-reviewed journal article on memory related to one of the following topics:
  • Improving memoryAgingAmnesiaCognitive mapping
  Consider how the article you selected relates to cognition and cognitive neuroscience.

 

"Looking for a Similar Assignment? Get Expert Help at an Amazing Discount!"

Week 3 – Discussion 1 (The Ethics of Mandated Treatment)

Your initial discussion thread is due on Day 3 (Thursday) and you have until Day 7 (Monday) to respond to your classmates. Your grade will reflect both the quality of your initial post and the depth of your responses. Refer to the Discussion Forum Grading Rubric under the Settings icon above for guidance on how your discussion will be evaluated.

The Ethics of Mandated Treatment

Prior to beginning work on this discussion forum, be certain to have read all the required resources for this week. The use of mandated, or legally coerced, treatment is widespread. Yet research demonstrating the efficacy of this type of treatment is limited, and mandating mental health treatment is one of the most contested issues in the field of psychology. To justify the continued use of mandated treatment, policymakers, practitioners, and researchers are obligated to demonstrate the effectiveness and limitations of such treatment programs.

You have been called in to consult on cases that may require mandated treatment. After reviewing the PSY699 The ethics of mandated treatment scenarios (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site., choose two to discuss in your initial post. Begin your research with the required resources for this week. Using the specific situations presented in each of the scenarios you have chosen, conduct further research to help inform your recommendations for each individual. A minimum of one resource per scenario, beyond those already required for the assignment, must be included in your initial post.

In your post, construct clear and concise arguments using evidence-based psychological concepts and theories to present your recommendations as to whether or not treatment should be mandated for the individuals in each of the scenarios. As you write your recommendations, be certain to provide insights into the following questions.

• What are the ethical principles and implications raised by legally mandating clients into treatment? What evidence exists regarding the effectiveness of treatment with and without coercion for this type of situation? What would be the challenges in evaluating the effectiveness of mandated treatment? How might mandated treatment impact your clinical decision making as the mental health professional assigned to these cases?What client factors might limit or augment the potential benefits of treatment if it were mandated?

Integrating concepts from your research and the required readings, offer insights across different content domains as to why you have reached these conclusions. Explain how you used the APA Ethical Code of Conduct to guide your decisions. Evaluate the generalizability of your specific research findings to the situations presented and provide a rationale as to why this research supports your recommendations.

Guided Response: Review several of your colleagues’ posts and respond to at least two of your peers by 11:59 p.m. on Day 7 of the week. You are encouraged to post your required replies earlier in the week to promote more meaningful interactive discourse in this discussion. 

Provide specific, research-based arguments to support your reasoning as you create your responses. Did your colleague give full consideration to the ethical implications presented in the scenario? Was the recommendation mindful of specific client factors which could potentially cause an adverse response to mandated treatment? What further challenges might your colleague have considered in his or her recommendation(s)? Did your colleague utilize appropriate research to support his or her recommendations? Do you agree with the recommendations made by your colleague for both of the situations?

 

"Looking for a Similar Assignment? Get Expert Help at an Amazing Discount!"