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The Role of Binding Structures in Episodic Memory Development

Yim, Hyungwook
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1449030782

Abstract Details

2015, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Psychology.
Episodic memory involves the formation of relational structures that bind information about the stimuli people experience to the contexts in which they experience them (i.e., binding structures). The ability to form and retain such binding structures may be at the core of the development of episodic memory. However, there is not much research in episodic memory development concerning binding structures, and the neural mechanisms that are responsible are far from clear. How does the ability to bind complex memory structures develop?, and What are the underlying neural mechanisms? In this dissertation I try to provide answers to these questions. In the first study, 4-year-olds, 7-year-olds, and adults were presented with paired-associate learning tasks requiring memory structures of different complexity. A Multinomial Processing Tree (MPT) model was applied to estimate the use of different structures across the age groups. Results showed that the use of two-way list-context-to-target binding structures (i.e., l parameter in the MPT model) and three-way binding structures (i.e., b parameter in the MPT model) increase between the ages of 4 and 7, and greatly develop into adulthood. Additionally, when the saliency of the list context cues were increased by using cartoon characters instead of colored houses, only the l parameter increased significantly, which provides evidence that attentional mechanisms are involved in forming context-to-item binding structures. The second study investigated the underlying mechanisms of forming different binding structures more directly by utilizing single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Especially, the contributions between the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex (PFC) were compared. By using a similar paradigm as in the first study 5-year-olds and adults were examined. Additionally SNPs were genotyped from adults to gain direct biological evidence of the underlying mechanisms. Since different genes affect the functionality of different brain areas in different ways, genotyping was used as a proxy for examining the functionality of the brain. Results reconfirmed that children lack the ability to use complex binding structures (i.e., l and b in the MPT model), and provided evidence that forming these structures require more PFC contribution than hippocampal contribution. In sum, the dissertation showed that the ability to form and use complex binding structures have a protracted development and involves a relatively greater contribution from the PFC. It has also provided a novel method (i.e., MPT model) to study binding structures in episodic memory development.
Vladimir Sloutsky (Advisor)
John Opfer (Committee Member)
Per Sederberg (Committee Member)
127 p.
Psychology
episodic memory; memory development; binding; multinomial processing tree model; single nucleotide polymorphism

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Yim, H. (2015). The Role of Binding Structures in Episodic Memory Development [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1449030782

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Yim, Hyungwook. The Role of Binding Structures in Episodic Memory Development. 2015. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1449030782.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Yim, Hyungwook. "The Role of Binding Structures in Episodic Memory Development." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1449030782

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1449030782
114
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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.