Understanding Psychology (10th Ed)

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FIGURE 6 
Semantic networks in memory consist of relationships between pieces of information, 
such as those relating to the concept of a fi re engine. The lines suggest the connections that 
indicate how the information is organized within memory. The closer together two concepts are, 
the greater the strength of the association. 
(Source: Collins & Loftus, 1975.)
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218 Chapter 
7 
Memory
subsequently passed along to the cerebral cortex of the brain, where it is actually 
stored (Govindarajan, Kelleher, & Tonegawa, 2006; J. Peters et al., 2007; Lavenex & 
Lavenex, 2009). 
The signifi cance of the hippocampus is exemplifi ed by studies of individuals 
who have particularly good, yet specialized, types of memories. For instance, taxi 
drivers in London, England, must have accurate, complete recall of the location of 
the maze of streets and alleys within a six-mile radius of the center of the city. It 
takes years of study to memorize the material. MRI brain scans of taxi drivers show 
that, relative to non–taxi drivers with fewer navigational skills, the back of the hip-
pocampus is larger while the front is smaller. The fi ndings are consistent with the 
idea that particular areas of the hippocampus are involved in the consolidation of 
Amygdala
Hippocampus
FIGURE 7 
The hippocampus and 
amygdala, parts of the brain’s limbic 
system, play a central role in the 
consolidation of memories. 
(Source: Van 
De Graff , 2000.)
“The matters about which I’m being questioned, Your Honor, are all
things I should have included in my long-term memory but which
I mistakenly inserted in my short-term memory.”
© Ed F
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