But receiving info isn't a survival scenario ;

I would say that the mechanism of 'writing them to hard drive' is motivated by survival.

(it would never get 'written to hard drive', if there was no survival merit to ever learn..)

If that is the case, I would see the negative (live or die states), to be the heaviest imprinted - ergo a clearer memory of what has been learned.

thing of how quick a child learns that putting your hand in a fire is a not good idea, and how long it takes to learn.... colors... or something...

The survival mode leaves a harder imprint.