Question 1

On which of the following tests did H.M. display substantial long-term memory as indicated by improved performance?
A) Pavlovian conditioning test
B) block-tapping +1 test
C) mirror-drawing test
D) all of the above
E) both A and C

Accepted Answer

H.M. only displayed long-term memory on tasks that involved procedural memory (learning a skill or task). Pavlovian conditioning involves associative memory, and block-tapping +1 involves working memory. Therefore, the only tasks that showed improved performance were those that involved procedural memory, such as the mirror-drawing test and the Pavlovian conditioning test. So, only option E is correct.

Question 2

After his surgery, H.M.'s IQ
A) dropped to 68.
B) dropped slightly.
C) dropped to 89.
D) stayed about the same.
E) increased.

Accepted Answer

E

Question 3

If you were going to illustrate the extent of H.M.'s bilateral lesion, you could accomplish this best if you drew H.M.'s brain from __________ perspective.
A) an inferior
B) a dorsal
C) a posterior
D) a lateral
E) a dorsolateral

Accepted Answer

A

Question 4

The shaded areas on this drawing of the inferior surface of the brain illustrate the position of the 
A) hippocampuses.
B) amygdalas.
C) striatums.
D) medial parietal lobes.
E) medial temporal lobes.

Accepted Answer

The shaded areas on the drawing correspond to the medial temporal lobes, which house several important structures including the hippocampi and amygdalae. The striatum is located more centrally in the brain, while the medial parietal lobes are located superior (above) the lobes shown in this drawing. Therefore, the best choice is E, medial temporal lobes.

Question 5

H.M. was
A) a famous neuropsychologist.
B) a person who had epilepsy.
C) an Egyptian.
D) a famous physiological psychologist.
E) a sad product of prefrontal lobotomy.

Accepted Answer

H.M. was a person who had epilepsy and underwent a bilateral medial temporal lobectomy to treat his seizures. This procedure resulted in severe amnesia and made him a well-known case study in the field of neuropsychology.

Question 6

One of the major turning points in the study of the neuropsychology of memory was the year H.M. had his operation:
A) 1923.
B) 1934.
C) 1953. .
D) 1983.
E) 1991

Accepted Answer

The year H.M. had his operation was 1953, which was a major turning point in the study of the neuropsychology of memory. H.M. had parts of his medial temporal lobes removed in an attempt to reduce his severe epilepsy, but the operation resulted in significant memory impairments that provided crucial insights into the role of the hippocampus and other structures in memory formation and consolidation.

Question 7

H.M.'s postsurgical digit span was found to be
A) 109.
B) 125.
C) 112.
D) 114.
E) none of the above

Accepted Answer

H.M.'s postsurgical digit span would not be a number like 109, 125, 112, or 114, as digit span typically refers to the number of digits a person can remember and repeat back immediately after presentation, usually not exceeding 7-9 items for most adults.

Question 8

In a nutshell, H.M.'s main problem seems to be that he
A) has no long-term memories.
B) can form no new long-term memories.
C) can form no new explicit long-term memories.
D) has a devastating retrograde amnesia for remote events.
E) can form no new implicit long-term memories.

Accepted Answer

H.M., a famous case study in the field of psychology and neuroscience, could not form new explicit long-term memories after undergoing surgery to alleviate seizures, which involved the removal of his hippocampus. This left his ability to form new implicit memories (such as skills or habits) largely intact, but severely impaired his ability to form new explicit (conscious) memories, such as facts and events.

Question 9

A major contribution of H.M.'s case was the following: It
A) was the first to strongly implicate the medial temporal lobes in memory.
B) effectively challenged the view that memorial functions are diffusely and equivalently distributed throughout the brain.
C) provided support for the view that there are distinct modes of short-term and long-term storage.
D) provided evidence of memory without conscious awareness.
E) all of the above

Accepted Answer

H.M.'s case was a major contribution to our understanding of memory as it provided evidence for all of the options listed. It was the first case to strongly implicate the medial temporal lobes in memory, effectively challenging the view that memory functions are diffusely and equivalently distributed throughout the brain. It also provided support for the view that there are distinct modes of short-term and long-term storage, and provided evidence of memory without conscious awareness.

Question 10

Explicit memories for the particular events or experiences of one's life are __________ memories.
A) semantic
B) procedural
C) episodic
D) remote
E) implicit

Accepted Answer

Episodic memories refer to memories of specific events or experiences that have happened in one's life, such as the memory of your first day of school or a family vacation. Semantic memories are memories of general knowledge or information, while procedural memories refer to memories of how to do certain tasks or skills. Remote memories refer to memories from the distant past, and implicit memories are unconscious memories that can affect behavior or performance without conscious awareness.

Question 11

The brain operation performed on H.M. was a
A) unilateral temporal lobectomy.
B) bilateral prefrontal lobotomy.
C) bilateral temporal lobotomy.
D) bilateral medial temporal lobectomy.
E) none of the above

Accepted Answer

The operation performed on H.M. was a bilateral medial temporal lobectomy, specifically the removal of the hippocampus and adjacent structures on both sides of the brain. This was done in an attempt to treat his severe epilepsy but resulted in his amnesia and inability to form new memories. The other options are incorrect as they do not accurately describe the type or location of the brain surgery that H.M. underwent.

Question 12

The tests commonly used to assess implicit memory in neuropsychological patients are
A) object recognition tests.
B) repetition priming tests.
C) digit span tests.
D) episodic tests.
E) delayed nonmatching-to-sample tests.

Accepted Answer

Repetition priming tests are commonly used to assess implicit memory. These tests involve presenting a stimulus (e.g., a word or picture) and then presenting the same stimulus or a related stimulus later on to see if the original presentation facilitated processing of the second stimulus. This type of test measures how prior exposure to a stimulus can influence subsequent processing without requiring conscious recollection of the initial exposure.

Question 13

H.M.'s surgery was a success in that
A) the incidence of his seizures was markedly reduced.
B) his IQ was increased.
C) it became possible to reduce the level of his anticonvulsant medication.
D) all of the above
E) both A and C

Accepted Answer

The answer of H.M.'s surgery was a success in that
A)...

Question 14

Which of the following is a correct statement about medial temporal lobe amnesics? They often have
A) medial temporal lobe pathology.
B) no ability to form long-term semantic memories.
C) a profile of mnemonic deficits similar to that of H.M.
D) all of the above
E) both A and C

Accepted Answer

Medial temporal lobe amnesics often have medial temporal lobe pathology, and typically exhibit a profile of mnemonic deficits similar to that of H.M. This includes impairment in forming new explicit long-term memories, particularly episodic memories, while leaving implicit memory abilities intact. However, they may still be able to form some new semantic memories, indicating that their long-term semantic memory ability is not completely impaired.

Question 15

K.C., the man who can't time travel, experienced a severe deficit in __________ memory.
A) implicit
B) semantic
C) episodic
D) short-term
E) none of the above

Accepted Answer

Episodic memory refers to the ability to remember past events and experiences, which is necessary for time travel. Therefore, K.C.'s deficit in this type of memory would explain why he is unable to time travel.

Question 16

H.M.'s greatest postsurgical problem was his
A) anterograde amnesia.
B) retrograde amnesia.
C) deficit in short-term memory.
D) loss of remote memory.
E) drop in IQ.

Accepted Answer

H.M.'s greatest postsurgical problem was his anterograde amnesia, which is the inability to form new memories after the surgery.

Question 17

Following his surgery, H.M. seemed to experience
A) an extreme retrograde amnesia for remote events.
B) a complete disruption of short-term memory.
C) a mild retrograde amnesia for events of the 2 years preceding the surgery.
D) all of the above
E) both A and C

Accepted Answer

The answer of Following his surgery, H.M. seemed to experience
A)...

Question 18

Why do we have two memory systems - explicit and implicit - that are both capable of learning the same material? What advantage is there in having a second, conscious system? Recent evidence suggests that the answer is
A) ischemia resistance.
B) evolution.
C) greater flexibility.
D) direct motor control.
E) the advantage of bilateral systems.

Accepted Answer

Having both explicit and implicit memory systems allows for greater flexibility in learning and adapting to new situations. Implicit memory is automatic and unconscious, while explicit memory requires conscious effort, and having both allows for different types of learning and memory retrieval based on the situation.

Question 19

The most commonly employed test of short-term verbal memory is the
A) block-tapping test.
B) digit-span test.
C) digit-span +1 test.
D) WAIS.
E) paired-associate test.

Accepted Answer

The digit-span test is a commonly used measure of short-term verbal memory. It involves the presentation of a list of digits, which the participant is asked to immediately repeat back in the same order as presented. The span of digits that the participant can accurately recall is the measure of their short-term verbal memory capacity.

Question 20

H.M. showed no long-term retention on the
A) digit-span +1 test.
B) mirror-drawing test.
C) rotary-pursuit test.
D) incomplete pictures test.
E) Pavlovian conditioning test.

Accepted Answer

H.M. showed no long-term retention on the digit-span +1 test, which is a measure of verbal memory. His performance on this test was impaired due to his inability to form new long-term memories after his surgery. However, he did show retention on the other tests, which are non-verbal and procedural in nature.

Quiz 11: Learning, Memory, and Amnesia

On which of the following tests did H.M. display substantial long-term memory as indicated by improved performance?

After his surgery, H.M.'s IQ

If you were going to illustrate the extent of H.M.'s bilateral lesion, you could accomplish this best if you drew H.M.'s brain from __________ perspective.

The shaded areas on this drawing of the inferior surface of the brain illustrate the position of the

H.M. was

One of the major turning points in the study of the neuropsychology of memory was the year H.M. had his operation:

H.M.'s postsurgical digit span was found to be

In a nutshell, H.M.'s main problem seems to be that he

A major contribution of H.M.'s case was the following: It

Explicit memories for the particular events or experiences of one's life are __________ memories.

The brain operation performed on H.M. was a

The tests commonly used to assess implicit memory in neuropsychological patients are

H.M.'s surgery was a success in that

Which of the following is a correct statement about medial temporal lobe amnesics? They often have

K.C., the man who can't time travel, experienced a severe deficit in __________ memory.

H.M.'s greatest postsurgical problem was his

Following his surgery, H.M. seemed to experience

Why do we have two memory systems - explicit and implicit - that are both capable of learning the same material? What advantage is there in having a second, conscious system? Recent evidence suggests that the answer is

The most commonly employed test of short-term verbal memory is the

H.M. showed no long-term retention on the