Question 1

Absentmindedness results from:
A)proactive interference.
B)retroactive interference.
C)the passage of time since information encoding.
D)a lapse in attention.

Accepted Answer

Absentmindedness is characterized by moments of forgetfulness or distraction, resulting from a lapse in attention to the encoding or retrieval of information. This may occur due to factors such as being preoccupied, being overly tired or stressed, or experiencing a momentary distraction. Proactive and retroactive interference can also contribute to memory loss or forgetfulness but are separate phenomena from absentmindedness. The passage of time since information encoding is not necessarily a direct factor causing absentmindedness, but it can make it more difficult to recall information.

Question 2

Tony has spoken Italian since he was 5 years old.In his high school Spanish class,he regularly replaces Spanish words with Italian words.Tony is experiencing:
A)proactive interference.
B)state-dependent retrieval.
C)retroactive interference.
D)retrieval-induced forgetting.

Accepted Answer

Tony's ability to speak Italian is interfering with his ability to accurately recall or use Spanish words in his Spanish class. This is an example of proactive interference, where old memories interfere with the ability to form new memories or retrieve existing ones. State-dependent retrieval involves the ability to better retrieve information when in the same state or environment in which the information was learned. Retroactive interference occurs when new information interferes with the retrieval of old information. Retrieval-induced forgetting occurs when the retrieval of one memory causes the temporary inhibition or suppression of related memories. None of these options accurately describe Tony's situation.

Question 3

Angus is asked to list his last three addresses on a job application.He writes his current address but momentarily blanks on his previous addresses because his current address keeps popping into mind.Angus is experiencing:
A)anterograde amnesia.
B)proactive interference.
C)retroactive interference.
D)absentmindedness.

Accepted Answer

Retroactive interference occurs when newly learned information interferes with the retrieval of previously learned information. In this case, Angus is experiencing interference from his current address, making it difficult for him to recall his earlier addresses. This is different from anterograde amnesia, which involves an inability to form new memories, and absentmindedness, which involves forgetting to do something or misplacing items. Proactive interference occurs when previously learned information interferes with the acquisition or retrieval of new information, which is not the case here.

Question 4

Remembering to do things in the future is called _____ memory.
A)prospective
B)semantic
C)anterograde
D)source

Accepted Answer

Prospective memory refers to the ability to remember to do tasks or activities in the future, such as remembering to attend a meeting or take medication at a certain time. Semantic memory refers to the general knowledge of facts and concepts, while anterograde memory refers to the inability to create new memories after a certain event (such as a brain injury). Source memory refers to the ability to remember where information was learned or encountered.

Question 5

A failure to retrieve information that is in memory,even though you are trying to produce it,is known as:
A)proactive interference.
B)blocking.
C)retroactive interference.
D)transience.

Accepted Answer

Blocking refers to the temporary inability to retrieve information, despite the fact that it is stored in the memory. It is often caused by interference from other memories or thoughts that compete with the target information. Proactive and retroactive interference refer to situations where old or new information interferes with the retrieval of other information. Transience refers to the gradual loss of information over time.

Question 6

Blocking occurs when you:
A)fail to remember to do something in the future.
B)cannot remember the source of your memory.
C)fail to retrieve information that is available in memory,even though you are trying to produce it.
D)fail to retrieve information due to divided attention.

Accepted Answer

Blocking occurs when you know that a certain memory is there, but you just can't seem to retrieve it even if you try. It's like being stuck behind a mental block.

Question 7

When attention is divided,what happens in the brain?
A)There is less activity in the cerebellum during retrieval.
B)There is greater activity in the lower left frontal lobe during encoding.
C)There is less activity in the upper right frontal lobe during retrieval.
D)There is reduced hippocampal activity during encoding.

Accepted Answer

When attention is divided, the brain's ability to encode new information is compromised, leading to reduced activity in the hippocampus, which is crucial for forming new memories.

Question 8

Michelle,whose first language is Spanish,is currently learning French in college.When she goes to see her Spanish-speaking grandmother,she inserts French words into her Spanish.Michelle is experiencing:
A)proactive interference.
B)blocking.
C)retroactive interference.
D)transfer-appropriate processing.

Accepted Answer

Michelle is experiencing retroactive interference, where newly learned information (French) interferes with the recall of previously learned information (Spanish), leading to the unintentional mixing of French words into her Spanish conversations.

Question 9

Professor Lopez always parks his car in the same garage.One morning,however,the garage was full and the professor had to park his car elsewhere.When he parked his car,he took special note of its new location.Nevertheless,that afternoon Professor Lopez spent a good bit of time wandering around his normal parking garage,confused as to where his car was.The professor was experiencing:
A)anterograde amnesia.
B)proactive interference.
C)retroactive interference.
D)absentmindedness.

Accepted Answer

Proactive interference occurs when old memories interfere with the recall of new memories. In this case, Professor Lopez's habit of parking in the same garage interfered with his ability to remember that he parked elsewhere.

Question 10

A frazzled mother trying to pacify her fussy toddler while paying her bill at the supermarket suddenly realizes that she has forgotten to get the most important item on her list.Forgetting to purchase the item is an example of:
A)change bias.
B)absentmindedness.
C)transience.
D)proactive interference.

Accepted Answer

Absentmindedness refers to the failure to pay attention, leading to difficulty in remembering information or events. Forgetting to purchase an important item on a grocery list is a classic example of absentmindedness.

Question 11

Failures in prospective memory often result in:
A)transience.
B)the tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon.
C)absentmindedness.
D)memory misattribution.

Accepted Answer

Failures in prospective memory often result in absentmindedness, which refers to forgetting to do something that was planned or intended to be done in the future. Transience, the tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon, and memory misattribution are all types of failures in retrospective memory rather than prospective memory.

Question 12

Absentmindedness often involves a failure of _____ memory.
A)procedural
B)prospective
C)semantic
D)implicit

Accepted Answer

Prospective memory is responsible for remembering to do things in the future, such as attend appointments, take medication, or complete tasks. Absentmindedness often involves forgetting to perform intended future actions, indicating a failure in prospective memory.

Question 13

Prospective memory involves remembering:
A)more positive than negative things about yourself.
B)to do things in the future.
C)spatial locations and directions.
D)name and face associations.

Accepted Answer

Prospective memory involves remembering to do things in the future, such as taking medication or completing a task at a particular time. It is an important aspect of daily life and can have significant consequences if forgotten, such as missed appointments or deadlines. Therefore, the best choice is B - to do things in the future. The other options are not related to prospective memory.

Question 14

_____ occurs when information learned earlier impairs memory for information acquired later.
A)Retroactive interference
B)Retrograde amnesia
C)Proactive interference
D)Anterograde amnesia

Accepted Answer

Proactive interference occurs when older memories interfere with the recall of newer memories.

Question 15

When attention is divided,what happens in the brain?
A)There is less activity in the lower left frontal lobe.
B)There is greater activity in the lower left frontal lobe.
C)There is less activity in the upper right frontal lobe.
D)There is greater hippocampal activity.

Accepted Answer

When attention is divided, there is less activity in the lower left frontal lobe, which is responsible for sustained attention and working memory. This can result in decreased ability to perform tasks that require focused attention and rapid switching between tasks.

Question 16

Aaliyah had a very important midterm paper due in less than an hour,so she rushed to her class in her car with the paper on the passenger seat.After she parked the car,she raced into class,leaving the paper behind.Aaliyah experienced:
A)change bias.
B)proactive interference.
C)transience.
D)absentmindedness.

Accepted Answer

Aaliyah's behavior of forgetting the important paper suggests absentmindedness, which is a type of memory failure that occurs due to distraction or inattention.

Question 17

A lapse in attention that results in memory failure is the definition of:
A)absentmindedness.
B)blocking.
C)proactive interference.
D)retroactive interference.

Accepted Answer

Absentmindedness is a type of memory failure that results from a lapse in attention. It occurs when attention is divided such that the necessary information to be remembered is not properly encoded into memory. The other options, blocking, proactive interference, and retroactive interference, refer to different types of memory failures that are not directly caused by a lack of attention.

Question 18

In contemplating her busy schedule over breakfast,Professor Morgan forgets that she has to meet with a textbook representative at 2:00 p.m. ,illustrating _____ due to a failure in _____ memory.
A)blocking;prospective
B)transience;source
C)absentmindedness;prospective
D)misattribution;source

Accepted Answer

The scenario suggests that Professor Morgan forgets to meet with the textbook representative due to absentmindedness, which is a failure in prospective memory. Blocking refers to the inability to retrieve information that is stored in memory, transience refers to the weakening or loss of memories over time, and misattribution refers to ascribing a memory to the wrong source. None of these fully capture the situation described.

Question 19

A business executive was so occupied with a potential merger that she completely forgot about a meeting she had scheduled for that afternoon with a new client.This illustrates _____ due to a failure in _____ memory.
A)absentmindedness;source
B)transience;source
C)transience;prospective
D)absentmindedness;prospective

Accepted Answer

The executive forgot about a meeting with a new client, which is a failure of prospective memory (remembering to do something in the future) and this type of forgetfulness is known as absentmindedness. Therefore, option D best describes the scenario.

Question 20

Yo-Yo Ma,a world-famous musician,left his multimillion-dollar cello in the trunk of a taxi.What might have caused him to forget something so important to him?
A)lack of retrieval cues
B)blocking
C)absentmindedness
D)transience

Accepted Answer

Absentmindedness is a common cause of forgetting important items, where someone may become forgetful due to preoccupations or distractions. As Yo-Yo Ma is a busy and famous person, it is possible that he may have been preoccupied with other thoughts, causing him to forget his cello in the taxi.

Quiz 6: Memory-Part A

Absentmindedness results from:

Tony has spoken Italian since he was 5 years old.In his high school Spanish class,he regularly replaces Spanish words with Italian words.Tony is experiencing:

Angus is asked to list his last three addresses on a job application.He writes his current address but momentarily blanks on his previous addresses because his current address keeps popping into mind.Angus is experiencing:

Remembering to do things in the future is called _____ memory.

A failure to retrieve information that is in memory,even though you are trying to produce it,is known as:

Blocking occurs when you:

When attention is divided,what happens in the brain?

Michelle,whose first language is Spanish,is currently learning French in college.When she goes to see her Spanish-speaking grandmother,she inserts French words into her Spanish.Michelle is experiencing:

A frazzled mother trying to pacify her fussy toddler while paying her bill at the supermarket suddenly realizes that she has forgotten to get the most important item on her list.Forgetting to purchase the item is an example of:

Failures in prospective memory often result in:

Absentmindedness often involves a failure of _____ memory.

Prospective memory involves remembering:

_____ occurs when information learned earlier impairs memory for information acquired later.

When attention is divided,what happens in the brain?

Aaliyah had a very important midterm paper due in less than an hour,so she rushed to her class in her car with the paper on the passenger seat.After she parked the car,she raced into class,leaving the paper behind.Aaliyah experienced:

A lapse in attention that results in memory failure is the definition of:

In contemplating her busy schedule over breakfast,Professor Morgan forgets that she has to meet with a textbook representative at 2:00 p.m. ,illustrating _ due to a failure in _ memory.

A business executive was so occupied with a potential merger that she completely forgot about a meeting she had scheduled for that afternoon with a new client.This illustrates _ due to a failure in _ memory.

Yo-Yo Ma,a world-famous musician,left his multimillion-dollar cello in the trunk of a taxi.What might have caused him to forget something so important to him?