Question 1

In summary, research on recovered memories ________.

Accepted Answer

The question asks for the summary of research findings on recovered memories. Option D is the most accurate summary as it states that research has not yet found a reliable way of distinguishing true memories from false ones in recovered memory cases. Options A and B are incorrect as they make definitive statements that are not supported by research. Option C is also inaccurate as research suggests that recovered memories are often distorted and incomplete.

Question 2

Long-term memory is sometimes called working memory.

Accepted Answer

Long-term memory and working memory are actually two different types of memory. Long-term memory refers to the storage of information for an extended period of time, whereas working memory is the temporary storage and processing of information needed for cognitive tasks.

Question 3

Broadbent's filter theory states that the sensory filters operate like the volume control on a radio, rather than a toggle switch.

Accepted Answer

Broadbent's filter theory suggests that the sensory filter acts more like a toggle switch, allowing only one sensory input to pass through to conscious awareness at a time, rather than adjusting the intensity of all inputs like a volume control.

Question 4

The process of selective looking, feeling, listening, smelling, and tasting is called attention.

Accepted Answer

Attention is the process of selectively focusing on certain aspects of the environment, such as looking, feeling, listening, smelling, and tasting.

Question 5

Recent research suggests that short-term memory can hold as much information as long-term memory.

Accepted Answer

This statement is false. Short-term memory has a limited capacity and can hold a smaller amount of information for a shorter period of time compared to long-term memory. Long-term memory has an almost limitless capacity and can store information for a very long time.

Question 6

The term "photographic memory" refers to the phenomenon of ________.

Accepted Answer

Photographic memory is also known as eidetic imagery, which refers to the ability to vividly recall visual information in great detail for a prolonged amount of time. Flashbulb memory refers to strong memories of emotionally significant events, spatial awareness is the ability to navigate and understand one's surroundings, and mnemonics are memory techniques used to aid in recall.

Question 7

The famous Russian mnemonist, Shereshevski ("S"), could easily repeat lists of up to ________ words after having heard or seen them only once.

Accepted Answer

According to research, S was able to accurately recall lists of up to 70 words after having heard or seen them only once. This incredible memory ability was due to his synesthesia, a condition where his senses were linked in unusual ways, allowing him to associate words with vivid images and colors.

Question 8

People who can perform seemingly impossible feats of memory because of their highly developed memory skills are known as ________.

Accepted Answer

People with highly developed memory skills are known as mnemonists. Eidetic memory refers to the ability to vividly recall images from memory, while episodic memory involves remembering specific events and experiences. Semantic memory involves remember factual information and knowledge.

Question 9

Each of the following is true of recovered memories except ________.

Accepted Answer

The other options listed are all true of recovered memories, but there is some evidence to suggest that some recovered memories may be accurate recollections of actual events.

Question 10

Each of the following is true of eyewitness testimony except it ________.

Accepted Answer

Eyewitness testimony is often presented in criminal cases, but it is not always essential. Other forms of evidence, such as DNA, fingerprints, and surveillance footage, may provide more reliable and irrefutable evidence.

Question 11

Grouping and organizing information so that it fits into meaningful units is called chunking.

Accepted Answer

Chunking is the process of grouping and organizing information into meaningful units, which helps in improving memory and processing speed.

Question 12

Memories concerning events that are highly significant and are vividly remembered are called ________.

Accepted Answer

Flashbulb memories refer to memories of events that are highly significant and emotionally arousing, such as the assassination of John F. Kennedy or the 9/11 terrorist attacks. These memories are often vividly remembered with a high level of detail and accuracy, as if a mental snapshot was taken of the event. They are different from simple memories because they involve emotional arousal and have a personal significance to the individual.

Question 13

Today, many psychologists view how memory operates as being similar to how a computer stores and retrieves data.

Accepted Answer

Many psychologists use the computer as a model to understand how memory works, and they often compare memory to the way a computer stores and retrieves information.

Question 14

Treisman's modified filter theory states that the sensory filters operate like the volume control on a radio, rather than a toggle switch.

Accepted Answer

Treisman's modified filter theory suggests that the filtering process is not an all-or-nothing phenomenon, but operates like the volume control on a radio, allowing important information to pass through more easily than unimportant information.

Question 15

Many middle-aged adults can vividly recall where they were and what they were doing the day that John F. Kennedy was assassinated, although they cannot remember what they were doing the day before he was assassinated. This is an example of ________.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of a flashbulb memory, which is a type of long-term memory that involves a person's memory of a significant and emotional event that they witnessed or were told about in great detail. Flashbulb memories are often highly detailed and vivid, and can be recalled for many years after the event occurred.

Question 16

Visual information fades more slowly than auditory information.

Accepted Answer

Auditory information tends to linger longer in the brain than visual information, a phenomenon explained by the existence of the echoic memory (for auditory information) which has a slightly longer duration than iconic memory (for visual information).

Question 17

Christine has always had an unusually effective memory. She credits this to the fact that after seeing something just once, she can visualize the object in great detail, as if she was looking at a photograph of it. Christine's ability is an example of ________.

Accepted Answer

Christine's ability is known as eidetic imagery, which is the ability to recall an image or information with such clarity that it appears to be in front of the person's eyes.

Question 18

For more than 40 years, the most influential researcher into eyewitness memory has been ________.

Accepted Answer

Elizabeth Loftus has been the most influential researcher into eyewitness memory, conducting numerous experiments and publishing numerous articles and books on the subject.

Question 19

The capacity for short-term memory is greater with visual coding than acoustical coding.

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that people can remember more information when it is presented visually compared to when it is presented auditorily. This is because visual information can be processed simultaneously and in parallel, whereas auditory information has to be processed sequentially.

Question 20

Short-term memory usually has only one task to perform at a time.

Accepted Answer

Short-term memory can handle multiple tasks simultaneously, though its capacity is limited. It is designed to manage and manipulate several pieces of information briefly.

Quiz 6: Memory