Question 1

Skurnik and his colleagues (2005) found that _____ explains why participants in a study remembered false claims as true only three days after being presented with the claims. (Note: This finding is especially important to critical thinking and helping people to eliminate misconceptions.)
A) experiencing misinformation
B) source forgetting
C) confusing familiarity with truth
D) a schema effect

Accepted Answer

Confusing familiarity with truth explains why participants remembered false claims as true even after a short period of time. This can lead to the persistence of misconceptions and highlight the importance of critical thinking and fact-checking.

Question 2

What is the BEST generalization that can be made about the accuracy of memory based on the evidence reviewed in Chapter 6?
A) Memory is generally inaccurate, and we should always expect it to be so.
B) Eyewitness testimony is inaccurate, but the other kinds of memory are accurate.
C) Memory is often inaccurate, but under certain conditions can be very accurate.
D) Techniques like hypnosis can typically eliminate memory inaccuracies and are not susceptible to the misinformation effect.

Accepted Answer

Throughout Chapter 6, the evidence reviewed suggests that memory can be very accurate in certain conditions (such as when it is semantic or procedural memory) but is often subject to distortion and inaccuracy (such as with episodic memory). The chapter also examines the phenomenon of the misinformation effect, which highlights how memories can be influenced and altered by external information after the fact. Therefore, option C best captures the nuanced view of memory accuracy presented in Chapter 6.

Question 3

Tuckey and Brewer (2003) had participants in a study watch a simulation of a bank robbery. The participants tended to recall one robber as a male even though the robber's head was covered. The BEST explanation for the participants' recall is:
A) a schema for a bank robber applied in an ambiguous situation.
B) source confusion during recall of the robbery.
C) poor eyewitness identification due to context confusion.
D) a cognitive distortion due to reproductive memory.

Accepted Answer

The participants' recall can be explained by the activation of a schema for a bank robber, which includes the image of a male. Even though the robber's head was covered, the participants applied this schema to fill in the missing information and therefore recalled the robber as a male.

Question 4

Tuckey and Brewer (2003) found that participants' recall of a simulated robbery showed the greatest schema effects when what the participants observed was:
A) ambiguous.
B) redundant.
C) illusory.
D) unexpected.

Accepted Answer

Tuckey and Brewer (2003) found that schema effects were most pronounced when the observed event was ambiguous, meaning the participants were more likely to fill in gaps with schema-consistent information.

Question 5

Rafael believes that eyewitness memory is quite accurate, which is consistent with the position that memory is:
A) reconstructive.
B) schema-based.
C) reproductive.
D) hypnagogic.

Accepted Answer

Rafael's belief that eyewitness memory is quite accurate suggests that he believes memory operates in a reproductive manner, meaning that the memory is an exact replica of the original experience. This is in contrast to the reconstructive and schema-based models of memory, which suggest that memories are subject to interpretation and can be influenced by personal biases and expectations. Hypnagogic refers to the transitional state between wakefulness and sleep and is not relevant to the question.

Question 6

The misinformation effect is produced when the experimenter
A) hypnotizes research participants and tells them about some part of a crime right before they observe it.
B) has research participants deliberately recall something and then gives them a leading question after they have recalled it.
C) misinforms research participants about some part of a crime right before they observe it.
D) gives research participants information that could mislead them when obtaining their recall of something they have already observed.

Accepted Answer

The misinformation effect occurs when a person's recall of episodic memories becomes less accurate because of post-event information, which is what option D describes.

Question 7

Cynthia thinks that eyewitness memory is based on expectation and the influence of prior knowledge. She holds a view MOST consistent with the idea that memory is:
A) schema-based.
B) based on naïve realism.
C) similar to a video-recorder.
D) reproductive.

Accepted Answer

Cynthia's belief that eyewitness memory is based on expectation and prior knowledge aligns with the concept of schema-based memory. Schemas are mental frameworks that are used to organize and interpret information, including information gained through experience. Our expectations and prior knowledge can influence the construction of these schemas, which in turn can influence our memory recall.

Question 8

While Bei is taking notes about one slide presented in a lecture, the professor switches to the next slide before Bei finishes taking notes on the first slide. Bei finds herself caught between the notes she needs to take for both slides and attending to the new slide. Bei's difficulty is due to the fact that her:
A) long-term memory has limited capacity and cannot switch attention quickly enough.
B) perceptual system can hold only a small number of words at a time.
C) working memory can hold only a limited amount of information for a brief period.
D) perceptual system cannot send information to her attentional system quickly enough.

Accepted Answer

Bei's difficulty is due to the limitations of her working memory, which can hold only a limited amount of information for a brief period. As the professor switches to the next slide before she finishes taking notes on the first slide, Bei is unable to hold both sets of information in her working memory at the same time, leading to difficulty in attending to both slides simultaneously.

Question 9

Those who assume that the results of laboratory experiments on eyewitness memory lead to particular conclusions about the accuracy of eyewitness memory would MOST likely state that:
A) case studies of eyewitnesses provide just as valid information as do true experiments.
B) the results of the studies would be the same if the eyewitnesses were tested under more realistic and stressful conditions.
C) eyewitnesses would recall details more accurately if no misinformation was provided to them.
D) scientists are really interested in finding out if eyewitness memory is very accurate.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Those who assume that the results of...

Question 10

Which statement is the MOST reasonable conclusion based on the evidence presented in the text on the accuracy of eyewitness memory?
A) Eyewitness testimony and identification are very accurate.
B) Eyewitness testimony and identification are often inaccurate.
C) Both eyewitness testimony and identification are necessarily inaccurate.
D) Eyewitness testimony and identification rarely affect jury decisions.

Accepted Answer

The text presents multiple studies and examples that show the inaccuracy of eyewitness memory and identification, including the prevalence of false identifications and wrongful convictions based on eyewitness testimony. While the text acknowledges that eyewitnesses can sometimes provide accurate information, the overall evidence supports the conclusion that eyewitness testimony and identification are often inaccurate.

Question 11

Tuckey and Brewer (2003) had participants recall details from a simulated robbery in which a person's head was covered. Participants tended to recall the robber as a ____, which is____ with schema-based recall.
A) man; consistent
B) man; inconsistent
C) woman; consistent
D) woman; inconsistent

Accepted Answer

This answer is supported by research on schema-based recall, which suggests that our existing beliefs and expectations (schemas) influence how we process and remember new information. In line with this, participants in the study likely relied on their schema of a typical robber (i.e. a man) to fill in missing details and make sense of the information presented. The fact that their recollections were consistent with this schema suggests that it played a strong role in shaping their memory of the event.

Question 12

A person who thinks that long-term memory and eyewitness memory are _____ MOST likely views memory as reproductive.
A) reconstructive
B) illusionary
C) often inaccurate
D) quite accurate

Accepted Answer

A person who views memory as reproductive believes that memories are an exact replica of past events, thus they would consider long-term and eyewitness memory to be quite accurate.

Question 13

Which critical reading strategy would MOST likely help Gavin quickly activate his prior knowledge and understand the organization of ideas in a lengthy psychological text?
A) Read the first paragraph and memorize ideas.
B) Quickly read or skim the entire passage.
C) Reflect on the meaning of the title.
D) Preview the headings in the passage.

Accepted Answer

Previewing the headings in the passage would allow Gavin to quickly activate his prior knowledge by identifying the main topics and subtopics in the text. This would help him understand the organization of ideas and navigate the text more efficiently. Skimming the entire passage may not be effective in activating prior knowledge or identifying key ideas, and memorizing ideas or reflecting on the title may not provide enough context for understanding the full text.

Question 14

All of these critical reading questions would guide Yasmin through a successful analysis and toward a reasonable conclusion EXCEPT:
A) What are the question and related claims in each section?
B) Which pieces of evidence are relevant to support each claim?
C) Is it possible for long-term memory to hold the evidence for each claim?
D) Is the evidence mixed, or does it lead to a clear conclusion?

Accepted Answer

The question about long-term memory is unrelated to analyzing the argument and evidence presented in the reading. The other questions are helpful for understanding the claims and evidence presented and drawing a reasonable conclusion.

Question 15

Olga assessed that she did not understand a passage she had just read in her textbook, and then reread the passage. Olga employed the active reading strategy of:
A) trying to memorize important content.
B) skimming the main ideas in a passage.
C) reflecting on her comprehension.
D) engaging in perception while reading.

Accepted Answer

Olga used the active reading strategy of reflecting on her comprehension by recognizing that she did not understand the passage and then rereading it to improve her understanding. Choice A (trying to memorize important content) may be a strategy used during studying or note-taking, but it is not specific to active reading. Choice B (skimming the main ideas in a passage) is a passive reading strategy, as it involves reading quickly without fully engaging with the material. Choice D (engaging in perception while reading) is not a specific active reading strategy and does not address how Olga specifically approached the passage.

Question 16

After critically reading the review of the evidence concerning the accuracy of eyewitness testimony and identification, a reader concluded that people are bad at remembering most kinds of everyday information. This reader is showing the thinking error known as:
A) naïve realism.
B) a cognitive overload.
C) confirmation bias.
D) sweeping generalization.

Accepted Answer

The reader is making a sweeping generalization by concluding that people are bad at remembering most kinds of everyday information based solely on the evidence presented about eyewitness testimony and identification. This is a broad conclusion that is not supported by the specific evidence examined.

Question 17

The misinformation effect is MOST consistent with the idea that memory:
A) can be improved through special strategies.
B) is reproductive and based on perception.
C) is often based on perception, and sometimes based on attention.
D) is schema-based and reconstructive.

Accepted Answer

The misinformation effect occurs when a person's memory recall of an event is influenced by misleading information presented after the event. This is consistent with the idea that memory is schema-based and reconstructive, as the brain fills in missing information and updates memories based on new information. The other answer choices are not as directly related to the phenomenon of the misinformation effect.

Question 18

After Obi finished his meal, the waitress brought the "xxxxx." A person's ability to finish this sentence with the word "check" illustrates the operation of:
A) source memory.
B) a memory pattern.
C) reproductive memory.
D) a schema, or script.

Accepted Answer

The ability to fill in the blank with the word "check" suggests that the person has a schema or script for the typical restaurant experience, including finishing a meal and receiving a bill at the end. This is a type of procedural memory that guides our behavior in familiar situations. Option A and C are memory processes related to remembering specific information or events, while option B is a vague concept and not directly related to the scenario provided.

Question 19

Tasks that put a great load on working memory are associated with
A) effortful, Type 1 thinking.
B) effortful, Type 2 thinking.
C) intuitive Type 1 thinking.
D) intuitive Type 2 thinking.

Accepted Answer

Tasks that require a lot of working memory are associated with effortful, Type 2 thinking. Type 2 thinking involves conscious, deliberate processing of information and is more effortful than Type 1 thinking, which is automatic and intuitive.

Question 20

Which finding from memory research discussed in the text illustrates a memory problem in recognizing misconceptions?
A) Mack and Rock found that people did not remember seeing an object in plain view due to inattentional blindness.
B) Loftus and her colleagues repeatedly showed that people are susceptible to the misinformation effect in remembering details about a crime.
C) Skurnik and his colleagues found that participants misremembered false claims as true only three days after the claims were presented to them.
D) Loftus and her colleagues repeatedly showed that people are susceptible to the misinformation effect when trying to reconstruct experiences.

Accepted Answer

Skurnik and his colleagues' finding illustrates a memory problem in recognizing misconceptions because participants misremembered false claims as true only a few days after being presented with them. This shows that individuals may have difficulty differentiating between true and false information when it comes to memory.

Quiz 6: Errors in Attention, Perception, and Memory That Affect Thinking

Skurnik and his colleagues (2005) found that _____ explains why participants in a study remembered false claims as true only three days after being presented with the claims. (Note: This finding is especially important to critical thinking and helping people to eliminate misconceptions.)

What is the BEST generalization that can be made about the accuracy of memory based on the evidence reviewed in Chapter 6?

Tuckey and Brewer (2003) had participants in a study watch a simulation of a bank robbery. The participants tended to recall one robber as a male even though the robber's head was covered. The BEST explanation for the participants' recall is:

Tuckey and Brewer (2003) found that participants' recall of a simulated robbery showed the greatest schema effects when what the participants observed was:

Rafael believes that eyewitness memory is quite accurate, which is consistent with the position that memory is:

The misinformation effect is produced when the experimenter

Cynthia thinks that eyewitness memory is based on expectation and the influence of prior knowledge. She holds a view MOST consistent with the idea that memory is:

Those who assume that the results of laboratory experiments on eyewitness memory lead to particular conclusions about the accuracy of eyewitness memory would MOST likely state that:

Which statement is the MOST reasonable conclusion based on the evidence presented in the text on the accuracy of eyewitness memory?

Tuckey and Brewer (2003) had participants recall details from a simulated robbery in which a person's head was covered. Participants tended to recall the robber as a , which is with schema-based recall.

A person who thinks that long-term memory and eyewitness memory are _____ MOST likely views memory as reproductive.

Which critical reading strategy would MOST likely help Gavin quickly activate his prior knowledge and understand the organization of ideas in a lengthy psychological text?

All of these critical reading questions would guide Yasmin through a successful analysis and toward a reasonable conclusion EXCEPT:

Olga assessed that she did not understand a passage she had just read in her textbook, and then reread the passage. Olga employed the active reading strategy of:

After critically reading the review of the evidence concerning the accuracy of eyewitness testimony and identification, a reader concluded that people are bad at remembering most kinds of everyday information. This reader is showing the thinking error known as:

The misinformation effect is MOST consistent with the idea that memory:

After Obi finished his meal, the waitress brought the "xxxxx." A person's ability to finish this sentence with the word "check" illustrates the operation of:

Tasks that put a great load on working memory are associated with

Which finding from memory research discussed in the text illustrates a memory problem in recognizing misconceptions?