Question 1

Decay theory works well to explain forgetting in __________.

Accepted Answer

Decay theory suggests that memory fades due to the mere passage of time. It is most applicable to sensory and short-term memories, where information can be lost if not rehearsed or encoded into long-term memory.

Question 2

A. R. Luria studied a mnemonist with phenomenal memory. This person had several problems associated with the ability. Which is one reported in your text?

Accepted Answer

Luria's study of the mnemonist, Solomon Shereshevsky, highlighted the difficulty in separating trivial from important memories as one of the problems associated with his phenomenal memory. This made it challenging for Shereshevsky to prioritize and manage the vast amount of information he could recall.

Question 3

Which famous memory researcher viewed memory as a problem-solving activity in which the problem is to give a coherent account of some past event, and the memory is the solution to that problem?

Accepted Answer

This is a description of the theoretical perspective of Sir Frederic Bartlett, a British psychologist and memory researcher known for his work on schema theory and the reconstructive nature of memory. He believed that memory is not a passive process of retrieval, but instead is an active process of construction in which individuals use past experiences to make sense of current situations. In other words, memory is not a simple reproduction of past events, but rather a process of interpretation and reconstruction.

Question 4

__________ memory is constantly updated.

Accepted Answer

Episodic memory is memory for autobiographical events and is constantly updated as new experiences and information are acquired. Nondeclarative memory refers to memories that are not easily verbalized, such as procedural memory or motor skills. Semantic memory is memory for general knowledge and facts. Eidetic memory is the ability to vividly recall images after only a brief exposure.

Question 5

A display of 12 letters is flashed on a screen in front of you followed by a tone. You attempt to recall a portion of the display based on the specific tone you heard. Which aspect of memory is this experiment designed to assess?

Accepted Answer

This experiment is designed to assess sensory memory, which is the ability to retain impressions of sensory information after the original stimuli have ended. The use of a tone to trigger recall of the visual stimuli (letters) directly engages with sensory memory capabilities.

Question 6

__________ is the retention of memory for some period of time.

Accepted Answer

Storage refers to the retention of memory for some period of time. Encoding refers to the process of getting information into memory, retrieval refers to the process of accessing stored information, and evaluation refers to the process of judging the quality or value of information.

Question 7

In the semantic network model of memory, concepts that are related in meaning are __________.

Accepted Answer

In the semantic network model of memory, concepts that are related in meaning are stored physically closer to each other than concepts that are not highly related. This model suggests that our knowledge is organized in a network-like structure, with nodes representing concepts and links representing the connections between them. Therefore, highly related concepts will be physically closer in the network.

Question 8

Memories that concern events that are highly significant and are vividly remembered are called __________.

Accepted Answer

Flashbulb memories are highly detailed and vivid memories of highly significant events that are usually emotional in nature. They are named after the flashbulbs that used to be used in photography and refers to the suddenness and intensity of the memory recall. Examples of these kinds of events include the 9/11 attacks or the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Option A refers to a rare and exceptional ability to recall images with extreme clarity, option B refers to the process of encoding information in a way that makes it easier to remember and option D refers to the recall of memories related to seeing a crime or accident.

Question 9

__________ is defined as an active system that receives information from the senses, puts it into a usable form, organizes and alters information as it stores it away, and then retrieves the information from storage.

Accepted Answer

The definition given in the question describes the process of memory. Classical conditioning and operant conditioning are types of learning, but they do not necessarily involve the storage and retrieval of information. Therefore, the best answer is D) Memory.

Question 10

The BEST place to take your biology exam to ensure good retrieval of biology concepts is in __________.

Accepted Answer

Taking the biology exam in the biology classroom can help with contextual retrieval, as the environment will be associated with the learning of biological concepts.

Question 11

A witness on the stand swears that he saw someone commit a crime. Must you believe that the testimony is valid when a witness testifies so forcefully?

Accepted Answer

Eyewitness testimony can be unreliable, even if the witness is very confident. There is a significant chance of mistaken identity, especially in situations where the witness only saw the perpetrator for a brief moment or under poor lighting conditions. False positive identifications can also occur when the witness is shown a lineup or photo array and mistakenly identifies an innocent person as the culprit. Therefore, it is not always wise to automatically believe a witness's testimony, even if they seem very certain about what they saw.

Question 12

People with Alzheimer's disease typically have a memory problem known as __________ amnesia.

Accepted Answer

Anterograde amnesia is the inability to form new memories after the development of a medical condition or brain injury. This type of amnesia is commonly seen in individuals with Alzheimer's disease.

Question 13

Declarative memories are to __________ memories as nondeclarative memories are to __________ memories.

Accepted Answer

Declarative memories are those that are consciously recalled and can be easily verbalized, such as facts or events. Nondeclarative memories are those that are unconscious and not easily verbalized, such as skills or habits. Implicit and explicit are terms often used to describe nondeclarative and declarative memories, respectively. Therefore, choice B is the correct answer.

Question 14

In the curve of forgetting developed by Ebbinghaus, the greatest amount of forgetting occurs __________.

Accepted Answer

Ebbinghaus's curve of forgetting shows that the most significant drop in memory retention occurs within the first hour after learning new material.

Question 15

Which of the following might be the most appropriate analogy for eidetic imagery?

Accepted Answer

Eidetic imagery is commonly referred to as photographic memory, where an individual can vividly recall and recreate visual information in their minds. A photograph is a visual representation that captures and preserves an image, just as eidetic imagery captures and retains visual information in the mind.

Question 16

Repeating items over and over in order to aid memory is known as __________ rehearsal.

Accepted Answer

Maintenance rehearsal is a memory technique in which information is repeated over and over again in order to maintain it in short-term memory. This type of rehearsal does not involve making meaningful connections to the information, but rather simply repeating it in order to remember it more easily.

Question 17

It's Thanksgiving and your whole family has gotten together. You start to reminisce about your childhood and get into an argument with your brother. Both of you claim that you were the innocent victim of the other. This is an example of __________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of It's Thanksgiving and your whole family has...

Question 18

Short-term memories appear to be stored in the __________.

Accepted Answer

Short-term memories are believed to be stored in the prefrontal cortex and temporal lobes, which are involved in the processing and storage of auditory, visual, and spatial information. The occipital lobe is primarily responsible for visual processing, the cingulate gyrus is involved in emotion and attention, and the amygdala is involved in emotional processing and memory consolidation, but none of these brain areas are specifically associated with short-term memory storage.

Question 19

The fact that it is easier to recall items at the beginning and end of a list of unrelated items is known as the __________.

Accepted Answer

The fact that it is easier to recall items at the beginning and end of a list of unrelated items is known as the serial position effect. The phi phenomenon refers to the optical illusion of perceiving continuous motion between separate objects viewed rapidly in succession. The implicit memory effect is the phenomenon that previous experiences can influence current behavior without conscious awareness or intentional effort. The sequestering effect is not a commonly recognized psychological phenomenon.

Question 20

The Internet, with its series of links from one site to many others, is a good analogy for the organization of __________ memory.

Accepted Answer

Long-term memory is often compared to a vast network of interconnected information, similar to the way the internet is organized. Just as the internet contains a vast array of websites that can be linked together, long-term memory is thought to store information in an interconnected network of associations.

Quiz 6: Memory