Three friends are having a discussion about taxes, but the conversation is soon sidetracked as different statements bring up related ideas. The conversation drifts from taxes, to politicians, to the election, to fund-raising. This shift in the focus of the conversation is consistent with Collins and Loftus' theory of
A)prospective memory processes.
B)spreading activation within a semantic network.
C)schema-based recall of information.
D)mood-congruent memory.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Collins and Loftus' theory of spreading activation within a semantic network explains how thoughts or memories about one concept can trigger related thoughts or memories, leading to a shift in the focus of a conversation as seen in the scenario. This theory suggests that ideas in our memory are connected, and thinking about one idea can activate related ideas.

Three Friends Are Having a Discussion About Taxes, but the Conversation