Question 1

In discussing the survival value of the memory system, your text highlights the undesirability of
A) weapons focus.
B) shallow processing.
C) the reminiscence bump.
D) photographic memory.

Accepted Answer

Photographic memory is considered undesirable because it can lead to an overload of information, making it difficult to prioritize and process relevant information efficiently for survival.

Question 2

The sleep list experiment, in which many people misremember the word "sleep" as being part of a list of words, is an example of
A) a repeated recall error.
B) a disadvantage of memory's constructive nature.
C) misleading postevent information's influence on memory.
D) retroactive interference.

Accepted Answer

The sleep list experiment demonstrates the disadvantage of memory's constructive nature, as participants constructed a false memory of the word "sleep" being part of the list.

Question 3

A script is a type of schema that also includes knowledge of
A) a sequence of actions.
B) what is involved in a particular experience.
C) information stored in both semantic and episodic memory.
D) items appropriate to a particular setting.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A script is a type of schema...

Question 4

____ occurs when more recent learning impairs memory for something that happened further back in the past.
A) Reminiscent memory
B) Pragmatic inference
C) Feature integration
D) Retroactive interference

Accepted Answer

Retroactive interference occurs when new learning interferes with the ability to recall old information. This can happen when the new information is similar or overlaps with the old information, making it harder to differentiate and recall the original information.

Question 5

The misinformation effect can be explained by
A) the memory-trace replacement hypothesis.
B) retroactive interference.
C) source monitoring.
D) all of these

Accepted Answer

The misinformation effect is a phenomenon in which misleading information presented after an event can alter one's memory or recollection of the original event. This effect can be explained by the memory-trace replacement hypothesis, which suggests that the original memory trace is replaced with the new information, retroactive interference, where new information interferes with the retrieval of old information, and source monitoring, which refers to the process of determining the source of information when remembering an event.

Question 6

The misinformation effect occurs when a person's memory for an event is modified by misleading information presented
A) before the event.
B) during the event.
C) after the event.
D) all of the above

Accepted Answer

The misinformation effect occurs when misleading information is presented after the event, which modifies a person's memory for that event. The misinformation effect does not necessarily occur when information is presented before or during the event.

Question 7

Your friend has been sick for several days, so you go over to her home to make her some chicken soup.Searching for a spoon, you first reach in a top drawer beside the dishwasher. Then, you turn to the big cupboard beside the stove to search for a pan.In your search, you have relied on a kitchen
A) source memory.
B) episodic memory.
C) schema.
D) scan technique.

Accepted Answer

A schema is a mental framework of understanding and organizing information, typically based on past experiences. In this scenario, the person is relying on their schema of a typical kitchen layout to search for items needed to make soup. They know that spoons are typically found in drawers and pans are typically found in cupboards beside the stove. Therefore, they are using their schema to guide their search.

Question 8

Your text's discussion of false memories leads to the conclusion that false memories
A) are a natural consequence of a largely adaptive memory system.
B) occur for details but not for entire events.
C) occur in laboratory settings but do not occur in real-world circumstances.
D) do not occur for all people but rather are experienced by suggestible or inattentive people.

Accepted Answer

False memories are considered a natural consequence of the adaptive nature of human memory, which prioritizes efficiency and meaning over perfect accuracy.

Question 9

____ occurs when reading a sentence leads a person to expect something that is not explicitly stated or necessarily implied by the sentence.
A) Observer perspective
B) Pragmatic inference
C) Prospective memory
D) Automatic narrative

Accepted Answer

Pragmatic inference occurs when reading a sentence leads a person to expect something that is not explicitly stated or necessarily implied by the sentence. It involves using one's world knowledge and context to make inferences about what is not explicitly stated in the text. The other choices are not related to this phenomenon.

Question 10

The memory-trace replacement hypothesis states that the misinformation effect occurs because
A) MPI impairs or replaces memories formed during the original experiencing of an event.
B) MPI cues the rememberer that an error in memory is occurring.
C) MPI fills in the gaps in the original memory where it lacked detail.
D) the original memory for an event decays over time, leaving room for MPI to infiltrate the memory later.

Accepted Answer

The memory-trace replacement hypothesis suggests that the misinformation effect occurs because the new or misleading information presented during MPI impairs or replaces the original memory trace formed during the initial experience of an event. This means that individuals integrate the misinformation into their memories, leading to memory errors or false memories.

Question 11

In the "sleep list" false memory experiment, false memory occurs because of
A) constructive memory processes.
B) verbatim recall.
C) the effect of scripts.
D) none of these

Accepted Answer

False memory occurs due to constructive memory processes, where our brains fill in gaps in our memory with information that is consistent with what we believe to be true or what we expect to have happened. This can lead to the creation of false memories. Verbatim recall is not a factor in false memory, as it refers to the exact reproduction of information without any errors or additions. The effect of scripts can contribute to false memory, but in the sleep list experiment, the focus is primarily on constructive memory processes.

Question 12

The conclusion to be drawn from the man named Shereshevskii whose abnormal brain functioning gave him virtually limitless word-for-word memory is that having memory like a video recorder
A) is largely a blessing because no event would be erased.
B) is an advantage because it eliminates "selective" recording (remembering some events and forgetting others), which provides no useful service to humans.
C) helped him draw powerful inferences and intelligent conclusions from his vast knowledge base.
D) none of the above

Accepted Answer

The passage does not suggest that having a memory like a video recorder is either a blessing or an advantage. It describes the case of Shereshevskii, whose exceptional memory had both advantages (such as the ability to retain vast amounts of information) and disadvantages (such as the inability to forget irrelevant details or focus on important information). The passage also notes that Shereshevskii's memory did not necessarily help him draw intelligent conclusions. Therefore, none of the answer choices accurately reflects the information presented in the passage.

Question 13

The experiment in which participants first read sentences about John fixing a birdhouse and were then asked to identify sentences they had seen before, illustrated that memory
A) is better for vivid descriptions.
B) is like a tape recording.
C) depends on the participant's mood.
D) involves making inferences.

Accepted Answer

The experiment involved participants making inferences about what might have happened in the sentences they read, which suggests that memory involves making inferences.

Question 14

In the experiment in which participants sat in an office and then were asked to remember what they saw in the office, participants "remembered" some things, like books, that weren't actually there.This experiment illustrates the effect of _____ on memory.
A) schemas
B) scripts
C) confabulation
D) bias

Accepted Answer

Schemas are mental frameworks or structures that organize and interpret information in the world around us. In this experiment, the participants' memories were influenced by their schemas of what an office typically looks like, causing them to "remember" items that were not actually present. This is an example of how schemas can distort and influence our memory. Choices B, C, and D are not as relevant to this particular experiment.

Question 15

Jackie went to the grocery store to pick up yogurt, bread, and apples.First, she picked up a hand basket for carrying her groceries, and then she searched the store.After finding what she needed, she stood in a check-out line.Then, the cashier put her items in a plastic bag, and soon after, Jackie left the store.As readers of this event, we understand that Jackie paid for the groceries, even though it wasn't mentioned, because we are relying on a grocery store _____ that is stored in _______ long-term memory.
A) narrative; semantic
B) script; semantic
C) narrative; episodic
D) script; episodic

Accepted Answer

The scenario described in the passage closely follows a script for a typical grocery store experience, including collecting a basket, finding items, standing in line, and receiving a plastic bag. Our understanding that Jackie likely paid for the groceries is based on our stored knowledge of this script, which is stored in our semantic long-term memory. Choice A is incorrect because the passage doesn't provide enough detail for us to consider it a true narrative, and it is not stored as an episodic memory (which is a personal experience memory). Choice C is incorrect because the passage doesn't provide enough detail for us to consider it a true narrative, and a grocery store script is not stored in episodic memory. Choice D is incorrect because while a script is stored in our long-term memory, it is not specific to personal experiences and therefore is not stored in episodic memory.

Question 16

"S," who had a photographic memory that was described as virtually limitless, was able to achieve many feats of memory.According to the discussion in your text, S's memory system operated _____ efficiently than normal.
A) more
B) less

Accepted Answer

S's memory system operated less efficiently than normal because his inability to forget made it difficult for him to process and prioritize information effectively.

Question 17

Arkes and Freedman's "baseball game" experiment asked participants to indicate whether the following sentence was present in a passage they had previously read about events in a game: "The batter was safe at first." Their findings showed inaccurate memories involved
A) omissions of information that was presented.
B) participants who did not understand baseball and assumed more information was presented than actually was.
C) creations from inferences based on baseball knowledge.
D) confusions about presented information when it was ambiguous.

Accepted Answer

Arkes and Freedman's experiment showed that participants often created false memories based on their existing knowledge about baseball. They assumed that certain events happened, even if they were not explicitly stated in the passage. This suggests that memory is not always accurate and can be influenced by prior knowledge and expectations.

Question 18

Loftus and Palmer's "car-crash slides" experiment described in the text shows how a seemingly minor word change can produce a change in a person's memory report.In this study, the MPI was (were)the word(s)
A) "fast."
B) "smashed."
C) "miles per hour."
D) "car crash."

Accepted Answer

The word "smashed" in the question posed to participants in the experiment was the MPI (misleading post-event information) that caused them to report a higher speed and presence of broken glass compared to those who were asked the same question with the word "hit."

Question 19

The experiment for which people were asked to make fame judgments for both famous and non-famous names (and for which Sebastian Weissdorf was one of the names to be remembered)illustrated the effect of _____ on memory.
A) repeated rehearsal of distinctive names
B) source misattributions
C) encoding specificity
D) schemas

Accepted Answer

The experiment illustrates the effect of source misattributions on memory, where participants mistakenly believed non-famous names they had been exposed to in the experiment were actually famous, confusing the source of their familiarity.

Question 20

The misinformation effect does not occur when people are told explicitly that the postevent information may be incorrect.

Accepted Answer

The misinformation effect can still occur even when people are warned that the postevent information may be incorrect, as the misleading information can still influence their memory.

Quiz 8: Everyday Memory and Memory Errors

In discussing the survival value of the memory system, your text highlights the undesirability of

The sleep list experiment, in which many people misremember the word "sleep" as being part of a list of words, is an example of

A script is a type of schema that also includes knowledge of

____ occurs when more recent learning impairs memory for something that happened further back in the past.

The misinformation effect can be explained by

The misinformation effect occurs when a person's memory for an event is modified by misleading information presented

Your friend has been sick for several days, so you go over to her home to make her some chicken soup.Searching for a spoon, you first reach in a top drawer beside the dishwasher. Then, you turn to the big cupboard beside the stove to search for a pan.In your search, you have relied on a kitchen

Your text's discussion of false memories leads to the conclusion that false memories

____ occurs when reading a sentence leads a person to expect something that is not explicitly stated or necessarily implied by the sentence.

The memory-trace replacement hypothesis states that the misinformation effect occurs because

In the "sleep list" false memory experiment, false memory occurs because of

The conclusion to be drawn from the man named Shereshevskii whose abnormal brain functioning gave him virtually limitless word-for-word memory is that having memory like a video recorder

The experiment in which participants first read sentences about John fixing a birdhouse and were then asked to identify sentences they had seen before, illustrated that memory

In the experiment in which participants sat in an office and then were asked to remember what they saw in the office, participants "remembered" some things, like books, that weren't actually there.This experiment illustrates the effect of _____ on memory.

"S," who had a photographic memory that was described as virtually limitless, was able to achieve many feats of memory.According to the discussion in your text, S's memory system operated _____ efficiently than normal.

Arkes and Freedman's "baseball game" experiment asked participants to indicate whether the following sentence was present in a passage they had previously read about events in a game: "The batter was safe at first." Their findings showed inaccurate memories involved

Loftus and Palmer's "car-crash slides" experiment described in the text shows how a seemingly minor word change can produce a change in a person's memory report.In this study, the MPI was (were) the word(s)

The experiment for which people were asked to make fame judgments for both famous and non-famous names (and for which Sebastian Weissdorf was one of the names to be remembered) illustrated the effect of _____ on memory.

The misinformation effect does not occur when people are told explicitly that the postevent information may be incorrect.