Deck 10: Memory

Question 1

In his work with rabbits, Richard Thompson showed that classical conditioning of the eyeblink response depends on activity in the ________.

A) frontal lobes
B) amygdala
C) hippocampus
D) cerebellum

Answer 1

cerebellum

Question 2

If the capacity of short-term memory is limited, how do we remember the beginning of a spoken sentence until the speaker gets to the end?

Answer 2

A good answer will include the following key points.
- We group small bits of information into larger units, or chunks.
- A chunk may be a word, a phrase, a sentence, or even a visual image.

Question 3

Why is short-term memory sometimes called a "leaky bucket"?

Answer 3

A good answer will include the following key points.
- Short-term memory has a limited capacity.
- If it did not leak, it would quickly overflow as new information is constantly added.
- George Miller estimated its capacity to be "the magical number 7 plus or minus 2."

Question 4

Confusion of an event that happened to someone else with one that happened to you, or a belief that you remember something when it never actually happened, is called ________.

A) confabulation
B) priming
C) flashbulb memory
D) repression

Question 5

________ is a memory system that includes short-term memory and executive processes that control attention and retrieval.

A) Procedural memory
B) Declarative memory
C) Working memory
D) Semantic memory

Question 6

________ memory refers to the recollection of a personally experienced event and the context in which it occurred.

A) Semantic
B) Procedural
C) Flashbulb
D) Episodic

Question 7

Eyewitness testimonies by victims are most likely to contain errors when the suspect:

A) is of a different gender than the victim.
B) is significantly older than the victim.
C) is significantly younger than the victim.
D) is of a different ethnic background than the victim.

Question 8

When a word is on the "tip-of-the-tongue," what errors are likely until the target word is recalled?

Question 9

Without the testimony of eyewitnesses, many guilty people would go free. But some convictions are tragic mistakes because memory is reconstructive and the testimony isn't always reliable. Describe conditions under which errors in eyewitness testimony are most likely to occur.

Question 10

In a classic study of eyewitness accounts and leading questions, people were shown short films showing car collisions. How did the wording of the questions about the accidents influence participants' estimates of the speed the cars were traveling at the time of the collision?

Question 11

Most researchers agree that the memories people say they have of their first three years of life are based on:

A) unconscious memories that float to the surface.
B) family stories, photographs, and imagination.
C) actual recall of the events.
D) a special memory module for early childhood experiences.

Question 12

Conscious, intentional recollection of an event or of an item of information is called:

A) explicit memory.
B) implicit memory.
C) autobiographical memory.
D) procedural memory.

Question 13

________ memory refers to a vivid, detailed recollection of an emotional event.

A) Semantic
B) Declarative
C) Flashbulb
D) Episodic

Question 14

Although there is some debate, ________ is generally thought to have a capacity of seven plus or minus two units of information.

A) the sensory register
B) short-term memory
C) declarative memory
D) long-term memory

Question 15

Declarative memories come in two varieties. Name each type and give an example of each from your own declarative memory.

Question 16

One day after the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center, college students were asked questions about the experience and about a mundane event that occurred within the days prior to the attack. Later, the students were contacted and once again asked about their memory of the two events. What did this research reveal about flashbulb memories?

Question 17

What research technique did Sir Frederic Bartlett, the British psychologist, use in order to study how memories are manufactured?

Question 18

The ________ theory of forgetting proposes that memory fades with time and lack of use.

A) replacement
B) decay
C) interference
D) cue-dependent

Question 19

The superiority of recognition over recall was demonstrated when participants, aged 17 to 74, were asked to recall and recognize the names of their high school classmates. Briefly describe the results of this study.

Question 20

________ acts as a holding bin, retaining information in a highly accurate form until we can select items for attention.

A) The sensory register
B) Short-term memory
C) Working memory
D) Long-term memory

Question 21

Irene swears that she was there the night her best friend got into a fight with her ex-boyfriend. It takes several of her friends to convince her that she was not. Which of the following likely made Irene's fake memory seem so real to her?

A) She had only heard the story of the fight a few times.
B) The fight occurred only a year ago.
C) Her memory contained only a few key details.
D) The fight was easy to imagine.

Question 22

Which memory system has a limited capacity and stores items for about 30 seconds?

A) short-term memory
B) long-term memory
C) the sensory register
D) implicit memory

Question 23

According to the decay theory, forgetting occurs because:

A) new information is "recorded over" old information.
B) similar items of information interfere with one another.
C) memories simply fade with time if they are not accessed now and then.
D) the cues needed to recall the memory are not present.

Question 24

In the 1930s, the research of the British psychologist Sir Frederic Bartlett provided evidence to support the view that memory is:

A) like a wax tablet.
B) like reading a journal or diary written in indelible ink.
C) like a journalist trying to reconstruct an interview from incomplete notes.
D) like painful mementos in a locked vault.

Question 25

Casey was visiting a friend in New York City on September 11, 2001, the day of the attack on the World Trade Center. To her, that day seems frozen in time. She remembers exactly where she was, what she was doing, and what she felt as the morning transpired. This vivid recollection is known as:

A) source misattribution.
B) a flashbulb memory.
C) a serial-position effect.
D) a frozen memory.

Question 26

________ memory refers to a vivid, detailed recollection of an emotional event.

A) Semantic
B) Declarative
C) Flashbulb
D) Episodic

Question 27

________ is thought to be a biological mechanism of long-term memory.

A) Deep processing
B) Long-term potentiation
C) Priming
D) Temporary changes in the release of neurotransmitters

Question 28

According to Sir Frederic Bartlett:

A) memory is like a video camera recording an entire experience.
B) memory is largely a reconstructive process, like putting together a puzzle when you are missing some pieces.
C) memory for complex information is generally reproduced by rote.
D) emotional memories are especially vivid and detailed.

Question 29

The inability to distinguish what you originally experienced from what you heard or were told later about an event is called:

A) semantic memory.
B) priming.
C) explicit memory.
D) source misattribution.

Question 30

________ is an especially vivid memory of an emotional event.

A) Reconstructive memory
B) A flashbulb memory
C) Semantic memory
D) Procedural memory

Question 31

Irene swears that she was there the night her best friend got into a fight with her ex-boyfriend. It takes several of her friends to convince her that she was not. Which of the following likely made Irene's fake memory seem so real to her?

A) She had only heard the story of the fight a few times.
B) The fight occurred only a year ago.
C) Her memory contained only a few key details.
D) The fight was easy to imagine.

Question 32

The inability to distinguish an actual memory of an event from information you learned about the event elsewhere is called ________.

A) consolidation
B) source misattribution
C) priming
D) repression

Question 33

Which of the following is considered to be an implicit memory?

A) procedural memory
B) semantic memory
C) episodic memory
D) declarative memory

Question 34

Retrieving a memory is most like:

A) replaying a videotape of an event.
B) reading a short story that describes the characters in detail, but does not include the dialogue.
C) hearing the soundtrack of a story without access to the visual and other sensory images.
D) watching unconnected frames of a movie and figuring out what the rest of the scene was like.

Question 35

Which of the following is a test for recall?

A) matching questions
B) true-false questions
C) multiple-choice questions
D) essay questions

Question 36

Memory is critical to our lives because:

A) it confers a sense of personal identity, which enhances our sense of coherence.
B) without memory, we could not experience emotions.
C) it operates as a video camera would, automatically recording every moment of our lives.
D) each thing that happens to us, or impinges on our senses, is tucked away for later use.

Question 37

The inability to distinguish an actual memory of an event from information you learned about the event elsewhere is called ________.

A) confabulation
B) source misattribution
C) priming
D) repression

Question 38

The ________ model represents the contents of memory as connections among a huge number of interacting processing units.

A) three-box
B) parallel distributed processing
C) serial processing
D) sequential processing

Question 39

Given the current research on recovered memories, one should be skeptical if a person says that:

A) she cannot remember an event from when she was 2 years old.
B) she is frequently bothered by vivid memories of a traumatic event that she experienced.
C) she now has memories of her experiences as an infant, thanks to therapy.
D) her amnesia resulted from a blow to the head during a car accident.

Question 40

________ refers to the capacity to retain and retrieve information.

A) Recall
B) Memory
C) Priming
D) Recognition

Question 41

Which of the following activities involving memory would require recognition?

A) fill-in-the-blank exams
B) essay exams
C) true-false exams
D) playing Trivial Pursuit

Question 42

Under most circumstances, when you are intentionally trying to remember an item of information, ________ is an easier task than ________.

A) recognition; recall
B) recall; recognition
C) priming; the savings method
D) the savings method; priming

Question 43

Research suggests that the best way to encourage truthful testimony by children is to:

A) reassure them that their friends have had the same experiences.
B) reward them when they tell you that something happened.
C) scold them if you believe that they are lying.
D) try to avoid asking the child leading questions.

Question 44

Maria wrote a shopping list prior to going to the grocery store. Unfortunately, when she arrived at the store she realized she had left the list at home. If she is to purchase the items on her list, Maria must rely on which memory task?

A) recall
B) recognition
C) interpretation
D) relearning

Question 45

Sarah enjoys playing games such as Jeopardy! and Trivial Pursuit, which require her to answer questions based on her ability to recall facts. These types of games test Sarah's:

A) explicit memory.
B) flashbulb memory.
C) reconstructive memory.
D) implicit memory.

Question 46

Chad remembers the feeling of excitement in his house when his mother stepped through the door with his new baby sister. He can still picture the tiny little baby with a stocking cap on her head! His parents can't convince him that he actually stayed with his grandparents for two weeks after his sister was born and that his memory never happened! Chad's memory is an example of:

A) anterograde amnesia.
B) confabulation.
C) psychogenic amnesia.
D) repression.

Question 47

Jannell solved a crossword puzzle on Thursday, and by Saturday she doesn't recall the words in the puzzle. But Saturday night, when she is playing Scrabble with her brother, she unconsciously tends to form words that were in the puzzle. Jannell has ________ memory for some of the words.

A) a flashbulb
B) recognition
C) explicit
D) implicit

Question 48

Which memory system has a limited capacity and stores items for about 30 seconds?

A) short-term memory
B) long-term memory
C) the sensory register
D) implicit memory

Question 49

Which of the following is a test for recall?

A) matching questions
B) true-false questions
C) multiple-choice questions
D) essay questions

Question 50

Which of the following examples is a question that would most likely reduce the chance of false reporting by a child?

A) "Everyone else saw it happen. You did too, right?"
B) "Where were you when the teacher pushed him?"
C) "Can you tell me the reason you came to talk to me today?"
D) "Let's 'pretend' that he touched you. What would you say happened next?"

Question 51

Which memory system has an unlimited capacity and can keep information for hours or decades?

A) short-term memory
B) long-term memory
C) the sensory register
D) working memory

Question 52

Unconscious retention in memory, as evidenced by the effect of a previous experience or previously encountered information on current thoughts and actions, is called:

A) explicit memory.
B) implicit memory.
C) declarative memory.
D) procedural memory.

Question 53

When six-year-old Sven's parents overhear him describing his third birthday party, they look at each other in surprise. Sven appears to remember that the birthday cake his father was baking burned and his aunt had to run out and buy one from a bakery, even though Sven was not present when those events occurred. Sven's memory illustrates the concept of _________.

A) priming
B) implicit memory
C) confabulation
D) decay

Question 54

Confusion of an event that happened to someone else with one that happened to you, or a belief that you remember something when it never actually happened, is called ________.

A) confabulation
B) priming
C) flashbulb memory
D) repression

Question 55

The multiple-choice question that you are reading at this moment requires ________ to answer correctly.

A) recognition
B) relearning
C) priming
D) recall

Question 56

What are the components of the information-processing model, in order of occurrence?

A) retrieval, encoding, storage
B) encoding, capturing, retrieval
C) capturing, encoding, retrieval
D) encoding, storage, retrieval

Question 57

Conscious, intentional recollection of an event or of an item of information is called:

A) explicit memory.
B) implicit memory.
C) autobiographical memory.
D) procedural memory.

Question 58

In addressing the debate regarding children's memories of sexual abuse, it has become clear that:

A) children's memories cannot ever be trusted because children will always say whatever adults expect.
B) it is important to repeatedly question a child who denies sexual abuse, because there is a good chance they have repressed the event.
C) preschoolers are more vulnerable to suggestive questions than are school-aged children.
D) children do not lie about or misremember traumatic experiences, such as sexual abuse.

Question 59

Eyewitness testimonies by victims are most likely to contain errors when the suspect:

A) is of a different gender than the victim.
B) is significantly older than the victim.
C) is significantly younger than the victim.
D) is of a different ethnic background than the victim.

Question 60

Which of the following ways of measuring explicit memory are usually the easiest for the person being tested?

A) recognition
B) recall
C) relearning
D) referral

Question 61

Although there is some debate, ________ is generally thought to have a capacity of seven plus or minus two units of information.

A) the sensory register
B) short-term memory
C) declarative memory
D) long-term memory

Question 62

Visual images remain in the sensory register for a maximum of:

A) a half second.
B) two seconds.
C) thirty seconds.
D) one minute.

Question 63

The ________ model represents the contents of memory as connections among a huge number of interacting processing units.

A) three-box
B) parallel distributed processing
C) serial processing
D) sequential processing

Question 64

________ acts as a holding bin, retaining information in a highly accurate form until we can select items for attention.

A) The sensory register
B) Short-term memory
C) Working memory
D) Long-term memory

Question 65

The case study of Henry Molaison (H.M.) is discussed throughout Chapter 10 in your textbook. Careful study of H.M.'s memory after his surgery revealed that:

A) H.M. could not retain implicit memories, but explicit memories could be recalled normally.
B) H.M.'s memory problems were primarily the result of impaired LTM recall.
C) H.M. did not have the ability to transfer most explicit memories from STM into LTM.
D) H.M.'s memory problems were primarily the result of an unusually small STM capacity.

Question 66

In the "three-box model of memory," which memory system holds information for no more than a few seconds, until it can be processed further?

A) short-term memory
B) long-term memory
C) the sensory register
D) implicit memory

Question 67

Sarah is doing an arithmetic problem. The numbers and instructions for doing the necessary operations for each step will be held in her ___________ memory as she solves the problem.

A) serial-position
B) sensory register
C) working
D) episodic

Question 68

In general, information in short-term memory is retained for about ________ if it is not rehearsed.

A) 2-3 seconds or less
B) 30 seconds
C) 5-20 minutes
D) 30 minutes

Question 69

________ holds and operates on information that has been retrieved from long-term memory for temporary use.

A) Serial-position memory
B) Working memory
C) Tool-box memory
D) Episodic memory

Question 70

Which component of memory has been referred to as a "leaky bucket"?

A) the sensory register
B) short-term memory
C) working memory
D) long-term memory

Question 71

In accordance with the three-box model of memory, the memory system involved in the prolonged storage of information is known as ________.

A) short-term memory
B) the sensory register
C) working memory
D) long-term memory

Question 72

Another name for the parallel distributed processing (PDP) model of memory is the:

A) interaction model.
B) multiple process model.
C) connectionist model.
D) long-term potentiation model.

Question 73

Auditory images remain in the sensory register for about:

A) a half second.
B) two seconds.
C) thirty seconds.
D) one minute.

Question 74

Ambassador McKenzie was about to ask a French diplomat to repeat his last comment, but then his ________ enabled him to "select" what had been said while ignoring all the extraneous sounds in the reception room.

A) working memory
B) short-term memory
C) long-term memory
D) sensory register

Question 75

One objection to the three-box model of memory is that:

A) short-term memory is not usually involved in the conscious processing of information.
B) the brain performs many independent operations simultaneously.
C) the sensory register is actually able to store information for 30 seconds.
D) there is a limit to the capacity of long-term memory.

Question 76

________ is a memory system that includes short-term memory and executive processes that control attention and retrieval.

A) Procedural memory
B) Declarative memory
C) Working memory
D) Semantic memory

Question 77

For most Canadians, which of the following would be considered a chunk?

A) IBF
B) CBC
C) 921
D) 196

Question 78

Telo convinces a woman he finds attractive to give him her telephone number. Unfortunately, the number is ten digits long with the area code, and Telo cannot find a place to write it down. As he looks for a pen and paper, what can Telo do to help himself remember the number?

A) Nothing will help because 10 digits are beyond the capacity of short-term memory.
B) Thinking of something else will help Telo.
C) "Chunking" the numbers into smaller units will help Telo.
D) Telo should try to process the memory in parallel.

Question 79

Critics of the three-box model of memory are likely to agree that:

A) the human brain processes information only in a sequential manner.
B) the human brain does not operate like the average computer.
C) the capacity of long-term memory is actually much greater than the model assumes.
D) information flows from one memory system to the next.

Question 80

In the 1950s, George Miller estimated the capacity of short-term memory to be the magical number:

A) 5 plus or minus 4.
B) 7 plus or minus 2.
C) 9 plus or minus 3.
D) 11 plus or minus 1.