Deck 7: Key Processes in Memory

Question 1

Two students took a memory test.Twenty nouns were shown sequentially on a TV monitor.Mary tried to think of rhymes for each word as it appeared on the monitor.Brenda tried to think of ways each word could be used in a sentence.Based on Craik and Lockhart's levels-of-processing theory, you should predict that

A) Mary will have better recall of the words because she used semantic encoding.
B) both students should have equivalent recall of the words.
C) Brenda will have better recall of the words because she used semantic encoding.
D) Brenda will have poorer recall of the words because she used structural encoding.

Answer 1

Brenda will have better recall of the words because she used semantic encoding.

Question 2

The dual-coding theory argues that memory is

A) enhanced by forming either semantic or visual codes.
B) composed of declarative and procedural elements.
C) composed of episodic and semantic codes.
D) composed of schematic and nonschematic elements.

Answer 2

enhanced by forming either semantic or visual codes.

Question 3

Karina is given a list of words to memorise, and she forms a mental image of each word on the list.Calvin is given the same list of words, and he thinks of words that rhyme with each of the words on the list.Based on the research that has focused on the process of encoding, you should expect that on a memory test

A) both Karina and Calvin will recall the same number of words.
B) Karina will recall more words than Calvin.
C) Calvin will recall more words than Karina.
D) Karina is more likely to make "look-alike" errors in recall.

Answer 3

Karina will recall more words than Calvin.

Question 4

The shallowest level of processing of verbal information is ____ encoding.

A) structural
B) semantic
C) verbal
D) phonemic

Question 5

Which theory suggests that memory is enhanced by forming both semantic and visual codes?

A) encoding-storage theory
B) information-processing theory
C) enhanced imagery theory
D) dual-coding theory

Question 6

The basic process in memory that involves formation of a memory code is

A) encoding.
B) storage.
C) retrieval.
D) sensation.

Question 7

Naomi is studying for her law exam.While she is studying, she is trying to think of as many examples as she can to illustrate key ideas.In this case, Naomi is using

A) an efficient study strategy, because examples should help her to recall key ideas.
B) an ineffective study strategy that will probably cause her to confuse many of the key ideas.
C) shallow processing that does not focus on the underlying meaning of the material she is reading.
D) the linking method, to create a more complete semantic network.

Question 8

Shayla is able to retain the vocabulary she learned in her first semester Spanish class after the class has ended.The main memory process that accounts for the fact that Shayla can hold information in her memory for extended periods of time is

A) encoding.
B) retrieval.
C) chunking.
D) storage.

Question 9

In order for a memory to be stored, it must first be

A) ablated.
B) modelled.
C) retrieved.
D) encoded.

Question 10

If you were attempting to recall a memory, the memory process you would be using is

A) encoding.
B) storage.
C) retrieval.
D) acquisition.

Question 11

In which level of processing is an emphasis placed on the sounds of words?

A) morphemic
B) phonemic
C) mnemonic
D) platonic

Question 12

Recent research suggests that strong motivation to remember something may actually enhance memory, but only if the motivation is present at the time of

A) retrieval.
B) encoding.
C) storage.
D) interference.

Question 13

Zach was not sure that he was ready for his midterm exams, but once he started, he found that he was able to accurately recall the information he had learned.The main memory process that accounts for the fact that Zach could access and utilise the information in his memory is

A) encoding.
B) storage.
C) retrieval.
D) rehearsal.

Question 14

Which level of processing should result in the longest lasting memory codes?

A) structural encoding
B) mnemonic encoding
C) semantic encoding
D) phonemic encoding

Question 15

When individuals are instructed to divide their attention between a memory encoding task and other tasks, their performance on the encoding task generally shows

A) a marked improvement.
B) a small decline.
C) a large decline.
D) no significant change.

Question 16

Focusing awareness on a narrowed range of stimuli or events defines

A) perception.
B) processing.
C) attention.
D) sensation.

Question 17

The deepest level of processing of information in memory, emphasising the meaning of the information being processed, is

A) the triarchic level of encoding.
B) the semantic level of encoding.
C) attentional encoding.
D) dyadic encoding.

Question 18

The memory process of storage involves

A) recovering information from memory stores.
B) forming a memory code.
C) linking new information to other information.
D) maintaining information in memory over time.

Question 19

Sarah is studying for her psychology exam and listening to the television.Studies on divided attention would suggest that

A) she would experience a negative impact on her studying since she would focus more on the TV since auditory cues will be attended to over visual cues.
B) the effect will be neutral.
C) she will experience a negative impact on her memory and not remember much of either the TV show or her studying.
D) she would experience a positive impact on her studying since the TV would serve as noise and would allow her to focus her attention on her textbook.

Question 20

Karl is driving to campus and his phone rings, based on the studies on divided attention, should Karl answer the phone?

A) No, he would experience a negative impact on his driving behaviuor since he would focus more on the phone call than on traffic signals.
B) He should only answer the phone if he is an experienced driver who is driving in a familiar location.
C) Yes, his attention system will allow him to process both traffic information and his phone conversation equally.
D) He should only answer the phone if he has a hands-free device, so that he is not distracted by having to hold the phone.

Question 21

You are absorbed in reading your psychology text when the phone rings.After talking on the phone, you can't remember the last thing you read.This information was lost from ____ memory, because the phone conversation distracted you from ____ the information.

A) sensory; perceiving
B) short-term; rehearsing
C) long-term; rehearsing
D) long-term; retrieving

Question 22

As Arnold was walking out the door of his apartment, he was quickly running through a mental list of all the things he was supposed to take with him.He went through the complete list of items four or five times, just to make sure he hadn't forgotten anything.Based on Baddeley's model of working memory, Arnold was utilising

A) the visuospatial sketchpad to arrange all the information he needed.
B) the phonological loop to temporarily hold his list of essential items.
C) the central executive system to juggle all the information he needed to consider.
D) his prospective memory to remember the actions he still needed to perform.

Question 23

The function of sensory memory is to

A) put information into long-term memory.
B) hold the immediate perception of what was perceived.
C) hold sensory impressions long enough for transfer.
D) hold information for a lifetime.

Question 24

Which memory system is referred to in your text as "working memory"?

A) sensory memory
B) short-term memory
C) long-term memory
D) all of these collectively

Question 25

You look up the phone number of the new Pizza Hut and repeat the number silently in your head until you find a pad of paper to write it down.The process of actively repeating the number is called

A) chunking.
B) rehearsal.
C) encoding.
D) retrieval.

Question 26

As Kayla was introduced to the seven members of the committee who would be interviewing her for a scholarship, she silently repeated all the names to herself, in order.Kayla was using

A) chunking to increase the capacity of her short-term memory.
B) rehearsal to temporarily store the names in short-term memory.
C) filtering to temporarily block other information out of short-term memory.
D) acoustic encoding to process the names semantically.

Question 27

Jane rearranges the letters HI TRE DBA T into "hit red bat." This is an example of

A) chunking.
B) elaboration.
C) rehearsal.
D) clustering.

Question 28

Which of the following statements concerning short-term memory is false?

A) short-term memory is also referred to as working memory
B) the storage capacity of short-term memory is approximately seven items
C) unrehearsed information is usually maintained in short-term memory for approximately five minutes
D) information in short-term memory is usually stored according to sounds

Question 29

Sensory memory

A) is the same as the working memory.
B) is a limited-capacity store that can maintain unrehearsed information for up to about 20 seconds.
C) preserves information in its original sensory form for a brief time, usually only a fraction of a second.
D) is an unlimited capacity store that can hold information over lengthy periods of time.

Question 30

A personal trait that is influenced by heredity and appears to play a role in intelligence, creativity, and musical ability is

A) neuroticism
B) sensory memory
C) working memory capacity
D) destination memory

Question 31

Rehearsal is most beneficial for maintaining information in ____ memory.

A) sensory
B) short-term
C) intermediate-term
D) long-term

Question 32

With rehearsal, information in short-term memory can be maintained for some time.Without rehearsal, the duration of short-term memory is

A) no longer than 1 second.
B) about 5 seconds.
C) about 20 seconds.
D) 1-2 minutes.

Question 33

When you listen to a lecture, the information is held in ____ memory until you write it in your notes.

A) trace
B) sensory
C) short-term
D) long-term

Question 34

Chunking involves

A) the internal repetition of material a person is trying to remember.
B) forming connections between new information and information already in memory.
C) creating visual images of information to be stored in memory.
D) rearranging incoming information into meaningful or familiar patterns.

Question 35

The ____ component of working memory serves as the interface between working and long-term memory.

A) episodic buffer
B) semantic buffer
C) executive control system
D) visuospatial sketchpad

Question 36

Sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory comprise the three components of

A) memory.
B) encoding.
C) retrieval.
D) storage.

Question 37

The stable ability to hold information in conscious attention is referred to as

A) working memory capacity
B) short-term memory
C) long-term memory
D) destination memory

Question 38

The memory system that has an almost unlimited storage capacity is

A) time-based memory.
B) long-term memory.
C) working memory.
D) auditory sensory memory.

Question 39

Cindy is watching her little sister as she skips rope.As long as the rope is turning, all Cindy can see is a blur of colour.She can only make out the shape of the skipping rope when her sister stops skipping.The "blurred" image that Cindy sees while the rope is moving results from the way in which

A) flashbulb memories are formed.
B) episodic memory is encoded.
C) sensory memory works.
D) rehearsal works in short-term memory.

Question 40

If your psychology professor brags that she has a good memory because she can remember everything she saw one-fourth of a second ago, your professor is referring to her

A) instantaneous memory.
B) sensory memory.
C) working memory.
D) short-term memory.

Question 41

According to the notion of semantic networks, which pair of words should be linked most closely?

A) car-nose
B) boat-goat
C) fill-feed
D) tree-bird

Question 42

A retrieval cue is

A) a brain structure stimulus used to locate a particular memory.
B) the same thing as an elaboration encoding variable.
C) a stimulus associated with a memory that is used to locate that memory.
D) always based on the mood you were in when a memory was first encoded.

Question 43

The tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon can be best described as an instance of

A) complete storage failure.
B) complete retrieval failure.
C) partial retrieval.
D) partial storage.

Question 44

Investigators were asking employees at a construction site what they were doing last Tuesday, at 10:00.Some of the workers were having a difficult time remembering details until the foreman reminded them that the foundations for the building were poured that morning.If the workers are now able to recall details of their actions, the foreman has been able to

A) prime the workers' conceptual hierarchies.
B) successfully reinstate the context.
C) effectively overcome proactive interference.
D) activate transfer-appropriate processing.

Question 45

If you try to remember something but cannot, yet know the information is in memory, you are experiencing the

A) tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon.
B) psuedoamnesia phenomenon.
C) Krensky syndrome.
D) retrieval-delay phenomenon.

Question 46

When you tell a joke to a friend only to be reminded that you've told that joke to the same friend before, you have experienced a failure of

A) episodic memory.
B) procedural memory.
C) prospective memory.
D) destination memory.

Question 47

Research on hypnosis most clearly demonstrates that hypnosis leads subjects to report

A) more correct information.
B) more incorrect information.
C) less confidence in their memories.
D) accurate past-life events.

Question 48

Miles has very vivid memories of a car accident he witnessed five years ago.When he closes his eyes and thinks about the accident, he feels as if he can recall every detail of it, right down to the brand name printed on the tyres of one of the cars.This type of memory is called

A) sensory memory.
B) procedural memory.
C) a flashbulb memory.
D) an implicit memory.

Question 49

Connectionist models of memory are based on

A) connections between sensory, short-term, and long-term memory.
B) connections between encoding, storage, and retrieval.
C) how neural networks process information.
D) how computer systems process information.

Question 50

A multilevel classification system based on common properties among items is called

A) a script.
B) a schema.
C) a conceptual hierarchy.
D) a mnemonic device.

Question 51

Remembering who we told what is known as

A) episodic memory.
B) procedural memory.
C) prospective memory.
D) destination memory.

Question 52

Aiden has been trying to recall the name of the musical artist who released the song that was number one when he was 14.Aiden feels somewhat frustrated because he is certain he knows the artist's name, but he just can't seem to recall it at this moment.Aiden is experiencing something referred to as

A) retrograde amnesia.
B) the tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon.
C) proactive interference.
D) a source-monitoring error.

Question 53

When an individual's memory for an event is altered by the later introduction of inaccurate or misleading information, it is referred to as the

A) reconstruction effect.
B) post-context effect.
C) source-monitoring effect.
D) misinformation effect.

Question 54

A visit to your elementary classroom might help you remember more of the names of some of your classmates because you are

A) using the serial position effect.
B) relying on a flashbulb memory.
C) in the same context as you were when you learned them.
D) relying on schemas to enhance the retrieval process.

Question 55

Tyler witnessed a car accident and heard one of the bystanders casually mention that the driver was probably intoxicated.Even though the driver had not been drinking, and had never crossed the centre line, Tyler tells the police officer who is investigating the accident that the car had been "weaving all over the road".Tyler's faulty recall illustrates

A) proactive interference.
B) implicit memory readjustment.
C) the misinformation effect.
D) mood-dependent memory.

Question 56

The memory process of retrieval is associated with

A) only short-term memory.
B) only long-term memory.
C) both short-term and long-term memory.
D) sensory, short-term, and long-term memory.

Question 57

Unusually vivid and detailed recollections of momentous events are called

A) episodic memories.
B) flashbulb memories.
C) sensory memories.
D) nondeclarative memories.

Question 58

Merena is trying to memorise the various eras and periods in the geologic table.She begins by memorising the Cenozoic, Mesozoic and Paleozoic as three eras.She then memorises the three periods from the Cenozoic, the three periods from the Mesozoic and the six periods from the Paleozoic.Merena's method of organising the material she is trying to remember illustrates the concept of

A) conceptual hierarchies.
B) levels-of-processing.
C) the serial-position effect.
D) source monitoring.

Question 59

You attended your high school graduation over 20 years ago.You are now trying to recall as much as possible about the graduation ceremonies.Which of the following would be the BEST retrieval cue?

A) the number of students who graduated
B) the year the ceremony took place
C) the time of day the ceremony took place
D) the featured speaker at the ceremony

Question 60

When information in long-term memory (LTM) is organised according to a clustering principle, it means that

A) items that occurred close together in time are grouped together in LTM.
B) related items tend to be remembered in groups or categories.
C) words that look alike are grouped together in LTM.
D) people create a network of nodes in LTM, with links to related concepts.

Question 61

Research demonstrates that the recovered memories of sexual abuse most likely to be corroborated are those that are recovered

A) as a result of hypnosis.
B) gradually over a long period of therapy.
C) quickly and spontaneously.
D) through age regression.

Question 62

LeAnn had her purse snatched as she walked out to her car.The police who are investigating the crime ask LeAnn to try to pick the purse-snatcher out of a line-up of eight suspects.The police are basically using

A) a recognition task to recover information from LeAnn's memory.
B) a recall task to recover information from LeAnn's memory.
C) transfer-appropriate encoding to recover information from LeAnn's memory.
D) a misinformation task to recover information from LeAnn's memory.

Question 63

The recognition measure of retention requires an individual

A) to reproduce information on her own without any cues.
B) to select previously learned information from an array of options.
C) to predict how well she will perform on a later memory test.
D) to memorise information a second time to determine how much time or effort is saved.

Question 64

Robert was attacked while he was walking in the park.The police who are investigating the crime ask Robert to describe his attacker in as much detail as possible.The police are basically using

A) transfer-appropriate encoding to recover information from Robert's memory.
B) a recall task to recover information from Robert's memory.
C) a recognition task to recover information from Robert's memory.
D) a misinformation task to recover information from Robert's memory.

Question 65

Imagine you complete a computer-programming course, but never have a chance to use the programming language once the course is over.Based on the research results reported by Ebbinghaus, over the years you should expect

A) there will be a constant, steady decline in what you are able to recall from the programming course.
B) most of what you learned will be forgotten early, but later there will be a slow, steady increase in what you are able to recall from the programming course.
C) very little of what you learned will be forgotten early, but later there will be a rapid decline in what you are able to recall from the programming course.
D) most of what you learned will be forgotten early, and there will continue to be a slow decline in what you are able to recall from the programming course.

Question 66

According to interference theory

A) people forget information because of competition from other material.
B) forgetting is due to ineffective encoding.
C) the principal cause of forgetting should be the passage of time.
D) the events that occur during the retention interval do not affect forgetting.

Question 67

Which of the following statements best reflects the current view of the repressed memories controversy?

A) It seems likely that most cases of recovered memories are authentic.
B) It appears that many therapists are deliberately creating false memories in their patients.
C) Recovered memories of childhood abuse can be summarily dismissed.
D) We should be extremely careful about accepting recovered memories of abuse in the absence of convincing corroboration.

Question 68

In studies of forgetting, the retention interval is the length of time

A) between the presentation of stimuli and the complete forgetting of the information.
B) between the presentation of stimuli and the measurement of forgetting.
C) during which the stimulus material is available to be studied by the subjects.
D) over which the subject has 100 percent recall of the material.

Question 69

In regard to the recovered memory controversy, psychologists who rely on research on the misinformation effect, reality-monitoring, and imagination inflation are MOST likely to

A) have no opinion on the accuracy of recovered memories.
B) doubt the accuracy of recovered memories.
C) believe the accuracy of recovered memories.
D) be equally likely to doubt or believe the accuracy of recovered memories.

Question 70

Psychologists who doubt the accuracy of recovered memories of abuse maintain that

A) the recovered memories result from the ineffective encoding of everyday events.
B) the recovered memories are accurate accounts of earlier events.
C) the recovered memories are inadvertently created in individuals after a therapist makes suggestions of childhood abuse.
D) individuals purposely make up stories of abuse to damage the reputation of the accused individual.

Question 71

Psychologists who accept the accuracy of recovered memories of abuse are most likely to attribute the recent upsurge in recovered memories to

A) an increase in the level of childhood abuse occurring in society.
B) inadvertently created memories after a therapist makes suggestions of childhood abuse.
C) increased sensitivity to an issue that people used to be reluctant to discuss.
D) the use of more effective techniques that allow for the recovery of memories of childhood abuse.

Question 72

Ebbinghaus used which of the following as stimuli in his classic studies of forgetting?

A) geometric shapes
B) nonsense syllables
C) common English words
D) uncommon English words

Question 73

The first person to conduct scientific studies of forgetting was

A) Sigmund Freud.
B) Hermann Ebbinghaus.
C) John Watson.
D) George Miller.

Question 74

Noah had learned to play Mozart's Concerto Number 21 when he was eight years old.He is now 30 years old and hasn't played the piano for 12 years, but his sister has asked him to play the concerto at her wedding.When Noah sits down to practise, he finds that he has the piece mastered in just a few hours, even though it took him weeks to learn the first time.This example illustrates

A) recognition as a measure of memory retention.
B) recall as a measure of memory retention.
C) relearning as a measure of memory retention.
D) the impact of pseudoforgetting.

Question 75

In studies of long-term memory, researchers have found that

A) the mere passage of time is the sole cause of forgetting.
B) the passage of time is more influential in forgetting than what happens during the time interval.
C) the passage of time is not as influential as what happens during the time interval.
D) subjects who sleep during the retention interval forget more than those who remain awake.

Question 76

The measure of memory that requires subjects to reproduce information on their own, without any cues, is

A) recall.
B) recognition.
C) relearning.
D) reiteration.

Question 77

Ebbinghaus' original forgetting curves, which graphed his retention over time, suggested that most forgetting occurs

A) very gradually over long periods of time.
B) only after several days have passed.
C) as a result of interference with other information.
D) very rapidly after learning something.

Question 78

A relearning measure requires subjects to

A) memorise information a second time to determine how much time or effort is saved.
B) select previously learned information from an array of options.
C) reproduce information on their own without any cues.
D) indicate whether a given piece of information is familiar.

Question 79

Research suggests that when information is forgotten from long-term memory ____ exerts a stronger influence on forgetting than ____.

A) the passage of time; interference
B) interference; the passage of time
C) ineffective encoding; interference
D) ineffective encoding; the passage of time

Question 80

The probable reason that Ebbinghaus' forgetting curves were so steep was that Ebbinghaus

A) had a poor memory.
B) learned too many lists.
C) used very meaningless materials.
D) used autobiographical materials.