Deck 7: A: Human Memory

Question 1

What is the order of the basic memory processes in which information enters our memory system and is used later?

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

Answer 1

encoding, storage, retrieval

Question 2

Which process is important for memory, and involves focusing awareness on a narrow range of stimuli or events?

A)elaboration
B)clustering
C)attention
D)encoding

Answer 2

attention

Question 3

Frances is daydreaming during her botany class, and has not been listening to the lecture at all. She is suddenly aware that her professor has just called her name, and is waiting for her to respond to a question that has been asked. Which type of model is supported by this example?

A)early-selection model of attention
B)late-selection model of attention
C)retroactive model of attention
D)acoustic-blocking model of attention

Answer 3

late-selection model of attention

Question 4

Which memory process would you be using if you were attempting to remember where you left your keys?

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

Question 5

Which of the following is a component of most theories of attention?

A)the assumption that the vast majority of stimuli reach conscious awareness
B)recognition that our attention is distributed equally among all sensory inputs
C)the concept of attention as a selective filter that screens out most stimuli
D)emphasis on the nonselective nature of attention

Question 6

Even if you are not attending to a particular conversation between two people, you may notice if one of the people says your name. What is the term for this type of occurrence?

A)Posner effect
B)Craik effect
C)cocktail party phenomenon
D)self-referent phenomenon

Question 7

What is the term for the process of recalling information from memory?

A)encoding
B)information registry
C)retrieval
D)storage

Question 8

Which of the following was NOT a level of processing associated with verbal information as suggested by Craik and Lockhart?

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

Question 9

Which of the following has been demonstrated to be the least dangerous method of conversation while driving?

A)using text messaging
B)talking on a hands-free cellular phone
C)talking to passengers in the vehicle
D)talking on a hand-held cellular phone

Question 10

Which of the following is proposed by early-selection theories of attention?

A)Stimuli are screened out before they reach the sense organs.
B)Stimuli are screened out before the brain processes the meaning of sensory input.
C)Stimuli are screened out immediately after the brain processes the meaning of sensory input.
D)Attention is distributed equally among all stimulus inputs that are above threshold.

Question 11

Jorge listens attentively to the premier's speech and translates the information from the speech into new memories. What is the main memory process that accounts for the fact that Jorge is able to form new memories as information is encountered for the first time?

A)encoding
B)storage
C)retrieval
D)priming

Question 12

Thalia studied for her midterm and when her roommate quizzed her, she gave correct answers to all sorts of questions. The day of the midterm, however, Thalia was unable to provide answers to questions that she had answered the night before. What can you conclude from this memory failure?

A)Thalia stored the information appropriately, but her encoding was faulty.
B)Thalia encoded and stored the wrong information.
C)Thalia did not actually encode the information.
D)Thalia encoded the information, and stored it, but was unable to retrieve it.

Question 13

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

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

Question 14

Curtis is working on a presentation and doesn't hear the phone ringing in the background. Later, he is surprised to find three phone messages have come in for him, because he was totally unaware that the phone had even rung. Which of the following models is supported by this example?

A)late-selection model of attention
B)early-selection model of attention
C)acoustic-blocking model of attention
D)proactive model of attention

Question 15

When a driver of a vehicle is having a conversation, which of the following is most likely to lead to problems with driving?

A)conflicting recommendations from 'back seat drivers'
B)changes in emotional reactivity
C)divided attention
D)inability to detect other auditory stimuli

Question 16

What must occur in order for a memory to be stored?

A)encoding
B)retrieval
C)modelling
D)ablation

Question 17

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

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

Question 18

Kiana was given a list of words as part of a memory test that included "dog, pail, and hate." Later, she recalled these words as "dig, paint, and hard." Based on Kiana's errors in recall, how did she encode the original word list?

A)implicitly
B)semantically
C)phonemically
D)structurally

Question 19

Cherie is trying to do two things at once. She is completing a time-limited online quiz for a very important course (so she has to pay attention to the questions), and she is trying to monitor a conversation going on behind her, involving some juicy gossip. Which of the following would you expect if you asked Cherie to recall as much as possible about the conversation?

A)She would not remember as much as she would have if she had focused on the conversation.
B)She would have excellent memory for the conversation, because parallel-distributed processing would temporarily allow her to monitor two streams of content.
C)She would have poor memory for components of the conversation that were similar in content to the quiz.
D)She would remember more than usual about the conversation, because the topic was personally relevant.

Question 20

Zachariah was nervous about his midterm exams, but once he started he found that he was able to accurately recall the necessary information. Which memory process accounts for Zachariah's access and utilization of the information in his memory?

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

Question 21

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. Which of the following is true for this case?

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

Question 22

What is the deepest level of processing of information in memory?

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

Question 23

Whitney's neighbours are surprised that she never forgets their anniversary, but their wedding anniversary falls on the same day as Whitney's birthday, so she finds it an easy date to remember. Which of the following is illustrated by Whitney's easy recall of the anniversary date?

A)spreading activation in a semantic network
B)prospective memory processes
C)semantic encoding
D)self-referent encoding

Question 24

What is the term for the type of memory that failed when Mitzy didn't remember that she was supposed to go to the party that night?

A)declarative
B)self-referent
C)prospective
D)proactive

Question 25

Hugh is studying for his geography test. He is in a hurry, so he focuses on the main points of the text and skips all of the examples that the authors provide to illustrate each main point. Which of the following is true for this case?

A)Hugh is using an efficient study strategy, because examples often cause students to become confused about key issues.
B)Hugh's strategy is ineffective and he will probably not retain many of the main ideas that he reads.
C)Hugh is chunking to create fewer storage units, and this should aid his later recall of the information.
D)Hugh is using deep processing, which should produce a very durable memory for the material.

Question 26

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

A)Mallory will have better recall of the words because she used semantic encoding.
B)Bailey will have better recall of the words because she used semantic encoding.
C)Bailey will have poorer recall of the words because she used structural encoding.
D)Both students should have equivalent recall of the words.

Question 27

Taryn was given a list of words as part of a memory test that included "dog, pail, and hate." Later, she recalled these words as "pup, bucket, and loathe." Based on Taryn's errors in recall, how did she encode the original word list?

A)semantically
B)structurally
C)proactively
D)phonemically

Question 28

Karina is given a list of words to memorize, 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. What should you expect on a memory test, based on the research that has focused on the process of encoding?

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

Question 29

Which type of memory code emphasizes the meaning of verbal input?

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

Question 30

What does the process of elaboration involve?

A)linking a stimulus to other information at the time of encoding
B)decreasing the complexity of the material to be remembered
C)forming two kinds of memory code for each word
D)the creation of visual images to represent the words to be remembered

Question 31

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

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

Question 32

Which of the following sequences represents progressively deeper levels of processing?

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

Question 33

What has Dylan engaged in when he links the address to his favourite classical piece?

A)the method of loci
B)constructive memory
C)shallow processing
D)self-referent encoding

Question 34

Xavier was given a list of words as part of a memory test that included "dog, pail, and hate." Later, he recalled these words as "log, whale, and late." Based on Xavier's errors in recall, how did he encode the original word list?

A)semantically
B)phonemically
C)retroactively
D)structurally

Question 35

Several friends are arguing over the actual date of Will and Kate's royal wedding. Some of them think it was in May, several think it was in early April, and one student thinks it may have been in June. Seth confidently tells them it was on April 29ᵗʰ, because it was the same day that his daughter was born. Which of the following is illustrated by the example of Seth's accurate recall?

A)prospective memory processes
B)semantic encoding
C)self-referent encoding
D)spreading activation in a semantic network

Question 36

When Dylan hears his name but not other noises around him, what does this suggest about the role of attention in this particular situation?

A)Because his task was relatively simple, he was able to continue monitoring his environment.
B)Although he was preoccupied with texting, early-selection of relevant stimuli can still occur.
C)He didn't need to be paying attention in order for sensory memory to work.
D)If he had been attending to his surroundings, he would not have been able to ignore the other noises in the coffee shop.

Question 37

What is involved in self-referent encoding?

A)forming two kinds of memory codes for each word
B)linking a stimulus to other information at the time of encoding
C)the creation of visual images to represent the words to be remembered
D)making the material to be remembered personally meaningful

Question 38

Dr. Boissoneau is a well-liked professor, and students always say that it is very easy to remember his lectures. Dr. Boissoneau uses a lot of funny pictures to illustrate his points (like a picture of Napoleon being soaked by a bucket of water, when discussing the battle of Waterloo) and he creates all kinds of examples and metaphors when explaining theories or concepts (like comparing Marie Antoinette to Paris Hilton). What is it about Dr. Boissoneau that is most effective for helping students to remember his lectures so easily?

A)Students don't necessarily remember more of the lectures, but they find the lectures entertaining so they feel like they're learning more.
B)He uses examples to enhance elaborative coding, which is more complex than visual imagery and results in better recall.
C)According to dual-coding theory, memory is enhanced by both visual and semantic codes, since either can lead to recall.
D)He uses visual imagery, which is more salient than semantic elements like metaphors.

Question 39

Which of the following statements about memory is proposed by dual-coding theory?

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

Question 40

Tim studies for three hours and Lim studies for two hours. If both students are reasonably intelligent and motivated to remember the information, which student will have a better memory for the studied material?

A)It is impossible to know because differences in semantic and episodic style will dictate which student has the most effective memory processing.
B)Lim will, because fatigue leads to proactive interference.
C)It is impossible to know because time of processing is not a reliable index of depth of processing.
D)Tim will, because the amount of time spent studying correlates with depth of processing.

Question 41

When you listen to a lecture, where is the information held until you write it in your notes?

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

Question 42

What is Dylan's experience called when he can't remember Mitzy's name?

A)cryptomnesia
B)retroactive interference
C)pseudoforgetting
D)tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon

Question 43

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

A)sensory memory
B)prospective memory
C)short-term memory
D)long-term memory

Question 44

Which of the following researchers is known for identifying the "magical number" for the capacity of short-term memory?

A)George Sperling
B)Hermann Ebbinghaus
C)Richard Atkinson
D)George Miller

Question 45

Why is Dylan able to remember Mitzy's name after a while?

A)Phonemic encoding is more durable than other forms of encoding.
B)Her behaviour provided an appropriate retrieval cue.
C)Pseudoforgetting is temporary.
D)Retrieval becomes more likely with the passage of time.

Question 46

What types of memory stores are described in the Atkinson-Shiffrin memory model?

A)sensory, short-term, and long-term stores
B)short-, medium-, and long-term stores
C)four different memory stores
D)sensory, short-term, medium-term, and long-term stores

Question 47

Which component of working memory are you relying on when you mentally picture the road between your house and school?

A)visuospatial sketchpad
B)rehearsal loop
C)conceptual hierarchy
D)executive control system

Question 48

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. What happened?

A)The information was lost from short-term memory because the phone distracted you from rehearsing the information.
B)The information was lost from long-term memory because the phone distracted you from retrieving the information.
C)The information was lost from sensory memory because the phone distracted you from perceiving the information.
D)The information was lost from long-term memory because the phone distracted you from rehearsing the information.

Question 49

Without rehearsal, what is the duration of short-term memory?

A)no longer than 1 second
B)about 20 seconds
C)5-10 minutes
D)no more than 3 hours

Question 50

Mark is listening as his roommate lists 14 things that they need to buy for their apartment before the end of the week. Based on George Miller's research into short-term memory capacity, how many items is Mark likely to remember if he doesn't write the items down as he hears them?

A)fewer than 5 items
B)between 5 and 9 items
C)approximately 10 to 12 items
D)all 14 items

Question 51

Which of the following is a characteristic of a sensory memory?

A)It usually lasts for about 30 seconds.
B)It can be maintained indefinitely by rehearsal.
C)It gives you more time to recognize a stimulus.
D)It is usually stored acoustically.

Question 52

Which type of memory is stored for the shortest period of time?

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

Question 53

A 1-800 number for a product Ronald was interested in flashed on the television screen. Unfortunately, the number disappeared before Ronald was able to write down the last three digits. However, Ronald found he had a momentary mental image of the phone number, and he was able to complete it, even though the number had disappeared. Which of the following is illustrated by Ronald's experience?

A)procedural memory
B)flashbulb memory
C)cued recall
D)sensory memory

Question 54

According to Baddely, which of the following components is NOT included in short-term or working memory?

A)executive control system
B)rehearsal loop
C)visuospatial sketchpad
D)feature-detection element

Question 55

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. Which of the following was Kayla using, and why?

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

Question 56

According to Cowan, the capacity of short term memory has been overestimated in previous research. What is the capacity suggested by Cowan?

A)4 items, plus or minus 1
B)5 items, plus or minus 2
C)7 items, plus or minus 2
D)8 items, plus or minus 1

Question 57

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 make out only the shape of the skipping rope when her sister stops skipping. Which of the following accounts for the "blurred" image that Cindy sees while the rope is moving?

A)function of sensory memory
B)rehearsal of short-term memory
C)formation of flashbulb memory
D)encoding of episodic memory

Question 58

Jade rearranges the letters HI TRE DBA T into 'hit red bat' in order to remember them more easily. Which technique is this an example of?

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

Question 59

Which type of memory would you have to rely on if you try to recall the exact sound that you heard about 15 seconds ago?

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

Question 60

Why have earlier studies of short term memory capacity overestimated its capacity, according to Cowan?

A)The studies failed to control for prior exposure to familiar test items.
B)Researchers used university students with above average memory abilities.
C)Researchers used nonsense syllables which are unnatural stimuli.
D)The studies failed to control for participants' tendency to chunk information.

Question 61

Brock was describing the inside of his doctor's office to one of his friends. In his description, he mentions that there were two diplomas on the wall, even though this doctor does not have any diplomas displayed on the wall. What is illustrated by Brock's error?

A)the role of semantic networks in long-term memory
B)the need for a good executive control system in short-term memory
C)the need for conceptual hierarchies in long-term memory
D)the role of schemas in long-term memory

Question 62

What is the memory process known as clustering?

A)recall of information based on the use of related schemata or scripts
B)recall of similar or related items in groups
C)use of a semantic network to encode new information
D)association of any stimuli in order to maintain a greater quantity of information in short-term memory

Question 63

What is the term that describes a student's organized set of expectations about how a college professor is supposed to act?

A)script
B)semantic network
C)schema
D)chunk

Question 64

Mia was trying to figure out how to fit the box that contained her new computer into the trunk of her car. She mentally manipulated the position of the box, trying to figure out a way to make it fit. Which component of memory was Mia utilizing, based on Baddely's model of working memory?

A)executive control system
B)visuospatial sketchpad
C)prospective memory
D)rehearsal loop

Question 65

What is a schema?

A)specific type of availability heuristic
B)peculiar form of amnesia
C)organized general knowledge structure
D)specific type of representative heuristic

Question 66

Which of the following has been demonstrated by researchers who investigated the accuracy of flashbulb memories following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001?

A)Flashbulb memories are more vivid because they contain hallucinatory (and therefore inaccurate) details.
B)Flashbulb memories are more vivid, and more accurate than typical memories.
C)Flashbulb memories contain more visual information than typical memories, which makes them less accurate for semantic encoding.
D)Flashbulb memories may be more vivid and detailed, but they are otherwise similar to other types of long-term memory.

Question 67

In Serena's philosophy class they are discussing cases of terrorism, and when they get to the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City, Serena suddenly has a vivid memory of watching the footage of the plane crash. She feels like she can recall every detail of that morning, right down to the breakfast that she and her family were eating. What type of memory is illustrated in this example?

A)flashbulb memory
B)implicit memory
C)sensory memory
D)procedural memory

Question 68

Which of the following is suggested by results from the research study that investigated the accuracy of flashbulb memories following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001?

A)Flashbulb memories fade gradually over time, just like other memories.
B)Flashbulb memories have special characteristics that make them less vulnerable to forgetting.
C)Flashbulb memories are created only when the triggering events elicit strong emotions.
D)Flashbulb memories remain extremely accurate, even years after the initial event.

Question 69

What is the term for a multilevel classification system based on common properties among items?

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

Question 70

Which memory system has an almost unlimited storage capacity?

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

Question 71

What type of memories are unusually vivid and detailed recollections of momentous events?

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

Question 72

Which of the following was achieved by Baddely's concept of working memory?

A)It expands the functions and processes of short-term memory.
B)It expands the functions and processes of long-term memory.
C)It integrates sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory into a single, complex system.
D)It takes the place of the old concept of sensory memory.

Question 73

Maria is trying to recall the names of all of the provinces and territories. She begins by naming the Maritime provinces, followed by the Central provinces, the Western provinces, and finally the territories. Which concept does Maria's pattern of recall illustrate?

A)clustering
B)serial-position effect
C)primacy effect
D)levels-of-processing

Question 74

What does it mean when information in long-term memory (LTM) is organized according to a clustering principle?

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

Question 75

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 tires of one of the cars. What is this type of memory called?

A)procedural memory
B)sensory memory
C)implicit memory
D)flashbulb memory

Question 76

Relational schemas affect the way we process information. What, specifically, is affected?

A)relationships among semantic categories
B)our expectations and beliefs about our interactions with others
C)a comparison of prior experiences and current experiences
D)our understanding of the relationship between an example and a concept

Question 77

Graham has selected four different universities that he might like to attend, and now he is trying to decide which of the four he should apply to. He has all the material spread out in front of him, and he is carefully considering all the advantages and disadvantages associated with each campus. Which component of memory is Graham utilizing, based on Baddeley's model of working memory?

A)visuospatial sketchpad
B)rehearsal loop
C)executive control system
D)prospective memory

Question 78

Meredith is trying to memorize the various eras and periods in the geologic table. She begins by memorizing the Cenozoic, Mesozoic, and Paleozoic as three eras. She then memorizes the three periods from the Cenozoic, the three periods from the Mesozoic, and the six periods from the Paleozoic. Which concept does Meredith's method of organizing the material she is trying to remember illustrate?

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

Question 79

Which component of working memory handles the ability of people to "juggle" information in working memory in order to reason and make decisions?

A)executive control
B)rehearsal loop
C)visual imagery
D)schematic

Question 80

As Art 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. Which memory component was Art using, based on Baddeley's model of working memory?

A)visuospatial sketchpad
B)prospective memory
C)executive control system
D)rehearsal loop