Deck 34: Memory: Forgetting

Question 1

Which of the following psychologists pioneered the scientific study of forgetting using nonsense syllables and plotted the curve of forgetting?

A)Herman Ebbinghaus
B)Elizabeth Loftus
C)Karl Lashley
D)George Sperling

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Katie is having trouble learning Italian because she finds that having learned German earlier makes it more difficult for her to now learn Italian,which illustrates forgetting due to retroactive interference.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

The fact that many people do not know which way Lincoln is facing on the penny is probably due to encoding failure.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

The difference between learning nonsense syllables and meaningful information is

A)that nonsense syllables are remembered longer because of their distinctiveness.
B)that meaningful information is remembered longer because it is linked with prior knowledge.
C)that learning nonsense syllables is easier because there is no proactive inhibition.
D)so minimal that both types of information are remembered for virtually the same length of time.

Question 5

According to research conducted by Herman Ebbinghaus,forgetting is rapid at first and is then followed by a slow decline.

Question 6

Dan suffered a concussion and experienced a loss of memory for events that occurred just before his head injury,which illustrates forgetting due to anterograde amnesia.

Question 7

VEL,FAB,and DUZ are not used in memory tests because

A)they have too many letters to be used in modern memory tests.
B)they have too few letters to be used in modern memory tests.
C)some people may recognize these words,which will make them easier to remember.
D)nonsense syllables only use groups of consonants,not syllables with vowels.

Question 8

To qualify as repression,forgetting must be unconscious.

Question 9

Electrically stimulating parts of the brain involved in memory,such as the hippocampus,increases long-term potentiation.

Question 10

In his studies of memory,Ebbinghaus wanted to be sure he would not be swayed by prior learning,so he used

A)common everyday words.
B)nonsense syllables.
C)short,easily pronounced words.
D)individual letters.

Question 11

Ten days after taking a psychology exam,Michael took a second exam on the same material (without reviewing)and scored only half as high as he did on the original exam.If he were tested yet again ten days later without additional study,the curve of forgetting suggests his score would be about

A)the same as on the second exam.
B)one third of his score on the first exam.
C)20 percent of his score on the first exam.
D)one half of his score on the second exam.

Question 12

In Ebbinghaus' experiment,the greatest decline in the amount of nonsense syllables recalled occurred

A)the first hour after learning.
B)the second day after learning.
C)three to six days after learning.
D)30 days or more after learning.

Question 13

If you are in a happy mood,you are more likely to remember recent happy events,while if you are in a bad mood,you will tend to have unpleasant memories.

Question 14

The graph that shows the amount of memorized information remembered after varying lengths of time is called the

A)scatter plot of memory loss.
B)histogram of retention.
C)memory interference scatter plot.
D)curve of forgetting.

Question 15

After memorization,most forgetting tends to occur

A)immediately.
B)two days to five days.
C)one to two weeks.
D)six months to one year.

Question 16

According to Ebbinghaus,forgetting is

A)almost complete within two days with 90 percent of the information totally forgotten.
B)rapid at first and then followed by a slow decline.
C)slow at first and then followed by a rapid decline within 30 days.
D)characterized by a slow,steady decline from the moment the information is encountered.

Question 17

The forgetting that occurs in old age and with senility is due to disuse,or infrequent retrieval of information.

Question 18

Patterns of blood flow within the brain show that the front of the brain cortex is related more to semantic memory,while the back areas are more associated with episodic memories.

Question 19

The graphic representation of the results of Ebbinghaus' research is known as the

A)scatter plot of memory loss.
B)histogram of retention.
C)memory interference polygon.
D)curve of forgetting.

Question 20

Even the vivid flashbulb memories that people have great confidence in have been shown to be inaccurate.

Question 21

Even if you encode and store the information,which of the following can still be a cause of forgetting?

A)decay
B)disuse
C)retrieval
D)redintegration

Question 22

Forgetting may be due to a failure in any of the following EXCEPT

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

Question 23

As Jake gets to class,he realizes that he did not study for the quiz today.He quickly scans the information in the Chapter but makes an "F" on the quiz.Jake's quick scan of the Chapter failed to store sufficient information to form a useful memory to use in taking the quiz,a type of forgetting known as

A)proactive interference.
B)retroactive interference.
C)cue-dependent forgetting.
D)encoding failure.

Question 24

The type of forgetting that results from a useful memory never being formed in the first place is known as

A)proactive interference.
B)retroactive interference.
C)repression.
D)encoding failure.

Question 25

Which of the following is an example of forgetting due to a retrieval problem?

A)encoding failure
B)memory decay
C)disuse
D)retroactive interference

Question 26

Regarding meaningful material,if one can remember 70 percent of this material after three years,then he or she should remember what percent of this information after 20 years?

A)10 percent
B)30 percent
C)50 percent
D)70 percent

Question 27

Forgetting may be due to a failure in either

A)availability,accessibility,or redintegration.
B)encoding,storage,or retrieval.
C)recoding,feedback,or rehearsal.
D)recall,recognition,or relearning.

Question 28

Forgetting may be due to a failure in either storage,retrieval,or

A)assimilation.
B)encoding.
C)recoding.
D)feedback.

Question 29

Forgetting due to memory decay and disuse are examples of problems.

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

Question 30

Interference and cue-dependent forgetting are two examples of problems.

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

Question 31

In the "Card Magic" demonstration,after you focused on one card out of the six,you were then shown six more cards,and your card seemed to disappear.What had actually occurred?

A)Most people tended to focus on the middle card,and this one was the one that seemed to disappear.
B)Most people tended to focus on the second card,and this one was the one that seemed to disappear.
C)Most people focused so intently on their choice that they did not notice that all five cards in the second presentation were new.
D)A quick loss of memory has occurred verifying Ebbinghaus' curve of forgetting.

Question 32

Regarding the forgetting of information,which of the following statements is FALSE?

A)During testing,meaningful information is lost just as quickly as nonsense syllables.
B)A short delay between studying and taking a test minimizes forgetting.
C)When one studies,it is best to use short,daily study sessions and then review intensely before the test.
D)If one only crams for a test,he or she may not learn enough material in the first place.

Question 33

Which of the following is an example of forgetting due to a storage problem?

A)cue-dependent forgetting
B)repression
C)disuse
D)retroactive interference

Question 34

In one study,students who took a university psychology course had forgotten about what percent of the facts they had learned in this course after three years?

A)70 percent
B)50 percent
C)30 percent
D)10 percent

Question 35

On a TV game show,you are asked which way Lincoln's head faces on a penny.You are unable to answer correctly,and you lose a large prize.Your memory failure is most likely a result of

A)the serial position effect.
B)repression.
C)encoding failure.
D)priming.

Question 36

After a long flight,a very tired Mark rented a car at the airport and drove to a nearby motel.The next morning,when he went to the parking lot,he could not remember what make,model,or color car he had rented.Mark's forgetting illustrates

A)encoding failure.
B)disuse.
C)decay.
D)repression.

Question 37

If you can't remember whose picture is on a U.S.ten dollar bill,the most likely reason is

A)encoding failure.
B)proactive interference.
C)disuse.
D)retroactive interference.

Question 38

Three years after learning meaningful information,one should expect to be able to remember about what percent of the material?

A)70 percent
B)50 percent
C)30 percent
D)20 percent

Question 39

In the "Card Magic" demonstration in your textbook,your card appeared to disappear due to which type of forgetting?

A)encoding failure
B)disuse
C)retroactive interference
D)proactive interference

Question 40

Regarding the forgetting of information,which of the following statements is TRUE?

A)The forgetting of nonsense syllables during testing shows a slow decline at first which becomes more rapid as time progresses.
B)The curve of forgetting for nonsense syllables will stretch over a longer period of time than a curve of forgetting for meaningful information.
C)Recent events are recalled more accurately than those from the remote past.
D)Cramming for a test is an efficient method for studying because you do not have to remember the information for very long.

Question 41

The fading or weakening of a memory trace due to a passage of time is called

A)redintegration.
B)memory decay.
C)interference.
D)repression.

Question 42

People growing senile may become so forgetful that they can't remember what happened a week ago,although they may have vivid memories of trivial and long-forgotten events from the past.This senility is often due to

A)Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.
B)accelerated repression.
C)proactive interference.
D)cue-dependent forgetting.

Question 43

An experiment was conducted in which a person was talking to a young adult stranger,and two workers carried a door between this person and the young man.Another young man was switched with the original stranger.Only half of the participants tested this way noticed the switch.What were the conclusions regarding this experiment?

A)More college students did not notice the switch because they were in a hurry and thinking about getting to their next class.
B)More older persons did not notice the switch because their brains are beginning to be damaged by the onset of senility.
C)More older persons did not notice because they encoded both young men in very general terms as a "college student."
D)More older persons did not notice the switch because of poor visual acuity.

Question 44

Eyewitnesses tend to be better at identifying members of their own ethnic group than persons from other groups. This phenomenon is best explained by

A)memory decay.
B)the disuse theory of forgetting.
C)the tendency to categorize strangers in general terms.
D)the tendency to repress traumatic encounters.

Question 45

A good way to prevent encoding failure is to actively think about the information to be learned,a process known as

A)elaborative processing.
B)priming.
C)chunking or recoding.
D)maintenance rehearsal.

Question 46

Regarding forgetting,which of the following statements is FALSE?

A)There is evidence that memories not retrieved and "used" or rehearsed become weaker over time.
B)Research has shown that the disuse explanation provides the best explanation for forgetting in long-term memory.
C)Redintegration,relearning,and priming can recover seemingly forgotten memories.
D)Elderly persons often have vivid memories of trivial and long forgotten events from their past.

Question 47

Regarding our memories for people,which of the following statements is FALSE?

A)Encoding failures affect our memories of people.
B)Our memory for people is affected by our tendency to categorize strangers in very specific terms.
C)During brief social contacts,people often act as if members of other ethnic groups "all look alike."
D)People's inclinations to act as if members of other ethnic groups "all look alike" tends to disappear when they learn more about one another as individuals.

Question 48

You tell your mother that you have to memorize a particular poem for English.She says,"Oh,I had to learn that poem when I was in high school." Your mother spontaneously begins reciting the poem.Your mother's ability to recite this poem from her past casts doubt on which explanation of forgetting?

A)disuse
B)memory decay
C)repression
D)suppression

Question 49

Sensory memory and short­term memory operate like "leaky buckets" with new information constantly pouring in,but also rapidly fading away and being replaced by still newer information.Thus,much of the forgetting that takes place in these two stages of memory occurs due to

A)redintegration.
B)memory decay.
C)disuse.
D)cue-dependent forgetting.

Question 50

Which type of forgetting occurs when memory traces weaken because these memories have not been periodically utilized or retrieved?

A)suppression
B)disuse
C)consolidation
D)encoding failure

Question 51

Because redintegration,relearning,and priming can recover seemingly forgotten memories,this fact casts doubt on which of the following types of forgetting?

A)memory decay
B)disuse
C)encoding failure
D)eidetic imaging

Question 52

If you tend to be absentminded,which theory of forgetting is probably to blame?

A)disuse
B)memory decay
C)encoding failure
D)repression

Question 53

You are trying to remember a short list of letters,numbers,or words after seeing or hearing them once.If it takes you more than four to six seconds to repeat the list,you will forget some of the items due to

A)memory decay.
B)disuse.
C)consolidation.
D)suppression.

Question 54

Regarding the disuse explanation of forgetting,which of the following statements is FALSE?

A)There is evidence that memories not retrieved and "used" or rehearsed become weaker over time.
B)Disuse does not explain why we are able to recover seemingly forgotten memories through redintegration,relearning,and priming.
C)The main cause of senility in old age is the increased failure of the elderly person to retrieve and "use" their old and new memories.
D)Disuse offers no more than a partial explanation of long-term forgetting.

Question 55

If you like to study while watching television or instant messaging,beware because dividing your attention like that often leads to forgetting due to

A)disuse.
B)memory decay.
C)encoding failure.
D)redintegration.

Question 56

Encoding failure is usually the result of which type of memory being disrupted by distractions?

A)eidetic
B)short-term
C)long-term
D)implicit

Question 57

Which of the following types of forgetting only seems to explain forgetting for sensory memory and short-term memory?

A)memory decay
B)disuse
C)repression
D)suppression

Question 58

The fact that a majority of elderly persons have excellent long-term memories for events that happened when they were young tends to cast doubt on which explanation of forgetting?

A)problems with sensory memory
B)consolidation
C)disuse
D)encoding failure

Question 59

Memory decay only seems to explain forgetting for

A)episodic memories.
B)semantic memories.
C)sensory and short-term memories.
D)eidetic memory and internal images.

Question 60

Physical changes in nerve cells or brain activity that take place when memories are stored are referred to as

A)memory traces.
B)biodata.
C)morphemes.
D)cross-stimulation.

Question 61

The fact that one's memory can be influenced by the mood or bodily condition that exists at the time of learning and at the time of retrieval is known as

A)eidetic imagery.
B)the serial position effect.
C)state-dependent learning.
D)the tip-of-the-tongue state.

Question 62

Research shows that people who learned a list of words while in a happy mood recalled them better when they were again happy.People who learned the list while sad remembered best when they were sad.This illustrates

A)state-dependent learning.
B)eidetic imagery.
C)suppression.
D)regressive imagery.

Question 63

You and your family are leaving on a week-long vacation.As you leave your hometown behind,you begin to feel excited as you anticipate the adventures to come and start remembering other exciting vacations that you have taken over the years with your family.This suggests that your memory is

A)state-dependent.
B)eidetic.
C)proactive.
D)regressive.

Question 64

A member of your favorite study group from last semester is walking toward you in the mall,but you cannot remember her name.You are sure you would be able to remember her name if you were back on campus in the library room where the group met to study.Maybe when you hear her voice,her name will come back to you.You are experiencing

A)cue-dependent forgetting.
B)encoding failure.
C)repression.
D)suppression.

Question 65

If the stimuli associated with the memory are missing when the time comes to retrieve the information,which of the following often occurs?

A)memory decay
B)cue-dependent forgetting
C)proactive interference
D)suppression

Question 66

Monica skipped lunch today and is now very hungry.Suddenly she remembers the day she was preparing for some medical tests and could not eat anything and how hungry she felt then.Her present hunger triggered a past memory of when she was very hungry,which suggests that memory is

A)proactive.
B)repressed.
C)eidetic.
D)state-dependent.

Question 67

You are very thirsty.Suddenly you remember a time years ago when you became very thirsty while hiking.This suggests that your memory is

A)proactive.
B)state-dependent.
C)still not consolidated.
D)eidetic.

Question 68

State-dependent learning is a term which refers to the fact that

A)bodily states can be strong cues for later memory.
B)learning and memory can be increased with the use of drugs.
C)sad people tend to have more emotionally-cued memories than happy people do.
D)adults tend to lose eidetic memory as they grow older.

Question 69

Memories currently stored in memory would be considered

A)available.
B)accessible.
C)procedural.
D)redintegrated.

Question 70

Cue-dependent theories of memory suggest that you would do best on your history test if you could be tested

A)in the room where you studied.
B)in a quiet room with only a small group of students.
C)with a large group of history majors.
D)with students who are your age and share your interests.

Question 71

While studying,Nadia tries to visualize the room where she will be tested.Nadia's method of studying will

A)enhance retrieval cues and improve her test performance.
B)lead to source confusion and impair her test performance.
C)cause retroactive interference and impair her test performance.
D)have no effect on her test performance,either positive or negative.

Question 72

Any stimulus associated with a particular memory and which usually enhances your ability to access a memory is called a(n)

A)memory trace.
B)eidetic image.
C)retrieval cue.
D)morpheme.

Question 73

Memories currently stored in memory are available,but in order for them to be retrieved,they must be

A)redintegrated.
B)accessible.
C)procedural memories.
D)implicit memories.

Question 74

Artea performs better on her college exams if she either studies in the room in which she will be tested or visualizes this room while she is studying.Artea is

A)trying to prevent memory decay of her sensory memory.
B)trying to prevent cue-dependent forgetting.
C)exhibiting superstitious behavior.
D)using eidetic imagery to enhance her memory.

Question 75

Cue-dependent forgetting may be the cause of

A)memory trace decay.
B)the tip-of-the-tongue state.
C)short-term memory problems.
D)encoding disruption.

Question 76

Virginia finds her old high school yearbook in the attic.As she looks at the pictures,a flood of seemingly lost memories return.The photographs in this yearbook served as

A)eidetic images.
B)memory traces.
C)mnemonic devices.
D)retrieval cues.

Question 77

Research has found that information that people learn under the influence of a drug is best remembered when the drugged state occurs again.This laboratory experiment illustrates

A)eidetic imagery.
B)the serial position effect.
C)state-dependent learning.
D)the tip-of-the-tongue state.

Question 78

At a police station,the witness of a hit-and-run accident remembers the first two numbers of the license on the car involved.To increase her chances of remembering the other numbers she should

A)read a list of randomly selected license numbers to jog her memory.
B)go home and rest,trying again after she has calmed down.
C)write down several possible license numbers and see which ones she recognizes.
D)immediately return to the site of the accident to provide cues to her memory.

Question 79

The tip-of-the-tongue state is best explained by which explanation of forgetting?

A)interference theory
B)repression
C)cue-dependent forgetting
D)encoding failure

Question 80

While taking an exam,you read a question and know that you know the answer to that question but you just cannot retrieve it during the exam.However,the answer pops in your head as you leave the classroom following the exam. This is an example of when a memory is

A)available but not accessible.
B)temporary rather than permanent.
C)short-term but not long-term.
D)procedural rather than semantic.