Deck 7: C: Memory

Question 1

Psychologists have identified several factors that can lead to better encoding and recall of information.Using this information,describe four ways you could study material for this class that should increase your exam performance.

Answer 1

A good answer will include some of the following:
Levels of processing: processing the class material at a meaningful level will make it more likely to be recalled later.
Self reference: making material relevant to yourself will improve your memory for it.
Survival processing: try to relate to material to your survival;material linked to survival is better remembered than material that is not.
The method of loci: associate concepts to be remembered with familiar locations,such as rooms in your house.
The first letter technique: use the first letter of concepts to create an easy to remember sentence (such as the first letter for each part of the working memory model,V,P,C,and E and memorizing "Vincent Price cracked eggs."
Dual coding: memorize both a verbal and a visual depiction of a concept.
The testing effect: complete multiple practice tests to improve future test performance.

Question 2

Many people think of memory as an accurate "recording" of past events.However,researchers have been able to demonstrate that it is fairly easy to make subjects misremember events,or even remember events that did not occur.Explain three different techniques that researchers have used to create these false memories.Provide examples of each.

Answer 2

Three examples include:
Changing words: by asking about a car 'crash' versus a car 'accident' researchers have been able to make people falsely remember a more serious accident than they actually witnessed.
Providing misinformation after the event: when participants were quizzed about a 'yield sign' that was not in a car accident video they were shown,the participants falsely remembered the yield sign as being present.
Feedback: "Imagination inflation" (Making people imagine the event): having participants imagine an event that didn't really happen increased the likelihood that the participants would later report that the imagined event actually did happen to them.

Question 3

Patrick is picking up a foreign exchange student from France at the airport.Before he goes in,he quickly looks at a photo of the student so he can recognize him,and looks up how to say "Hello.Welcome to Canada" in French.As Patrick scans the crowd for the student,he repeats the French phrase in his head.Using the working memory model,describe what each of the four components are likely doing as Patrick waits.

Answer 3

The phonological loop will be used to repeat the 'welcome to Canada' phrase in French.
The visuospatial sketchpad will be holding selected faces in the crowd in short-term memory long enough for them to be compared to a representation in LTM
The central executive will be selecting faces from the crowd to be compared to long-term memory and ensuring that the phonological buffer and visuospatial sketchpad are doing their jobs.
The episodic buffer will be putting together the sights and sounds of the airport and creating a memory of the episode.