Question 1

Steve is studying with his friend Mike for their biology test. Mike asks Steve about a particular concept and Steve replies, "I know I was in class that day but I don't even have that in my notes. Are you sure the professor mentioned it?" Steve is demonstrating a(n) ________ failure.

Accepted Answer

A)  encoding 
B)  storage 
C)  retrieval 
D)  All of these.

Question 2

George Miller's classic paper on the seven plus or minus two phenomenon refers to a person's ________ memory.

Accepted Answer

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

Question 3

According to decay theory, memories fade because

Accepted Answer

A)  the amygdala fails to accurately encode. 
B)  the cerebellum cannot hold on to information over a long period of time. 
C)  synaptic connections are damaged. 
D)  a neurochemical "memory trace" disintegrates over time.

Question 4

Which of the following is TRUE of short-term memory?

Accepted Answer

A)  It is made up of explicit and implicit memory. 
B)  It is a relatively permanent type of memory. 
C)  It holds perceptions of the world for just an instant. 
D)  It is a limited-capacity memory system.

Question 5

What key process is critical when moving new information from sensory memory into short-term memory?

Accepted Answer

A)  recall 
B)  retrieval 
C)  attention 
D)  analysis

Question 6

A few years ago, you had a boyfriend named Phil. Now, you have a new boyfriend named Stephen. Because of ________, you sometimes call Stephen by the wrong name.

Accepted Answer

A)  proactive interference 
B)  retroactive interference 
C)  the Ebbinghaus effect 
D)  latent forgetting

Question 7

Dr. Kestler always gives her students a "pep talk" before each major exam, emphasizing intelligence and preparation. Dr. Brown teaches the same course but does the opposite. He tells students to expect low grades on his difficult exams. Given research on priming, what do you predict?

Accepted Answer

A)  Dr. Brown's students will try harder than Dr. Kestler's students. 
B)  Dr. Brown's students will perform better than Dr. Kestler's students on the exam. 
C)  Dr. Kestler's students will perform better than Dr. Brown's students on the exam. 
D)  There will be no difference in test performance between the two classes.

Question 8

Your friend, Vince, suffered serious injury to his cerebellum in a motorcycle accident. What effect will this have on Vince's life?

Accepted Answer

A)  He will not remember how to ride his motorcycle. 
B)  He will not remember his name. 
C)  He will not recognize his wife. 
D)  He will not remember where he lives.

Question 9

Imagine that you are a participant in Sperling's classic study on iconic memory. Why are you not able to identify all the letters presented on the screen?

Accepted Answer

A)  They are presented too briefly. 
B)  They are not presented audibly. 
C)  They are not distinctive enough. 
D)  The font size is too small.

Question 10

Kandel and Schwartz used sea slugs in their research on memory because the sea slug

Accepted Answer

A)  is a quick learner. 
B)  has a good memory. 
C)  has relatively few neurons. 
D)  All of these.

Question 11

Chunking involves

Accepted Answer

A)  immediately scanning information for relevant details. 
B)  packing together information that exceeds the 7 plus or minus 2 rule. 
C)  immediately forgetting relevant information. 
D)  using Miller's framework for memory retrieval.

Question 12

Both of Suzie's parents suffered from Alzheimer's disease before they died. Although still in her early 40s, Suzie is very concerned about her own cognitive functioning. What advice can you give her based what you know about the science of memory?

Accepted Answer

A)  "There is really nothing you can do; Alzheimer's disease is without remedy." 
B)  "Don't overtax your brain; too much intellectual stimulation can cause the brain to reach its cognitive limit sooner." 
C)  "Engage in mostly automatic behaviors; these behaviors are already stored effectively in the brain." 
D)  "Engage in challenging cognitive tasks as frequently as you can."

Question 13

According to research on memory, individuals who describe important life experiences from a redemptive perspective are more

Accepted Answer

A)  generative. 
B)  religious. 
C)  intelligent. 
D)  dependable.

Question 14

An individual's autobiographical memory forms the core of the individual's

Accepted Answer

A)  life time periods. 
B)  memory system. 
C)  self esteem. 
D)  personal identity.

Question 15

Which of the following is NOT one of the three main memory processes?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 16

Most amusement parks have winding lines that lead up to their attractions, thus preventing too many people from entering the attraction at one time. Which type of memory store is similar in design?

Accepted Answer

A)  semantic 
B)  sensory 
C)  explicit 
D)  long-term

Question 17

According to the Atkinson-Shiffrin theory of memory, memory storage involves which of the following three systems?

Accepted Answer

A)  sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory 
B)  attentive memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory 
C)  sensory memory, selective memory, and long-term memory 
D)  sensory memory, working memory, and short-term memory

Question 18

Repression is

Accepted Answer

A)  a flashbulb memory. 
B)  a schema. 
C)  motivated forgetting. 
D)  a retrieval cue.

Question 19

According to Hermann Ebbinghaus,

Accepted Answer

A)  motivated forgetting is a good treatment for overcoming traumatic events. 
B)  motivated forgetting is a poor treatment for overcoming traumatic events. 
C)  most forgetting occurs long after we originally learned something. 
D)  most forgetting occurs soon after we originally learned something.

Question 20

Which of the following animals did Kandel and Schwartz use in their research on the neural mechanics of memory?

Accepted Answer

A)  rats 
B)  monkeys 
C)  sharks 
D)  sea slugs

Exam 7: Memory