Cognitive Psychology and Memory Flashcards

A student studies for a final exam in a quiet, brightly lit library. According to the encoding specificity principle, under which of the following conditions is the student most likely to achieve the best recall of the material?

Answer: Taking the exam in a quiet, brightly lit classroom

The encoding specificity principle states that memory recall is most effective when the conditions at the time of retrieval match the conditions at the time of encoding. Since the student encoded the information in a quiet, brightly lit environment, they are most likely to recall it best in a similar setting.

Which of the following scenarios is the BEST example of proactive interference?

Answer: You keep entering your old password for a website even though you recently changed it.

Proactive interference occurs when previously learned information hinders the ability to recall newly learned information. In this case, the old, well-rehearsed password memory is interfering with the retrieval of the new password.

According to the Atkinson-Shiffrin (multi-store) model of memory, what are the three distinct storage components?

Answer: Sensory Memory, Short-Term Memory, and Long-Term Memory

The Atkinson-Shiffrin model, also known as the multi-store model, posits that memory is composed of three sequential stores: a brief sensory memory, a limited-capacity short-term memory, and a vast long-term memory.

An individual's memory for how to ride a bicycle is an example of which type of long-term memory?

Answer: Procedural memory

Procedural memory is a type of implicit (non-declarative) long-term memory responsible for knowing how to perform skills and actions, such as riding a bicycle or tying shoelaces. These memories are often recalled unconsciously.

A therapist helps a client reframe a traumatic memory by discussing the event from a different perspective. Over time, the client's emotional response to the memory lessens, and some details of their recollection seem to have changed. This phenomenon is most consistent with the concept of:

Answer: Memory as a reconstructive process

This scenario illustrates that memory is not a perfect recording of events but is a reconstructive process. Post-event information, such as therapeutic reframing, can alter the original memory. The work of Loftus and Palmer demonstrated how leading questions could change a person's memory of an event, supporting the reconstructive nature of memory.

The research conducted by Loftus and Palmer (1974), in which participants' estimates of a car's speed were influenced by the verb used in the question (e.g., 'smashed' vs. 'contacted'), provided strong evidence for the:

Answer: Misinformation effect

Loftus and Palmer's classic study is a key demonstration of the misinformation effect, showing that post-event information (in this case, a leading question with a suggestive verb) can be incorporated into the memory of the event, thereby altering the recollection. Participants who heard the word 'smashed' not only gave higher speed estimates but were also more likely to falsely remember seeing broken glass.