Psychology Degree Cognitive Processes and Memory 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which memory system is responsible for storing general knowledge about the world, such as the fact that Paris is the capital of France?
- Episodic memory
- Semantic memory (Correct answer)
- Procedural memory
- Priming memory
Correct answer: Semantic memory
Semantic memory stores factual, conceptual knowledge independent of personal experience or context.
Question 2: The 'levels of processing' framework proposed by Craik and Lockhart (1972) argues that memory retention depends on:
- The number of rehearsal repetitions
- The depth of encoding (shallow vs. deep) (Correct answer)
- The capacity of short-term memory
- The vividness of emotional arousal
Correct answer: The depth of encoding (shallow vs. deep)
Deeper, more meaningful processing (semantic elaboration) produces stronger, longer-lasting memory traces than shallow phonetic or visual processing.
Question 3: A student can easily recall where she was when she heard about a major news event. This vivid, detailed memory is best described as a:
- Flashbulb memory (Correct answer)
- Procedural memory
- Prospective memory
- Source memory
Correct answer: Flashbulb memory
Flashbulb memories are highly vivid, detailed recollections of the circumstances surrounding a surprising, emotionally significant event.
Question 4: Which concept describes the tendency for items at the beginning of a list to be recalled better than middle items?
- Recency effect
- Primacy effect (Correct answer)
- Von Restorff effect
- Suffix effect
Correct answer: Primacy effect
The primacy effect occurs because early list items have more time for elaborative rehearsal and transfer to long-term memory.
Question 5: Retrograde amnesia is characterized by:
- Inability to form new memories after brain injury
- Loss of memories that were formed before a brain injury (Correct answer)
- Impaired procedural skill learning
- Reduced capacity of working memory
Correct answer: Loss of memories that were formed before a brain injury
Retrograde amnesia involves forgetting of events and information that existed prior to the onset of the injury or illness.
Question 6: According to Baddeley's model, the component of working memory that coordinates the slave systems and allocates attention is called the:
- Phonological loop
- Visuospatial sketchpad
- Episodic buffer
- Central executive (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Central executive
The central executive acts as a supervisory attentional system that controls and regulates the other working memory subsystems.
Question 7: The phenomenon where encountering a word or image influences the response to a later related stimulus is known as:
- Chunking
- Priming (Correct answer)
- Encoding specificity
- Transfer-appropriate processing
Correct answer: Priming
Priming refers to improved identification or processing of a stimulus due to prior exposure to a related stimulus.
Psychology Degree Cognitive Processes and Memory 2
Which memory system is responsible for storing general knowledge about the world, such as the fact that Paris is the capital of France?