Question 1

Long-term semantic memories seem to be located primarily in the ________.

Accepted Answer

Long-term semantic memories are related to general knowledge and are primarily located in the temporal lobes and frontal lobes of the brain. The temporal lobe is responsible for processing sensory information such as hearing and vision, and the frontal lobe is responsible for higher-level thinking, planning, and decision-making. These two areas work together to store and retrieve semantic memories.

Question 2

Short-term and working memories seem to be located primarily in the ________.

Accepted Answer

Short-term and working memories are primarily associated with the prefrontal cortex and the temporal lobes of the brain. The prefrontal cortex is involved in the management of working memory, while the temporal lobes play a key role in the formation and retrieval of memories.

Question 3

When people are asked to recall names of people, there is increased activity in a particular area of the ________ lobe.

Accepted Answer

The left temporal lobe is primarily responsible for processing and storing verbal memory, including names of people. Studies have shown increased activity in this area when individuals are asked to recall names.

Question 4

According to ________ theory, memories deteriorate because of the passage of time.

Accepted Answer

Decay theory posits that memories naturally decay over time if they are not rehearsed or reinforced, leading to forgetting.

Question 5

Procedural memories appear to be located primarily in the ________.

Accepted Answer

Procedural memories, which involve how to do things (e.g. riding a bike, typing), appear to be primarily located in the cerebellum, a brain region involved in motor control and coordination. The other brain regions listed (hippocampus, reticular formation, and basal ganglia) are involved in different aspects of memory and learning but not primarily associated with procedural memories.

Question 6

Chronic alcoholism can lead to a form of amnesia called ________ caused by a vitamin deficiency and poor diet typical of people who abuse alcohol.

Accepted Answer

Korsakoff's syndrome is a form of amnesia caused by a deficiency of thiamine (vitamin B1) typically found in people who abuse alcohol. Poor diet and malnutrition commonly associated with alcoholism can contribute to this deficiency. Broca's syndrome and Wernicke's syndrome are not associated with chronic alcoholism, while Pick's disease is a rare form of dementia that is not related to alcohol abuse.

Question 7

Researchers have found that long-term retention of information is particularly affected by ________.

Accepted Answer

Epinephrine and cortisol are stress hormones that can impair long-term retention of information. When a person experiences stress, these hormones are released and can interfere with the consolidation and retrieval of memories. Therefore, option B is the correct answer.

Question 8

The chemical and structural changes that occur in neurons and neural connections when memories are formed are collectively known as ________.

Accepted Answer

Long-term potentiation (LTP) is the term used to describe the increase in synaptic strength that occurs between two neurons when they are repeatedly activated in close proximity to each other. This strengthening of neural connections is thought to underlie the formation of new memories. Choices A, B, and D do not accurately describe the chemical and structural changes that occur during memory formation. Automaticity refers to the ability of certain cells to generate electrical impulses without external stimulation. Reciprocity refers to the mutual exchange of information or influence between two entities. Priming refers to the phenomenon whereby exposure to a stimulus influences a person's subsequent response to a related stimulus.

Question 9

The amygdala is most involved in the processing of ________ memory.

Accepted Answer

The amygdala is known to play a significant role in processing emotions, such as fear and pleasure, and is responsible for encoding emotional memories. Therefore, the correct choice is D.

Question 10

The hippocampus is crucial to the functioning of ________ memory.

Accepted Answer

The hippocampus is primarily associated with spatial, semantic, and episodic memory. Spatial memory refers to the ability to remember locations and navigate through environments, semantic memory involves general knowledge and concepts, and episodic memory involves the ability to remember specific events or experiences. The other options listed do not accurately reflect the primary functions of the hippocampus.

Question 11

Current research indicates that memories consist of ________.

Accepted Answer

Current research suggests that memory formation and retention involve changes in the strength and structure of synaptic connections between neurons. These changes include the release of neurotransmitters, the growth of dendritic spines, and the formation of new synapses. While the creation of new glial cells (A) and memory-specific neurons (B) have been proposed as potential mechanisms for memory formation, the evidence supporting these factors is not as strong as the evidence for synaptic changes. The internal structures of existing neurons (D) may also play a role in memory formation, but the changes in synaptic connections are considered more crucial.

Question 12

The inability to recall events immediately preceding an accident or injury, but without loss of earlier memory is called ________ amnesia.

Accepted Answer

Retrograde amnesia refers to the inability to recall past events, while still being able to form new memories. This is different from anterograde amnesia which refers to the inability to form new memories after an injury or event, but still being able to recall past events. Psychogenic and psychotropic refer to psychological or psychiatric disorders and medications, respectively, and are not related to amnesia. Retroactive amnesia is not a commonly used term, but may refer to the inability to recall events immediately following an injury or trauma.

Question 13

The memories primarily located in the cerebellum are ________ memories.

Accepted Answer

The cerebellum is known for its role in procedural memory, which involves learning and recalling motor skills and habits.

Question 14

After an accident in which she suffers a brain injury, Ellen is unable to recall new emotional experiences, even though her emotional memories of events prior to the accident are intact. She has most likely suffered damage to her ________.

Accepted Answer

The amygdala is responsible for processing emotions and creating emotional memories, including the encoding of new emotional experiences. Damage to the amygdala can result in difficulty forming new emotional memories while leaving existing emotional memories intact.

Question 15

Research examining the role of sleep on memory has found that the same neurons and patterns of neuronal activity in the _______ that accompany initial learning are reactivated during subsequent deep sleep.

Accepted Answer

The hippocampus is specifically known for its involvement in memory formation and consolidation. Reactivation of the same neuronal activity during deep sleep suggests that sleep plays a crucial role in the consolidation and retention of newly formed memories.

Question 16

Retrograde amnesia is characterized by forgetting ________.

Accepted Answer

Retrograde amnesia refers to the inability to recall events that occurred before an accident, injury, or traumatic event. Therefore, option C is the correct answer as it refers to events preceding an accident or injury. While it is possible for some distant memories to be lost in retrograde amnesia, option A is too broad and does not specifically address the characteristic of retrograde amnesia. Option B refers to a different type of memory loss known as sensory memory loss. Option D is incorrect as retrograde amnesia does not typically affect a person's identity-related memories.

Question 17

An untreatable neurological disorder involving severe, progressive memory loss is called ________.

Accepted Answer

Alzheimer's disease is a neurological disorder that causes severe, progressive memory loss and is presently untreatable. Retrograde amnesia is a type of memory loss caused by brain injury, not a progressive disorder. Korsakoff's syndrome is a type of memory disorder caused by chronic alcoholism. Milner's syndrome is not a recognized medical disorder.

Question 18

Experiments known as distractor studies have found most of the evidence supporting ________ theory.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Experiments known as distractor studies have found...

Question 19

A psychologist flashes a sequence of five letters (such as STWLG) on a screen in front of you and then asks you immediately to count backward from 1000 by 7s. After a few seconds, she asks you to recall the five letters. This psychologist is most likely studying the ________.

Accepted Answer

This experiment is designed to study the role of decay in short-term memory (STM) loss. By distracting you with a task immediately after showing the letters, the psychologist is testing how quickly information can fade from STM when not actively rehearsed or encoded into long-term memory.

Question 20

Randy is recovering from an automobile accident in which he injured his head. The only noticeable psychological symptom of his injury is that he cannot remember what happened immediately prior to the accident. Randy's symptoms are typical of ________.

Accepted Answer

Randy's inability to remember events that occurred before the accident is consistent with retrograde amnesia, which is the loss of memory for events that occurred before the injury. Anterograde amnesia, on the other hand, is the inability to form new memories after the injury. Organic amnesia refers to memory loss resulting from physical damage or injury to the brain, while psychogenic amnesia is memory loss resulting from psychological trauma or emotional distress. Since Randy's symptoms are a result of a physical injury, organic amnesia is a possible choice as well, but retrograde amnesia is a better fit based on the specific symptom he is experiencing.

Quiz 6: Memory