Question 1

The research on practice and memory improvement demonstrates that

Accepted Answer

The research on practice and memory improvement shows that learning is more effective if learning trials are spread out over time, rather than if you study without a break. This is known as the spaced practice effect, and it has been demonstrated across a wide range of tasks and types of information. The total time hypothesis, on the other hand, suggests that the total amount of time spent studying is more important than how that time is structured or spaced out. However, research has shown that distributed practice is more effective than massed practice for retaining information in the long term.

Question 2

According to research on memory benefits from deep processing of material, students learned more in a psychology course on personality theories if they

Accepted Answer

Keeping a journal in which they applied the theories to acquaintances and famous people involves deep processing of the material which has shown to enhance memory retention. Reading without stopping or listening to emotional music while reading do not require deep processing and taking exams in a different classroom does not relate to the processing of material during the course.

Question 3

You have enrolled in Professor Lawrence's Sociology class this semester, and a friend (who took the same professor last year) warns you that Professor Lawrence tends to speak rapidly and present a great deal of information in a short time. You decide to be sure that you have read the assigned textbook chapter before each class meeting to familiarize yourself with the concepts before the lecture begins. Your strategy is based on the idea of

Accepted Answer

The strategy of reading the assigned textbook chapter before each class meeting is based on minimizing the cognitive load on your working memory. By familiarizing yourself with the concepts before the lecture begins, you can reduce the amount of new information that needs to be processed and stored in your working memory, thereby minimizing the cognitive load on this limited-capacity system. This can help you to better understand and remember the material presented in class.

Question 4

According to research on the testing effect,

Accepted Answer

The testing effect is explained by the creation of desirable difficulties during the test-taking process.

Question 5

According to research on desirable difficulties, you should wait at least _____ between study sessions in order to maximize long-term retention.

Accepted Answer

According to research on desirable difficulties, waiting at least 24 hours between study sessions is optimal for long-term retention. This delay allows for the information to be consolidated in long-term memory and enhances retrieval strength.

Question 6

Heather complains that her professor's Powerpoint slides are crowded with details and that she can't copy what is on the slides while listening to the lecture and taking notes on what is being said. Heather's complaint has to do with the limits of her

Accepted Answer

Heather’s complaint suggests that she is experiencing cognitive overload, which is a common problem associated with working memory. Working memory has a limited capacity for processing and storing information, and when the demand on this capacity exceeds it, cognitive overload occurs, making it difficult for Heather to retain information from both the lecture and the crowded slides simultaneously.

Question 7

Deep processing increases distinctiveness, which can be especially important in learning

Accepted Answer

Deep processing, which involves elaborative rehearsal and the meaningful analysis of information, enhances memory by increasing the distinctiveness of the information being learned. Remembering names benefits significantly from this increased distinctiveness, as it helps to differentiate and recall them more easily from the vast array of similar and competing information in memory.

Question 8

Research on divided attention suggests that

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that distractions such as email and Facebook prevent students from remembering a lecture as effectively as they might remember without distraction. Divided attention can negatively impact memory and learning.

Question 9

Suppose that you are a counselor at a summer camp, and you want to learn the children's names. You decide to rehearse the names during each mealtime for 3 days. This would be an example of a technique called

Accepted Answer

The technique described in the scenario is an example of the distributed-practice effect, which involves spacing out learning opportunities over time rather than cramming all at once. The counselor is rehearsing the names over the course of three days, which allows for more effective retention of the information. Both external memory aids and elaboration involve different techniques for improving memory encoding and retrieval, but they are not specifically demonstrated in this scenario. Source monitoring involves distinguishing between different sources of information, which is not relevant to this scenario.

Question 10

Lori types her notes on her laptop during her professor's lectures, but she also checks her email and monitors Facebook at the same time. Although Lori insists that she's a good multitasker, Steve informs her that she would remember the material better if she closed her email and browser during class. Steve's good advice is based on knowledge of

Accepted Answer

Steve's advice is based on the concept of divided attention, which is the idea that when we attend to multiple tasks at once, our ability to perform each task decreases. By asking Lori to close her email and browser during class, Steve is attempting to reduce the amount of distractions that Lori is facing and improve her ability to focus on and remember the lecture material.

Question 11

According to the principle of memory called the total-time hypothesis,

Accepted Answer

The total-time hypothesis states that the amount of time spent learning the material is directly related to memory performance. Therefore, choice A is correct. Choice B is not accurate because the total-time hypothesis does not imply that the impact of all other memory strategies is insignificant. Choice C is not accurate because the total-time hypothesis does not refer to general memory-building exercises. Choice D is not accurate because the total time spent studying may not decrease linearly for each repetition of the list.

Question 12

Research on the testing effect suggests that the beneficial effects of testing

Accepted Answer

The research on the testing effect suggests that its beneficial effects stretch beyond increased memory for the same information in the same testing format. This means that testing can improve memory for the material that was tested on, as well as related information that was not specifically tested on.

Question 13

Which of the following students has the best understanding about how to apply the distributed-practice effect?

Accepted Answer

Derrick has the best understanding of how to apply the distributed-practice effect, which involves spacing out study sessions over time. This has been shown to be more effective for long-term retention than massed practice, or cramming all the studying into one session. The other options given do not demonstrate a clear understanding of the distributed-practice effect.

Question 14

An instructor makes online practice quizzes available to her students in order to help them study for the midterm exam. She allows the students to take each practice quiz more than once, but requires them to wait at least one day between attempts. She is trying to help students by making use of the principle of

Accepted Answer

The instructor is using the principle of desirable difficulties. By requiring students to wait at least one day between quiz attempts, she is making the learning process more challenging, which has been shown to increase long-term retention of information. This is the essence of the principle of desirable difficulties. Encoding specificity and levels of processing refer to different ways of structuring and processing information, rather than to specific study techniques. Massed learning involves studying for long periods of time without breaks, which has been shown to be less effective for long-term retention of information than spaced learning.

Question 15

You are studying for an exam in your Forensic Psychology class. You know that 30% of the items will be fill-in-the-blank questions that require you to recall the term or name that best fits the description. Which of the following study techniques would make use of the encoding specificity principle?

Accepted Answer

Quizzing yourself with flashcards is the best choice because it directly applies the encoding specificity principle. This principle states that memory is improved when the encoding of the information match the cues used to retrieve the information. By encoding the term or name on one side of the flashcard and the definition/description on the other side, you are intentionally matching the encoding and retrieval cues, leading to better recall on the exam. The other options do not directly apply this principle as effectively.

Question 16

Suppose that you are studying for a biopsychology examination, and you decide to try asking yourself questions about why various structures in the central nervous system operate the way they do. According to the discussion of memory strategies, your technique would

Accepted Answer

Asking yourself questions about why certain structures in the central nervous system operate the way they do is an example of elaborative rehearsal, which encourages a deep level of processing. It involves making connections between new information and existing knowledge, which enhances memory retention. This strategy does not promote simple rehearsal (B), lead to divided attention (C), or enhance encoding specificity (A).

Question 17

Roediger and Karpicke's 2006 study of the testing effect indicated that taking memory tests improves retention as compared to extra studying

Accepted Answer

Roediger and Karpicke's study found that the testing effect improved retention even when students received no feedback on their test results, meaning they did not know if they answered correctly or not.

Question 18

Sean is studying for his philosophy final exam. He knows that the test will be all essays, and he knows that the professor often asks students to compare two philosophical approaches. As part of his studying, he writes several practice essays in which he compares some philosophical approaches. Sean's study method makes use of the cognitive principle called

Accepted Answer

Sean's study method utilizes the encoding specificity principle, which suggests that recall is improved when information is retrieved in the same context in which it was encoded. By practicing essays similar to those he expects on the exam, Sean is aligning his study context with the exam context, thereby enhancing his ability to recall and apply the information during the test.

Question 19

Suppose that you hear a lecture about memory improvement, and the speaker says, "We must remember the value of desirable difficulties." The speaker is likely to emphasize that

Accepted Answer

The concept of "desirable difficulties" suggests that challenges in the learning process can enhance memory and learning effectiveness. Option D directly relates to this idea by suggesting that testing oneself and making errors shortly after learning can lead to improved study habits and deeper learning, embodying the principle of desirable difficulties.

Question 20

Suppose that you study for your next examination in this course by reviewing each topic and asking how the information might be relevant to the career you want to pursue. Your study technique makes use of

Accepted Answer

The self-reference principle involves making connections between new information and one's own experiences or goals. By asking how the information might be relevant to the career they want to pursue, the individual is using this technique to enhance their encoding and retention of the material. The encoding-specificity principle refers to the idea that retrieval is enhanced when the context of learning and the context of retrieval match. The Pollyanna Principle refers to the tendency for individuals to remember and prioritize positive information. Lastly, the shallow-rehearsal technique involves repeating information without making any meaningful connections or associations, which is not occurring in this study technique.

Quiz 6: Memory Strategies and Metacognition