Question 1

Which of the following brain structures is central to the processing of procedural memories?

Accepted Answer

The basal ganglia plays a key role in the processing and execution of procedural memories, which involve the performance of learned motor skills and sequences of actions. The hippocampus is more involved in the formation and retrieval of declarative memories, such as facts and events. The hypothalamus is involved in regulating basic bodily functions such as hunger and thirst, and the amygdala is involved in emotional processing and memory.

Question 2

Those who seem to be memory whizzes tend to use ________ to aid memory.

Accepted Answer

Mnemonics are strategies used to aid memory, and those who excel at remembering often use them. Chunking, hierarchies, and acronyms can also be helpful, but they are not as commonly associated with superior memory abilities as mnemonics.

Question 3

The semantic processing of the words in a short poem illustrates

Accepted Answer

Semantic processing refers to the deep processing of the meaning of a word or concept, rather than just superficial or surface-level processing. Therefore, the best choice is D) deep processing.

Question 4

The amount of material remembered is determined by

Accepted Answer

The amount of material remembered is determined by both the amount of time spent learning and making the information meaningful. Spending more time learning helps to solidify the information in memory, but if the information is not meaningful or relevant to the individual, it may be quickly forgotten. On the other hand, if the information is made meaningful or personally relevant, it can be easier to remember even if only a short amount of time was spent learning it. Therefore, both factors are important in determining how much material is remembered.

Question 5

Conscious memories of emotionally stressful events are especially likely to be facilitated by activation of the

Accepted Answer

The amygdala is known to play a crucial role in the processing and consolidation of emotionally arousing memories, particularly those associated with fear, stress, or trauma. Activation of the amygdala can enhance the encoding and retrieval of such memories, which may underlie the persistence and intensity of related emotional and behavioral responses.

Question 6

Retrieving is to ________ as identifying is to ________.

Accepted Answer

Retrieving involves recalling information from memory while identifying involves recognizing or acknowledging something as familiar or known. Recall is a type of retrieval, and recognition is a type of identification, so the best match is A.

Question 7

Which of the following brain structures is involved in the formation of explicit memories?

Accepted Answer

The frontal lobes are involved in the formation of explicit memories, which are memories that can be consciously recalled and described in detail. The cerebellum is primarily involved in motor coordination and learning, while the basal ganglia are involved in procedural memory (e.g. riding a bike). The amygdala is involved in emotional memory (e.g. associating an event with a particular emotion).

Question 8

Experiencing a momentary sensory memory of a passing car would be an example of

Accepted Answer

Iconic memory refers to the visual sensory memory that lasts for a very brief interval of time, typically less than half a second. This type of memory allows us to retain a visual impression of a scene even after the stimulus has been removed. The passing car, in this case, is a visual stimulus that would be stored in iconic memory. Echoic memory, on the other hand, is auditory sensory memory and would not be relevant in this scenario. Implicit and explicit memory refer to long-term memory processes and are not applicable to this momentary sensory memory.

Question 9

Mr.Nydam is unable to remember playing golf several times each week on a particular course.Yet the more he plays the course,the more his game improves.His experience illustrates the need to distinguish between

Accepted Answer

Mr. Nydam's experience shows that he is able to improve in his golf game even though he cannot remember playing frequently, suggesting that his improved performance is the result of implicit memory (unconscious memory that affects behavior without awareness) rather than explicit memory (conscious memory of facts and events). This distinction is important because different types of memory processes can affect learning and performance in different ways.

Question 10

It's easier to remember the names of North America's five Great Lakes by using the first letter of each of the lakes to create the single word "HOMES." This strategy best illustrates the value of

Accepted Answer

The strategy of using the first letter of each of the Great Lakes to create the word "HOMES" is an example of an acronym, where a word is created using the first letter of each item to be remembered. This shows the value of using acronyms as a mnemonic strategy to help with memory recall.

Question 11

Which of the following is believed to be the synaptic basis for learning and memory?

Accepted Answer

Long-term potentiation (LTP) is believed to be the synaptic basis for learning and memory. LTP refers to the strengthening of synaptic connections between neurons due to repeated and sustained stimulation, resulting in a long-lasting increase in signal transmission between the neurons. This mechanism is thought to underlie the formation and consolidation of memories. Options A, B, and C refer to cognitive effects or phenomena that do not directly relate to synaptic mechanisms.

Question 12

After Maya told her friend the five-digit password to a protected website,her friend was able to remember it only long enough to type it into the password box.In this instance,the password was clearly stored in her friend's ________ memory.

Accepted Answer

Short-term memory refers to the temporary storage of information. In this scenario, Maya's friend only remembered the five-digit password long enough to type it into the password box, indicating that it was stored in her short-term memory. The other options do not accurately represent the type of memory involved in this scenario.

Question 13

Paulo was robbed at gunpoint by a group of strangers.Police officers later asked him to describe in writing what he had seen and heard during the robbery.Which measure of memory retention was being used?

Accepted Answer

Recall is the measure of retrieving information from memory without any cues or prompts. In this situation, Paulo is being asked to recall what he witnessed during the robbery, making D the best choice.

Question 14

Suppose you are out of town and have to access one of your password-protected accounts.You look up the number on your password list,but by the time you are ready to access the account,you have forgotten that password.This best illustrates the limited capacity of ________ memory.

Accepted Answer

This scenario describes the forgetting of a password shortly after it was seen on the password list. This is characteristic of the limited capacity of short-term memory, which has a limited duration and can hold only a small amount of information at a time. Long-term memory refers to the storage of information over a long period of time, while implicit and explicit memory refer to types of long-term memory that involve unconscious or conscious awareness, respectively.

Question 15

The encoding of information directly into long-term storage without the aid of working memory best illustrates

Accepted Answer

Automatic processing refers to the unconscious encoding of certain types of information, such as the frequency of events, without the need for conscious attention or effort to store them into long-term memory. This process bypasses working memory and directly encodes information into memory storage.

Question 16

An inability to form semantic memories would most likely result from damage to the

Accepted Answer

The hippocampus plays a crucial role in the formation of semantic memories, which are long-term memories related to general knowledge and facts about the world. Damage to the hippocampus is associated with anterograde amnesia, where individuals have difficulty forming new memories, including semantic memories. The basal ganglia, hypothalamus, and cerebellum do not have primary functions in the formation of semantic memories.

Question 17

Many students review course material at various times during a semester so they will be prepared for the final exam.These students are especially likely to retain the information far into the future.This best illustrates the value of

Accepted Answer

The scenario described is an example of distributed practice, which involves spaced out review sessions of material over a period of time. Research has consistently shown that distributed practice is more effective for long-term retention than massed practice, or cramming all the material into one study session.

Question 18

Another term for implicit memory is ________ memory.

Accepted Answer

Implicit memory is also known as nondeclarative memory. The other options (iconic, short-term, and working memory) refer to other types of memory.

Question 19

Mentally rehearsing the glossary definitions of unfamiliar terms in order to remember them for a later test illustrates

Accepted Answer

Mentally rehearsing the glossary definitions of unfamiliar terms requires effortful processing, which is the conscious and intentional encoding of information. This type of processing is necessary for creating long-term memories, especially for complex or unfamiliar material. Shallow processing (A) refers to processing information in a superficial way, such as only paying attention to its physical features. Procedural memory (B) refers to the memory system responsible for skills and habits, such as riding a bike. Echoic memory (D) refers to the brief sensory memory for auditory information.

Question 20

Which of the following is an effective way to distribute practice that not only will assess what you have learned and remember but will also improve both?

Accepted Answer

The testing effect refers to the finding that the act of retrieving information from memory strengthens that information and makes it easier to retrieve in the future. Therefore, regular testing or quizzing on material can not only assess what you have learned and remember, but also improve your ability to recall that information in the future.

Quiz 8: Memory